Samsung appears to be accelerating its efforts in the camera department of its new smartphones. In fact, the company seems to be determined to shorten the time between flagship releases, meaning camera sensor updates need to be ready as soon as possible. Thanks to this, Samsung has an internal roadmap that has been briefly leaked, providing insights into the camera upgrades for the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra and S26 Ultra, as well as the S24 Ultra set to launch next month.
Despite having discussed the S24 Ultra extensively, today’s leak offers a new piece of information – the camera’s reduced optical zoom. Instead of the S24 Ultra featuring a 10x optical zoom, it will now have a 5x optical zoom for its Telephoto camera. This change could be a step back for Samsung, requiring improvements from artificial intelligence to compensate. The new sensor is also reported to have a pixel size of 0.7µm.
For the Galaxy S25 Ultra and S26 Ultra, an interesting development regarding their camera improvements has surfaced. A recent communication from Sony has revealed that the demand for its IMX989 sensor exceeds expectations, with Chinese brands seeking a large number of these sensors. As a result, Samsung may revert back to using the GN3 sensor for the S25 and S25+ in its main camera. The improved wide-angle lens, updated telephoto lens with “variable capabilities,” and 50 MP ultra-wide-angle lens information for the upcoming smartphones is still speculative.
Regarding the S26 Ultra, rumors suggest it will feature an updated 200 MP wide-angle lens with a 0.7µm pixel size. This is a significant leap forward and indicates that Samsung is taking strides to remain competitive against Apple and Google.
Are the S24 Ultra cameras adequate? Will the cameras for the S25 Ultra and S26 Ultra measure up, knowing what Sony has in store? The first answer will emerge in a month.