It’s Thursday, January 22, 2026, and if you were planning to pre-order the next Samsung flagship this week, you might want to put your credit card back in your wallet. The “January Unpacked” tradition is officially broken. Reports hit the wire today confirming that Samsung has pushed the Galaxy S26 launch into late February.
The thing is, Samsung is calling this a “product lineup adjustment,” but the street talk is that they’re fine-tuning the Exynos 2600 and trying to keep costs down to avoid a massive price hike. Or nothing.
Also Read | Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi Sentenced to 17 Years in Jail
The Galaxy S26 Unpacked: Field Notes
It’s an ongoing situation where Samsung is playing a high-stakes game of “wait and see” with Apple and the Chinese OEMs. Here’s the ground reality of the leaked timeline:
-
The Big Date: Tipsters Ice Universe and Evan Blass are calling it—February 25, 2026. That’s the day the world sees the S26, S26+, and the beastly S26 Ultra.
-
The “Pre-Order” Window: If you’re in India or South Korea, the window looks like February 26 to March 4. Then a “pre-sale” phase until March 10. The thing is, if you don’t grab it in that first week, you’re looking at a March 11 general release. Those too.
-
The Ultra’s New “Eyes”: Let’s be real—the S26 Ultra isn’t getting a new sensor. It’s sticking with the 200MP. But here’s the kicker—it’s getting a wider f/1.4 aperture and a new “realism” algorithm. No more neon-green grass or over-saturated skies. It’s an ongoing situation where Samsung is trying to beat the iPhone at its own “natural look” game.
-
The Processor Split: Here’s where it gets messy. While the US gets the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 (a 3nm monster), rumors suggest India might get the Exynos 2600. The thing is, this Exynos is built on a 2nm process. On paper, it should be more efficient, but we’ve heard that story before. Let’s be real—users are nervous.
Also Read | Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi Sentenced to 17 Years in Jail
S26 Series: The “Launch & Price” Matrix
| Model | Rumored India Price | Key Change | The “Ground” Reality |
| Galaxy S26 | ₹80,999 | 4,300mAh Battery | Finally getting 45W fast charging. |
| Galaxy S26+ | ₹99,999 | Refined Zoom | 6.66-inch display; slightly slimmer. |
| S26 Ultra | ₹1,24,999+ | f/1.4 Wide Aperture | 60W Wired Charging (Finally!). |
And Here’s the Kicker…
The thing is, Samsung is reportedly freezing prices for the fourth year in a row. They’re eating the cost of the expensive 2nm chips just to stop people from jumping ship to the iPhone 17 Pro. Or nothing.
One side comment—there’s a rumor that a “Galaxy Z TriFold” might actually steal the show as a “one more thing” during the February event. It’s an ongoing situation where Samsung needs a “wow” factor to distract from the lack of a new camera sensor on the Ultra. Those too.
Also Read | Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi Sentenced to 17 Years in Jail
End…
