Samsung surely wants to come up with the ultimate camera phone – but can this dream become reality?
When it comes to camera phones, nobody should disregard Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy S26 Ultra… and Galaxy Ultra phones as a whole. They’ve proven to be tough, potent and capable. Yet, many choose to go with a phone made by another brand.
Is it because Samsung’s Ultra flagships are too expensive for some?
Yeah, money could definitely be a decisive factor. For example, the Galaxy S25 Ultra (12 GB of RAM, 256 GB storage – the baseline model) was launched at $1,300 some months ago. Not counting various trade-in offers or carrier-locked offers, I must say: $1,300 is a lot.
A year ago I was able to get a Galaxy S24 Ultra rival from China (Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 on board, same RAM and storage, plus four 50 MP cameras and a 1-inch sensor on its back) for about $750.
I don’t know about you, but a $550 difference is a lot in my book. Especially if I’m not getting a $550 difference in real-life usage. So, if I was on the lookout for a great camera phone right now, I’d definitely look into the possibility of getting the S25 Ultra… but I’d definitely pass.
At the end of the day, it’s not just money. People also pay attention to hardware numbers and specs. As popular and as good the Galaxy series may be, the truth is that Samsung doesn’t offer the most impressive, cutting-edge hardware when it comes to photography and videography.
That’s why I almost popped a champagne bottle yesterday, when I stumbled upon the following PhoneArena article title:
Trusty leaker claims Samsung’s huge Galaxy S26 Ultra camera upgrade is now ‘confirmed’
I was so-o-o sure it’s a new main camera sensor that was promised. Good that I didn’t open that champagne bottle, though: it turns out that this huge upgrade is a new, brighter lens.
