Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra design leaks: All you need to know

Dubai: Samsung might have accidentally shown off its upcoming Galaxy S26 Ultra before the official launch. The leak came from an unlikely source: the company's own Tips app in One UI 8.5.

The app was demonstrating a new Privacy Display feature and used what appears to be the S26 Ultra as the example device. This has given us our first proper look at what Samsung's next flagship will look like when it launches in late February 2026.

What's different this time for the phone?

The Galaxy S26 Ultra is set to receive subtle yet welcome upgrades. The corners are more rounded compared to the S25 Ultra, and the bezels around the screen have been trimmed down to give you more display space. The front camera cutout looks slightly larger, possibly to improve the field of view for selfies and video calls.

On the sides, it's business as usual. The left side remains empty, while the right side has three buttons: volume up, volume down, and a multifunctional side key that works as both a power button and AI assistant trigger. At the bottom, you'll find the SIM tray, USB Type-C port, and speaker grille.

The camera design is also getting a refresh. Instead of individual floating lenses, the S26 series introduces a unified camera island. The Ultra model houses three primary lenses in a raised module, while the additional sensor and LED flash sit flush with the back.

Under the hood, expect the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip, up to 16GB of RAM, and storage options reaching 1TB. The camera setup is rumoured to include a 200MP main sensor with multiple telephoto options. The 5,000mAh battery should support faster 60W wired charging.

Launch date and reveal date

Leaks surrounding the Samsung Galaxy S26 are gaining momentum, with the latest unofficial reports pointing to a specific launch date.

According to South Korean press reports shared by well-known tipster UniverseIce, Samsung is expected to unveil the Galaxy S26 series on Wednesday, February 25 during a launch event in San Francisco. The phones would then go on sale sometime in early March.

This timing lines up with earlier rumours that pointed to a February announcement followed by a March release, which makes the date feel increasingly credible. The reports also hint at some reassurance around pricing, though specific figures haven't been confirmed yet.

If the leaked timeline holds, we're looking at just under two months until Samsung officially takes the wraps off its next flagship lineup.

Areeba Hashmi is a trainee a Gulf News.