Samsung keeps us guessing about its upcoming Galaxy S26 flagship phones, promising significant upgrades despite months before their scheduled launch. During Samsung’s Q3 2025 earnings call, VP Daniel Araujo offered a preview of what might be coming next, positioning the S26 series as a major evolution in smartphone technology.
What We Know So Far
AI Takes Center Stage
Araujo described the upcoming phones as being powered by “user-centric, next-gen AI.” This focus on AI capabilities aligns perfectly with the current industry trend where artificial intelligence is becoming a key selling point for smartphones. While the specifics of the AI improvements weren’t detailed, we can expect features that learn from user behavior, offer smarter suggestions, and potentially enhance various phone functions like camera processing and battery management.
Performance Hardware Gets an Upgrade
The term “second-generation custom AP” likely refers to Samsung’s powerful in-house processors. This could mean either continued refinement of their Exynos chips, or perhaps a step forward in Qualcomm’s “for Galaxy” Snapdragon chips used in many of Samsung’s devices, or both. Samsung typically uses a combination of these chips across its flagship models, though the performance difference between them is often minimal. The S26 series promises stronger performance overall, setting the stage for demanding new mobile applications and smoother multitasking.
Camera Systems May See Significant Improvements
While the exact details are still under wraps, the Galaxy S25 Ultra’s biggest hardware improvement was an upgraded ultra-wide camera sensor. This pattern suggests the S26 series might feature notable camera enhancements across all models, not just the top-tier Ultra. Users can anticipate potential improvements in low-light photography, computational photography features, or sensor quality.
What’s Still Unknown
Design and Battery Capacity
Interestingly, Araujo didn’t mention potential changes to the phone’s design or battery capacity. Recent rumors suggest the S26 Ultra might retain a similar look to its predecessor and use the same battery size. However, this information is far from confirmed, and Samsung could potentially surprise us with changes closer to the January 2026 launch window.
Specific AI and Chip Details
While the focus on AI and performance is clear, the specifics of what constitutes a “next-gen” AI system and what the “second-generation custom AP” entails remain vague. We’ll have to wait for official announcements to understand the technical specifications behind these exciting promises.
The Bottom Line
The Galaxy S26 series appears poised to deliver meaningful upgrades in artificial intelligence capabilities and performance hardware, building on the foundation laid by the Galaxy S24 and S25 models. While camera enhancements are likely, the most significant focus seems to be on how AI can fundamentally change the user experience. As always with Samsung flagships, concrete details will have to wait until the official launch, likely sometime in early 2026
