Samsung’s Galaxy S26 lineup could see a major shake-up

Now that Samsung has unveiled its new foldable devices, including the Z Fold 7, Flip 7, and Flip 7 FE, the rumor mill for next year’s Galaxy S26 series is in full swing. Samsung is widely expected to release its next smartphone series early next year. However, a major change is anticipated in the usual lineup.

Earlier this year, Samsung launched the Galaxy S25 Edge, its new ultra-slim smartphone, which remains powerful despite its lightweight and thin design. Now, its successor might play an important role in Samsung’s main S26 lineup. According to The Elec (via Tech Radar), Samsung reportedly plans to launch only three devices for the S26 series: the Galaxy S26, Galaxy S26 Edge, and Galaxy S26 Ultra.

This suggests that the Galaxy S26 Edge will likely replace the Plus model in Samsung’s Galaxy S26 lineup in the upcoming year. As a result, it’s possible there won’t be a Galaxy S26+ next year, and the Galaxy S25+ could be the last Plus model we’ll see from Samsung for the foreseeable future.

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Samsung may be echoing Apple’s plans

Samsung’s S25 Edge phone is similar to the S25+

When Samsung first revealed the Galaxy S25 Edge, I had a sinking feeling it might one day replace the Plus in the lineup. The S25 Edge is essentially a slimmer version of the S25+, with one less rear camera and a smaller battery. Aside from that, they’re very similar, so it makes sense why Samsung would do this, especially if the S26 Edge has improvements that make it nearly on par with a Plus phone (hopefully a larger battery).

What I find most interesting about this potential move from Samsung is that it’s widely expected to be similar to what Apple is doing this year with the iPhone 17 Air. For months, there have been leaks about the iPhone 17 Air potentially replacing the Plus model in Apple’s iPhone 17 series. And if those leaks are true, and Apple proceeds, and this news about the S26 Edge is accurate, then Samsung is essentially doing the same thing — goodbye, Plus phones, hello slimmer models.

I use the S25+ daily, so I’ll be sad to see it go next year if it happens. It’s a great size at 6.7 inches and relatively slim at 7.3mm, but it’s still not as thin as the S25 Edge’s 5.8mm thickness. Additionally, The Elec reports that the screen sizes for the S26 series will mostly stay the same as this year, with the S26 reportedly featuring a 6.27-inch display, the S26 Edge having a 6.66-inch display, and the S26 Ultra sporting a 6.89-inch display. It’s worth noting that there have been reports suggesting Samsung might keep the Plus model around if the S25 Edge doesn’t sell well, so the S26 Edge replacing the S26+ might not be a forgone conclusion.

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