In the smartphone industry, the iPhone’s launch in September is akin to the Galaxy S-series debuting around New Year’s, marking the beginning of a new tech cycle. However, it appears that the Galaxy S26 will deviate from its usual timing, with indications of a later release than in recent years. Samsung has gradually been moving its flagship launches earlier over the past few years. Previously, most Galaxy S-series phones were typically anticipated around March or April. Recently, the company has favored earlier releases, often in February or even January. In January, the Galaxy S25 Edge was launched, leading to speculation that Samsung might replace its longstanding “Plus” model with the sleek Edge variant.
If this were the case, the Galaxy S26 lineup might consist of three models: the standard Galaxy S26, Galaxy S26 Edge, and Galaxy S26 Ultra. The Edge model, which is a slightly thicker version of the Galaxy S25 Plus, has not performed as well in sales as Samsung had hoped, leading to a shift in their launch strategy. A report from The Elec, a reliable Korean outlet for leaks, suggests that Samsung will indeed release the Galaxy S26 Plus, returning to the traditional structure of three models: a standard, a Plus, and an Ultra.
The report also indicates that mass production for the regular Galaxy S26 and Galaxy S26 Plus is scheduled for early next year, as Samsung continues to refine these models. Meanwhile, the Galaxy S26 Ultra is expected to begin mass production as early as December to adhere to its planned release timeline.
