Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra: Rumors point to underwhelming periscope telephoto camera

The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra will likely be more of a refinement rather than a revolution, as only a few major improvements are expected beyond Qualcomm's latest flagship processor. Previous rumors suggest that Samsung will stick with the 200MP main camera and 5,000mAh battery of the Galaxy S25 Ultra (from $1,099 on Amazon), instead of adopting an advanced silicon-carbon battery with a capacity beyond 6,000mAh like some competitors.

According to the latest information from GalaxyClub, no significant advancements are expected for the periscope telephoto camera either. Once again, it’s rumored to offer 5x optical zoom and a 50MP sensor. While this doesn't rule out that Samsung could use a brighter lens or a larger sensor, these unchanged specifications suggest that the South Korean company will carry over the camera from the previous model without noteworthy upgrades. However, there's still some hope for the second telephoto camera, as no specific details have emerged in that regard.

For instance, Samsung could theoretically improve the 10MP telephoto camera with a 3x optical zoom by incorporating a 200MP telephoto camera with a larger sensor, or a telephoto camera with a macro mode. Since the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra isn't expected to launch until early 2026, all these early rumors should be taken with a grain of salt. There's still enough time for Samsung to make changes to the specifications before production begins in the fall.