Samsung’s next flagship, the Galaxy S26 Ultra, is already making headlines ahead of its expected January 2026 launch—and not all the news will please fans.
Samsung has reportedly achieved higher energy density with the Galaxy S26 Ultra’s battery, which essentially means one of two things: either a larger battery can fit in the same space, or the same capacity can be housed in a smaller volume. While many users may hope for the former, the leak suggests Samsung is opting for the latter—prioritizing a thinner design instead.
Tipster @UniverseIce claims the S26 Ultra will once again feature a 5,000mAh battery—unchanged from every Ultra model since the Galaxy S20 Ultra in 2020.
Why isn’t Samsung upgrading the battery capacity? Safety plays a role? Samsung has more than just the Galaxy Note 7 fiasco to remember. Here are a few recent incidents worth noting. The South Korean giant now seems especially cautious with battery chemistry.
However, there is a silver lining. According to the tipster, the change allows Samsung to shave down the phone’s overall thickness—potentially following the design language of the Galaxy S26 Edge.
Charging speeds are also reportedly getting a significant bump. @UniverseIce suggests Samsung is introducing upgraded thermal management, possibly raising the charging speed to 65W—up from 45W on the S25 Ultra. If true, that could mean a significant reduction in the downtime.
Other expected features include Qualcomm’s next-gen Snapdragon 8 Elite 2 chip. Unfortunately, the camera setup is rumored to remain mostly unchanged until 2028.
While battery capacity purists might be disappointed, Samsung’s focus on a thinner build and faster charging could still make the Galaxy S26 Ultra a compelling upgrade.
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