Samsung claimed to have downgraded Galaxy S26 in last-minute decision driven by Apple iPhone 17 fears

In recent weeks, there has been repeated movement back and forth about how thin Samsung's next compact flagship will be. Likewise, leakers have wavered between the device being called the Galaxy S26 and Galaxy S26 Pro before settling on the former as Samsung's replacement for the Galaxy S25 (curr. $456 - refurbished on Amazon).

For context, the Galaxy S25 is already comparatively thin at 7.2 mm, with Apple achieving 8 mm and 5.6 mm thicknesses with the iPhone 17 and iPhone Air, respectively. Reportedly, the Galaxy S26 is set to measure 7.24 mm excluding its triple camera housing, up from 6.96 mm by previous estimates. Now, new reports from South Korean media have shed fresh light on the confusion.

Apparently, Samsung had initially planned to deliver a thinner flagship with a larger battery capacity than the 4,000 mAh cell powering the Galaxy S25, which would have grown to 4,900 mAh inside the so-called Galaxy S26 Pro. Those plans were reportedly abandoned last month in favour of maintaining competitiveness with the iPhone 17, which Apple prices at $799 in the US. Rising SoC and RAM costs have been cited recently as upward pressure on the price of the Galaxy S series going forward as well.

Nonetheless, moving away from this expansive redesign does not mean upgrades between the Galaxy S25 and Galaxy S26 will be absent. Instead, battery capacity is expected to grow by 300 mAh from 4,000 mAh to 4,300 mAh. Moreover, the Galaxy S26 is anticipated to feature the Sandpragon 8 Elite Gen 5 in some markets and the Exynos 2600 in others. New 'Flex Magic Pixel' privacy display functionality is still reputed to be on track for the Galaxy S26 Ultra, too.