The floodgates have officially opened for the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, with a massive leak from veteran tipster Evan Blass confirming a controversial design overhaul just weeks before the expected Unpacked event. New marketing renders for third-party accessories have exposed a complete departure from the fan-favorite floating lens aesthetic, introducing a unified pill-shaped camera island that brings the flagship in line with the Galaxy Z Fold 7. Alongside the polarizing new look, the leaks all but confirm the arrival of Qi2 wireless charging support, signaling a new era of magnetic accessories for the Android king.
The End of the Floating Lens: A Radical Design Shift
For the past several generations, Samsung has defined its Ultra series with a clean, minimalist "floating lens" design where each sensor protruded individually from the back glass. According to the latest high-resolution renders shared by Blass, that era is over. The Galaxy S26 Ultra features a prominent vertical pill-shaped housing that encases three of the four rear sensors, with the fourth sensor sitting flush or slightly separated.
This design choice has sparked immediate debate among enthusiasts. While it offers a more cohesive look that matches the recently released Z Fold 7, it marks a return to the "camera bump" era that Samsung had successfully moved away from. Insiders suggest this change was necessitated by larger internal camera components, specifically the new variable aperture mechanism on the 200MP primary sensor, which required more structural depth than the individual rings could provide.
S Pen Relocation and Ergonomics
The design tweaks don't stop at the camera. The leaked case renders from UAG also reveal a surprising shift in ergonomics: the S Pen slot has reportedly moved to the bottom-left corner of the device. This adjustment coincides with slightly more rounded chassis corners, a subtle refinement over the sharp, boxy edges of the S25 Ultra that dug into users' palms. The result is a device that promises to be far more comfortable to hold, even if muscle memory will need to be retrained for the stylus location.
Qi2 Wireless Charging: Catching Up to MagSafe
Perhaps the most functional upgrade revealed in today's leak is the inclusion of Qi2 support. Leaked packaging for a new official Samsung charger (model EP-P2900) explicitly mentions 25W Qi2 fast wireless charging. This is a massive leap from the 15W speeds of previous generations and finally brings the convenience of magnetic alignment—similar to Apple's MagSafe—to the Galaxy lineup.
However, the details contain a slight twist. While the ecosystem is clearly pivoting to magnets, fine print on the leaked charger packaging suggests that users might still need a "Qi2-ready case" for the strongest magnetic connection. It remains unclear if the S26 Ultra chassis itself has a full ring of magnets embedded, or if Samsung is relying on its official case ecosystem to bridge the gap. Regardless, the move standardizes the magnetic attachment standard, opening the door for a wave of new stands, wallets, and car mounts.
Revolutionary Display Technology
Beyond the external hardware, the S26 Ultra is rumored to introduce a groundbreaking display feature. Reports indicate the debut of a hardware-level Privacy Display. Unlike simple privacy screen protectors that darken the whole screen, this technology allows the user to selectively shield specific notifications or apps from prying eyes using adjustable viewing angles controlled by the pixel structure itself.
Complementing this is a new iteration of ultra-durable cover material, rumored to be the next generation of Gorilla Glass Armor. Sources claim this new glass composition is so scratch-resistant that it effectively eliminates the need for third-party screen protectors, maintaining the anti-reflective properties that made the S25 Ultra's display so celebrated.
Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 and Release Date
Under the hood, the US and Chinese models of the Galaxy S26 Ultra are expected to run on the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, promising significant efficiency gains and AI processing power for the updated Bixby interface. International markets may see the return of Exynos with the 2600 chip, though performance gaps are reportedly narrower than ever.
With the leaks reaching a fever pitch, Samsung is expected to officially unveil the Galaxy S26 series on February 25, 2026. If these renders are accurate, the S26 Ultra will be one of the most significant design departures in the series' history, trading familiarity for a bold new functional aesthetic.
