The Galaxy S26 Ultra might be the first Ultra in years that will demand your attention.

After several years, the Galaxy S26 Ultra is a Samsung flagship that genuinely demands your attention.

Samsung, much like Apple in recent memory, has been taking bolder and bolder measures to make its flagship devices different each year.  From the Galaxy S25 Ultra and its innovative shape, the amazing Galaxy Z Fold 7, the controversial Galaxy S25 Edge, and now the impending Galaxy S26 Ultra, Samsung fans are eating good.

The Ultra phones have, for many years, been the phones you bought if you just wanted the best of the best or if you definitely needed the top-of-the-line camera.  There was little else, aside from the S Pen, that set the Ultra versions apart from the base and Plus models.  Recently, we got the wonderful anti-glare screen coating too, but that was about it.

Samsung is, according to several reports, altering that next year with the Galaxy S26 Ultra, making it the first Ultra model in years that will demand your attention.

First, let’s talk essentials.

For starters, the Galaxy S26 Ultra is experiencing the expected enhancements that have been differentiating the Ultra variants from the rest for generations.  The Galaxy S26 Ultra will be having an upgrade to the camera with a larger aperture.

With this improvement, low-light photography will look a lot better on the S26 Ultra compared to other Galaxy phones.  Meanwhile, the selfie camera is also supposedly undergoing an update and will be getting a broader field of view for photos taken with two or more people.

The phone is also seeing another change in its shape: adopting even rounder corners than the Galaxy S25 Ultra, which discarded the harsh, boxy design that I admired.  This will, naturally, provide a more comfortable grip, at the risk of looking a bit comparable to the iPhone 17.  Speaking of which, the back camera island is making a return to accommodate the larger aperture.

Now, on to the good stuff.

Samsung’s Ultra models have been using a 5,000 mAh battery for so many years that a lot of us began to fear that we would never get to see any advancement in this aspect.  That, reportedly, is also finally changing.

The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra will have a bigger battery, though not by much.  Instead of 5,000 mAh, the battery on the Galaxy S26 Ultra will reportedly have a capacity of 5,200 mAh instead.  Yes, that’s hardly an upgrade, but it’s still a huge step in the right direction.

That isn’t the only battery-related change coming to the Galaxy S26 Ultra, however.  Charging speeds on the S26 Ultra are also finally seeing an improvement.  Wired charging speeds are going up to 60W, and wireless charging speeds are going up to 25W.  Compared to the previous 45W and 15W, correspondingly, this is also a very welcome and substantial upgrade.  And we’re not done just yet.

Galaxy S26 Ultra will offer special goodies.

This is why I predict that the S26 Ultra will demand your attention next year, instead of just being a slightly better and more expensive flagship phone.  The Galaxy S26 Ultra will offer a number of exclusive new features that will help set it apart from not just the other Galaxy S26 models but all current smartphones in general.

For example, the Galaxy S26 Ultra will have proprietary AI functions that will not be featured on the other S26 variants.  If you care about AI features on your phone—though, obviously, not many people do just now—then the S26 Ultra is absolutely the phone for you.

But, let’s say that you don’t care about AI on the S26 Ultra; what other distinctive features will it provide you?  Aside from the charging speeds, anti-glare coating, S Pen, wider aperture, and greater field of view for the selfie camera, Samsung is bringing a whole new update to the S26 Ultra: a privacy display.

Powered by AI, the phone will be able to automatically hide the contents of the screen from anybody trying to steal a glance.  The display will allow said contents to still be visible to the person, but not anyone around them.  You’ll also be able to customize when this functionality should come in: for example, if an app with sensitive information is on the screen.

In my opinion, the Galaxy S26 Ultra will finally, after many years, be an Ultra model that will demand your attention.  It will provide many customers a reason, or numerous reasons, to spend a bit extra next year.

Because the S26 Ultra isn’t simply a little better phone anymore: it actually does seem to be attempting to give you an ultra experience.  Or, at least, an experience that stands out.  And that’s what made Samsung phones so fantastic in the past.

Now here are 7 reasons to skip and go straight for the S26 Ultra in 2026.

Samsung will debut the Galaxy S26, S26 Plus, and S26 Ultra next year.  The three phones will deliver a new chipset and substantial upgrades over their predecessors.  Meanwhile, a reliable source provided 7 reasons why Samsung fans should bypass the Galaxy S26 and S26 Plus and go straight for the Galaxy S26 Ultra in 2026.

PhoneArt, the well-known tipster who goes by @UniverseIce on X, has been watching Samsung’s 2026 plans for months.  The gap between the regular and Plus models and the Ultra is likely to be larger than ever in 2026.

His recent piece lays out seven clear reasons why most Samsung purchasers should skip the standard Galaxy S26 and S26 Plus and wait for the Galaxy S26 Ultra instead.

1. Galaxy AI characteristics

Several new AI features that will debut with the S26 series will only run on the Ultra at launch.  Even the existing S25 Ultra may have to wait three to six months for the same functionality through software updates.

2. Faster charging.

The Galaxy S26 Ultra is planned to feature 60W wired and 25W Qi2 wireless charging.  The regular S26 and S26 Plus will stay at the older rates.  For anyone who charges numerous times a day, the difference will be noticeable.

3. Private Screen.

Samsung is designing an intelligent privacy screen that darkens the display for anyone gazing from the side.  The feature works automatically and adjusts in real time.  Early sources reveal it will debut just on the Galaxy S26 Ultra.

4. Better main camera.

Galaxy S26 Ultra is expected to migrate to a bigger sensor with an f/1.4 aperture on the main camera.  It will improve low-light performance and backdrop separation in portraiture.  The telephoto lenses should also acquire a new AI sharpening algorithm.

5. APV video.

Samsung aims to release a new video codec dubbed APV.  Like other camera enhancements, it will come first on the Galaxy S26 series.  Non-Ultra devices may also support it, but the full-fledged experience will be available on Ultra.

6. Wider front camera.

The S26 Ultra selfie camera is reported to feature a substantially broader field of view.  The display cutout may be a little bigger than the S25 Ultra.  It would help the gadget compete with the iPhone 17’s new selfie camera update.

7. Software perks.

Several additional software features are in development and could remain exclusive to the Ultra for at least the first year.  The list may contain DeX upgrades, advanced S Pen functions, and certain pro-grade camera modes.