Main points
- The Samsung Galaxy S26 lacks silicon-carbon batteries, built-in magnets, a function to find a turned-off smartphone, a bright orange color, and more powerful charging.
- Even with upgrades like 60W wired charging for the S26 Ultra, the Galaxy S26 lags behind competitors like the OnePlus 15 and Xiaomi 17 in battery and charging capacity.
What's missing from the Samsung Galaxy S26 after release / Future
After months of leaks and rumors, Samsung has finally unveiled the Galaxy S26 series. The new smartphones have received a few updates, but there are few radical changes. Some of the expected features have not appeared, and some competitors are already offering what Samsung's flagships lack.
The Samsung Galaxy S26 line, which includes the Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus and Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, has appeared after a long period of leaks and predictions. Full conclusions can only be drawn after detailed reviews, but it is already clear that this is more of an evolutionary update. Apart from the Privacy Display in the Ultra, the series lacks truly high-profile innovations. Moreover, some of the features that were previously talked about by insiders were never implemented. This is reported by Tech radar .
What did Samsung never add to the Galaxy S26?
Silicon-carbon batteries: Many brands have already switched to silicon-carbon batteries, which allow for a significant increase in capacity without significantly increasing the body. For example, the OnePlus 15 is equipped with a 7,300 mAh battery, and the Xiaomi 17 Ultra also offers increased capacity.
Against this background, even the 5,000 mAh in the Galaxy S26 Ultra looks modest. While competitors are already approaching 7,000–9,000 mAh , Samsung has remained within the usual parameters. The company claims to be working on new batteries, but there are none in the current series.
Built-in magnets. Before the release, there were repeated rumors about the appearance of built-in magnets to support magnetic accessories, similar to Apple's MagSafe system.
As Samsung magazine writes, Samsung has ultimately limited itself to cases with magnets. Without a case or an alternative accessory, the user is deprived of this option. On Android, only the Google Pixel 10 series smartphones currently have full integration of magnets.
Find a turned-off smartphone. Pixel smartphones allow you to locate your device even when it's turned off via the Find Hub network. The Galaxy S26 doesn't have this feature.
Yes, Samsung offers SmartThings Find , but the phone must remain on — even if it's offline. According to Android Authority, there's no indication in the code of the new models that it supports full-fledged search for a powered-off device.
Bright orange color. Early leaks hinted that one of the models could get a bright orange variant. For example, Apple's iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are available in a rich Cosmic Orange.
The Galaxy S26 comes in Black, White, Sky Blue, and Cobalt Violet , as well as the company's signature Silver Shadow and Pink Gold colors. The selection is good, but there's no truly bold color in the lineup.
More powerful charging. Samsung has partially updated the charging. The Galaxy S26 Plus and S26 Ultra support 25W wireless charging instead of 15W in their predecessors . The Ultra also received 60W wired charging instead of 45W in the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra.
However, the standard Galaxy S26 is left with 25 W wired and 15 W wireless charging . Even 60 W in the Ultra looks modest against the background of competitors. The same OnePlus 15 supports 120 W via cable and 50 W wirelessly, and Xiaomi 17 – 100 W wired and 50 W wireless charging. Similar indicators have already become the norm among many Chinese brands.