Main points
- Samsung plans to remove one of the lenses from the Galaxy S27 Ultra to make room for a magnetic ring compatible with the Qi2 standard.
- Other camera upgrades are also expected, including a new ultra-wide-angle sensor and a possible increase in 5x zoom power.
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra / Unsplash
Samsung is preparing to rethink its flagship smartphone lineup, and recent leaks suggest that the upcoming Galaxy S27 Ultra may not get a familiar element that has been present for many years.
What will Samsung change?
Samsung has long had a strategy of using two telephoto lenses in its flagships, starting with the Galaxy S21 Ultra. This solution allowed it to provide high image quality at different zoom levels without relying solely on digital cropping from the main sensor. However, in the next generation, according to a well-known insider, the situation may change radically, as the 3x telephoto lens will simply disappear from the camera panel, writes 9to5google.
The current Galaxy S26 Ultra model is equipped with a 200-megapixel main module, a 50-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera, as well as two telephoto lenses – a 50-megapixel one with 5x zoom and a 10-megapixel one with 3x zoom. The latter is considered the weak link in this system, so the developers intend to fix this flaw next year, said Ice Universe, who is considered one of the most authoritative insiders in the world of technology, whose leaks often come true.
Removing one of the lenses will free up the internal space of the case, which opens up new possibilities for engineers to upgrade other components. One of the main reasons for this move is the desire to add a magnetic ring for compatibility with the Qi2 standard, which will allow the use of a wider range of accessories.
How will this affect the cameras?
The omission of a separate 3x lens means that the main burden will fall on the main sensor with a resolution of 200 megapixels. It will have to provide high quality images when framing up to 5x, after which the periscopic telephoto lens will start working.
While the 200-megapixel figure sounds impressive, the technology of combining 16 pixels into one to produce a 12-megapixel result has its limitations. When zoomed in significantly without the use of specialized optics, noise can appear, especially in low light conditions, according to Gizmochina.
To solve this problem, Samsung can rely on artificial intelligence, although this does not always guarantee the absence of artifacts in the image, as the Google Pixel experience shows.
What other camera upgrades will the Galaxy S27 Ultra receive?
In addition to changes to the telephoto lens, the Galaxy S27 Ultra will receive updates to other cameras:
- In particular, a new generation of ultra-wide-angle sensor is expected, which will initially debut in the Galaxy Fold 8 foldable smartphone.
- It is also possible to increase the power of the 5x zoom and install a modern front camera. The insider estimates the probability of a lens with a variable aperture at 80 percent.
- Despite rumors of the possible use of a larger 1/1.12-inch ISOCELL sensor, analysts are skeptical, given the company's previous trends towards reducing the physical size of the matrices, as was the case with the HP5.
It's important to remember that all of these changes are currently based on early internal information and are subject to revisions as the development progresses. Additionally, the final specifications of the Galaxy S27 lineup may be affected by the global RAM supply issues that have already been dubbed RAMageddon.
What do we know about the Galaxy S27 Ultra?
New processor
The upcoming Samsung Galaxy S27 Ultra, expected to be released in early 2027, promises to be a significant technological leap thanks to the transition to a 2-nanometer process. The main innovation in the “stuffing” should be a custom Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro processor, manufactured according to this new standard, which will provide a significant increase in performance and energy efficiency compared to the Galaxy S26 Ultra chips.
Faster memory
There are also rumors about the introduction of a new UFS 5.0 memory standard, the speed of which could increase at least twice as fast as current solutions, which is critical for the operation of advanced artificial intelligence functions.
Fresh design, but we've seen it before
The design of the device could undergo a radical change. Insiders, including SamMobile, suggest that Samsung may abandon the usual vertical arrangement of cameras in favor of a horizontal island panel, similar to the solution in the Google Pixel line or the classic Galaxy S10. This would free up space in the center of the back panel for magnets, without creating obstacles for the camera modules.
One of the Galaxy S27 Ultra design options / Image Ice Universe
Now without a stylus
In addition, there have been conflicting reports about the fate of the S Pen stylus: some sources claim that Samsung is considering abandoning the built-in pen slot in order to make the case thinner or increase battery capacity.
Improved screen
The smartphone's screen will also receive an upgrade in the form of increased brightness and improved power efficiency without increasing battery consumption, which will improve visibility in the sun. It is expected that Samsung may finally switch to a full 10-bit matrix for displaying deeper colors.
More autonomy
As for autonomy, there are suggestions of using silicon-carbon batteries, which have a higher energy density, which could potentially increase battery capacity to 5,500 mAh or even higher, writes Android Central.
New model in the line
Finally, as we wrote earlier, another interesting change in the lineup could be the appearance of a completely new model – the Galaxy S27 Pro . This device should be as close as possible to the Ultra version in terms of characteristics, but in a more compact body and without S Pen support. This will allow users to get flagship power in a more convenient format, creating direct competition to the “professional” models from Apple.
Read other news about Samsung:
- The company introduced a budget smartphone with a record-breaking battery.
- Samsung plans to integrate an artificial intelligence-based fraud call detection feature into its foldable smartphones.
- In addition, a wide folding smartphone with an unusual design is expected.
- But all of this may be in question, as Samsung recently lost 58% of its chip production in a single day.