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New leaks suggest Samsung's next flagship, the Galaxy S26 Ultra, will ship in late February 2026 with largely carryover camera hardware — but a few small changes could still tweak real-world performance.
What the leak actually reveals
A reliable tipster claims the S26 Ultra will keep most of the S25 Ultra's imaging components, with one notable swap in the telephoto module. Here's the breakdown reported:
- 200MP Samsung HP2 main rear sensor
- 50MP Samsung JN3 ultra wide
- 50MP Sony IMX854 periscope telephoto with 5x optical zoom
- 3x telephoto replaced: now a 12MP Samsung S5K3LD sensor (replacing a 10MP unit)
- 12MP Sony IMX874 front-facing camera for selfies
Why this feels like an incremental year
Imagine a phone that looks very familiar on paper but aims to refine rather than reinvent. That’s the sense here: Samsung appears to be prioritizing stability and tuning over a headline-grabbing sensor overhaul. Keeping the 200MP HP2 as the main shooter and retaining the 5x periscope suggests the brand is focusing on consistency in zoom and resolution performance.
Small hardware tweak, potential real-world impact
Switching the 3x telephoto from a 10MP to a 12MP Samsung S5K3LD could improve detail and low-light capture at mid-range zoom distances. It’s a modest spec bump on paper, but sensor design, pixel processing and tuning matter just as much as megapixel counts.
New video codec option — APV
The tipster also mentions a new APV video codec option coming to the phone. If accurate, APV could bring efficiency or quality gains for high-resolution recording, but Samsung’s software implementation and app support will determine how meaningful that becomes for creators and casual users.
What to watch before launch
Leaks build a picture, but final performance depends on Samsung’s image processing, AI tuning, and thermal management. Expect hands-on reviews and camera comparisons after the rumored late February 2026 reveal — those will show whether the small sensor swap and APV codec translate into a noticeable upgrade.
For now, the story looks familiar: evolutionary hardware updates paired with software-driven improvements. If you’re waiting for a radical camera overhaul, this leak suggests patience may be required.
Source: gsmarena
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