A detailed firmware analysis may have just uncovered the camera and battery specifications of Samsung's upcoming Galaxy S26 and S26 Plus smartphones, suggesting a good set of upgrades in terms of optics and battery endurance.
Samsung may use new primary and telephoto sensors
A recent report from the folks over at Smartprix suggests that the Galaxy S26 and Galaxy S26 Plus will feature a 50 MP + 12 MP + 12 MP setup, with the main and telephoto lenses potentially getting an upgrade.
Based on the data the source collected from the latest firmwares of the Galaxy S26 and S26 Plus, the devices may feature a 50 MP upgraded main Samsung ISOCELL S5KGNG snapper. The ultrawide may remain the same 12 MP Sony IMX564, while the telephoto could get both a sensor and resolution upgrade with a 12 MP ISOCELL S5K3LD sensor.
Samsung is finally letting go of the same 10 MP sensor that it's been using for almost four iterations. Now, this could be similar to the recent reports of the Galaxy S26 Ultra telephoto camera upgrade. It's expected to be a larger 1/2.55-inch sensor (vs 1/3.52-inch), which could help capture brighter telephoto shots.
Earlier rumours suggested Samsung would use a new 50 MP ultrawide snapper, but the firm reportedly wants to 12 MP ultrawide to avoid making the new 12 MP telephoto sensor look bad in comparison.
As for the battery capacities, the Galaxy S26 could feature a 4,300mAh unit while the S26 Plus could host a 4,900mAh battery. Speaking of which, a recent leak revealed that the Galaxy S26 and Galaxy S26 Plus may feature Exynos 2600, while the Galaxy S26 Ultra processor could ultimately be the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5.
Lastly, the firmware also reveals that the cameras on the Galaxy S26 and S26 Plus will be capable of using Samsung's Advanced Professional Video codec. For those unaware, it's a codec designed for high-bitrate recording with support for 12-bit colour depth. It's labelled as being a perceptually lossless format.
With the camera and battery specifications seemingly locked in, the Galaxy S26 series appears to be ready. Samsung is expected to announce the Galaxy S26, S26 Plus and S26 Ultra in 2026. The Galaxy S26 launch date has reportedly been scheduled for February 25, 2026. So, stay tuned as we will cover more about the Galaxy S26 series in the coming days.
