The Galaxy S26 series isn’t even official yet, but the mood around Samsung’s next flagship launch already feels unusually flat. New Galaxy S day used to be the standout event of the Android phone launch calendar. However, between leaks pointing to modest upgrades and early reactions to the phones’ overall direction, there’s a growing sense that 2026 might be another conservative year for the device lineup, at best. If Samsung has picked up on this vibe, it must be setting off some alarm bells at HQ.
That backdrop is what led us to ask you a blunt question about your expectations in a recent opinion piece by my colleague Rita. Specifically, we wanted to know if you think that the Galaxy S26 and S26 Plus will underperform their competitors in 2026. For her part, Rita argued that Samsung’s smaller flagships look set to lag behind rivals on specs, value, and ambition, even if they still sell well. Judging by your responses to the poll, a lot of you aren’t convinced Samsung is going to keep pace this time around.