Samsung Galaxy S26 Challenges Xiaomi 17 with Sleek Design

Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy S26 is shaping up to be one of the slimmest flagship phones ever made. According to tipster UniverseIce on X, the phone will measure just 6.9mm thick. It will be slimmer than the Galaxy S25, which was 7.2mm. That’s about a 4% reduction in thickness. Early design leaks suggest the Galaxy S26 will look like a refined, non-folding version of the Galaxy Z Fold 7.

In comparison with the Xiaomi 17, it is easy to note that Samsung places more emphasis on making the S26 thinner. Sources have suggested that the Xiaomi 17 will be about 8.06mm thick, weighing 191 grams. From this, you could also tell that Xiaomi's interest remains in durability and camera performance. Samsung, on the other hand, aims for visual appeal and a minimalistic design.

On February 25 2026, Samsung will hold its usual annual event, the "Galaxy Unpacked" event. As the company's practice, we expect the announcement of the Galaxy S26 lineup. They include the S26, S26 Plus and the highest trim being the S26 Ultra.

After 7 years, Samsung will finally hold next year's event in the U.S, particularly in San Francisco. The highlight of this event will not be just the S26 series. Samsung will also reveal more AI features. The company continues to build its AI ecosystem across its devices.

In the first half of 2026, Samsung aims to ship 35 million units of the S26 series. This comes as a big jump over this year's 22 million units within the first half. This underscores Samsung's confidence in the design and features of the upcoming Galaxy lineup.

Xiaomi on the other hand announced the Xiaomi 17 series in September this year. This Xiaomi 17 features the latest Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 Chip. The device also brings top-level camera performance. The camera comes with Leica's optimization on top. It also features HyperOS 3 out of the box with a massive 7,000mAh battery.

Samsung will launch the S26 next year. And its rivalry with the Xiaomi 17 will highlight two philosophies in smartphone design. Samsung focuses on design. However, Xiaomi tries to balance design with performance.