Samsung Hints at Big Changes Coming with the Galaxy S26 Series

Samsung is gearing up for something big with its next flagship. The company is set to launch the Galaxy S26 series. The launch will take place early next year.

During its latest earnings call, Daniel Araujo, VP of the Samsung Mobile Experience Division, spoke. He gave an early look at what’s ahead. It sounds like one of the biggest shakeups we’ve seen from the brand in years.

According to Araujo, the Galaxy S26 will bring a “completely new user experience.” It is built around three major upgrades. It also integrates the next-gen AI, a new custom chip, and stronger camera hardware.

Samsung wants to make its phones more personal and intelligent. It uses AI that can relate to how people use their devices every day.

The new chip Araujo mentioned is the company’s “2nd-gen custom AP”. It has everyone guessing what’s under the hood. Most signs point to the Exynos 2600. This is Samsung’s first chip made with a 2-nm process.

This chip will be faster than its predecessor. It will also make the battery perform better. In fact, the efficiency will be on a level like we've never seen from Samsung.

That would mean faster performance, better battery life, and a big leap in efficiency for Samsung’s own silicon.

Even with its own chip in play, Samsung isn’t dropping Qualcomm just yet. Industry insiders say the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 will also be used in some versions of the S26, depending on where you live.

This “dual-chip” setup has been Samsung’s go-to for years, and it looks like that won’t change, though Araujo admitted the company is still testing different options before locking in the final plan.

Samsung’s progress is already showing up online. A device believed to be part of the S26 family, codenamed “S5E9965 ERD,” recently popped up on GeekBench with some eye-catching numbers.

It scored 3455 in single-core and 11621 in multi-core. These scores best the average scores of Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip. This shows positive signs for Samsung’s upcoming lineup.

Exact details on the design and release date remain under wraps. But there is no doubt that the Galaxy S26 series will make a statement.