A small flagship is not the same as an affordable flagship
The Galaxy S27 Pro needs to stand out from the rest of the lineup. | Image by PhoneArena
Samsung is reportedly working on a fourth Galaxy S series model to sit just below the Galaxy S27 Ultra.
While details are still being ironed out, we are looking at a 6.4-inch model that will essentially be an Ultra without the S Pen. Samsung must prioritize making a powerful compact model instead of a cheap Galaxy S27 Ultra knockoff.
Unapologetic compact flagship
While the Galaxy S27 Ultra will remain the star of the show, the Galaxy S27 Pro doesn’t have to live in its shadow. This aspiring flagship needs to give buyers a real reason to pick it up.
If Samsung truly set out to make a smaller S27 Ultra minus the stylus, then that’s precisely what it should do.
The target audience of compact flagship lovers should not feel that the S27 Pro is a step down from the S27 Ultra. Manufacturers frequently torpedo their own products to upsell customers to the absolute highest-end option. Shockingly, making a product intentionally worse doesn’t tend to win over fans.
Don’t design around cost cuts
The iPhone mini, iPhone Air, Galaxy S25 Edge, and various other almost-flagships all suffer from the same identity crisis: manufacturers make too many sacrifices.
Instead of settling on a unique selling point and pricing the phone based on product costs, manufacturers pick a price point first and build around it.
Far too often, that target price is too low to deliver a product that appeals to affluent buyers who want a smaller phone for comfort, not because they are pinching pennies.
The Galaxy S27 Pro can be different
The S27 Pro has one job: be a smaller Galaxy S27 Ultra. | Image by PhoneArena
The $1,300 Galaxy S26 Ultra is massive and expensive. Moreover, the iconic S Pen has no real utility for the average user.
On the flip side, the $1,100 Galaxy S26 Plus doesn’t feel premium enough due to second-rate camera specs and slower charging.
Samsung is apparently already veering away from its original vision for the Galaxy S27 Pro due to cost constraints. That would be a fatal mistake. Cut too many corners, and the Pro becomes a glorified Plus.
The Pro’s price doesn’t need to sit in the middle of the Ultra and Plus. It could be $50 or $70 cheaper than the Ultra while keeping the core specs intact. It should be a no-compromise phone. While that might put it out of reach for some, that’s okay — a true high-end phone isn’t meant for everyone anyway.
