Samsung is reportedly hitting the brakes on its major Galaxy S lineup shake-up next year. New database listings confirm the company will bring back the traditional Galaxy S26 Plus model and, in a corresponding move, cancel the rumored S26 Edge device. After a confusing period of leaks and internal renamings, the lineup appears set to revert to a classic trio: the Galaxy S26, S26 Plus, and S26 Ultra.
If you’re not aware, reports about the Galaxy S26 lineup pointed to some big changes. This year, the company already made a risky bet by including a fourth member: the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge. However, for 2026, there was talk of an even more shocking change: the Galaxy S26 Edge, completely replacing the Galaxy S26 Plus. However, public response to the current Galaxy S25 Edge has been remarkably low. So, the company is turning the rudder to try not to crash its next-gen Galaxy S phones.
Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus model returns as slim phone trend fades
As spotted by Smartprix, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus has been officially listed in the IMEI database. This particular model was missing in action until now. In turn, this would cause yet another change in the names of next year’s devices. Samsung was planning to rename the base Galaxy S26 to “Galaxy S26 Pro.” However, now that there will be a “Plus” model after all, the “Pro” name on a lower-end variant will lose its meaning. So, the S26 Pro is back to simply being “Galaxy S26,” as usual.
The public’s response to the “ultra-slim phone trend” has been rather weak. Both the S25 Edge and Apple’s iPhone Air are reporting poor sales. So, Samsung now sees the “Edge” concept as too risky to bet heavily on it.
The camera conundrum
While the lineup stabilizes, the final camera configuration remains a big question mark. Early prototype testing for the base S26 model shows it currently uses the exact same sensor setup as the Galaxy S25. However, Samsung is also actively testing several intriguing new pieces of hardware.
The company is trialing a new, unannounced 50MP ISOCELL S5KGNG main sensor. Even more interesting, Samsung is testing a significant upgrade for the ultra-wide camera: a 50MP ISOCELL S5KJN3 sensor. This sensor is present in the Galaxy S25 Ultra.
It remains important to remember that these are just prototype sightings. Samsung must finalize the sensor selection, and its unexpected decision to bring back the S26 Plus could change the entire camera strategy for the base model.
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