Those who keep a close eye on the industry would agree with me and would bring up the multiple reports that neither the Galaxy S25 Edge nor the iPhone Air sold well in 2025.
The slim mania
The Galaxy S25 on the left, Galaxy S24 on the right. | Image Credit – PhoneArena
In the slim category, there’s also the Motorola Edge 70, plus the Huawei Mate 70 Air, but if Samsung and Apple couldn’t pull it off, it’s safe to say these two won’t be a market hit, too.
Right now, there are conflicting reports about the state of the Galaxy S26 Edge – some reports read that it will happen at a point in time in 2026, while others say Sammy would put the kibosh on it. We’ll see about that.
However, it’s important to take a look at what polls say about the upcoming Galaxy S26 – the next best thing on the horizon in terms of popular flagships.
Set to be unveiled in late January – probably in the last week of 2026’s first month – the Galaxy S26 series is going to be thinner than the iPhone 17 family.
How much thinner and lighter?
Leaked details suggest that every model in the Galaxy S26 lineup will come in thinner and lighter than the upcoming iPhone 17 series. The standard Galaxy S26 is said to weigh 164 grams with a 6.9 mm frame, noticeably slimmer than the iPhone 17, which comes in at 177 grams and 7.95 mm.The Galaxy S26 Plus is expected to hit 191 grams with a 7.3 mm thickness, compared to the iPhone 17 Plus at 204 grams and 8.75 mm.
As for the Galaxy S26 Ultra, it’s rumored to weigh 214 grams and measure 7.9 mm, undercutting the iPhone 17 Pro Max, which is listed at 231 grams and 8.75 mm.
That’s good, right?
The Galaxy S26 models are going to be sleek, no doubt about it. But is that what people care about the most?
The poll results are in and they paint a completely different picture:
Image by PhoneArena
When it comes to thicker and heavier phones – but with better hardware on board – a staggering 80% of you would welcome such a move. Just under 20% say they regard a thinner chassis higher than the specs sheet.
I’m not here to trash anyone who values a thin phone above all. But I think phones nowadays are respectably thin, even if they’re not in the ultra-thin category.What’s more, the Galaxy S26, although thin and elegant, probably won’t be the biggest upgrade compared to its predecessor. Rumors suggest the regular Galaxy S26 may get a slightly larger battery, landing somewhere near 4,300mAh, and Samsung is reportedly working on faster, more modern wireless charging that could finally bring Qi2 support to the series.
Design tweaks are also on the table for the S26 and S26 Plus, but leaked renders point at a new camera layout and nothing else. Inside, Samsung might revert to its region-based processor strategy, pairing the Exynos 2600 with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 depending on where the phone is sold, instead of the unified Snapdragon approach used with the S25 lineup.
Big camera revamps do not appear to be part of the plan, with only a rumored new telephoto sensor. Most of the attention is expected to center on software, as Samsung leans harder into generative AI.
So, a bit thinner Galaxy S26, but no major changes on board (at least not for the moment) – is that Samsung’s winning strategy? I’m a bit skeptical, and I’d agree with you that a slightly thicker, but a bit more advanced flagship would be better.
For example, the Galaxy S26 could’ve arrived with a 5,000 mAh battery cell on board, now that phones with 7,000 mAh cells are a common sight. That, or a completely revamped camera setup. Or a large vapor chamber that manages heat like no other.
So, what do you think? Let me know in the comments below.
