{"id":125252,"date":"2026-05-07T23:47:29","date_gmt":"2026-05-07T23:47:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/christiancorner.us\/index.php\/2026\/05\/07\/the-massive-success-of-the-galaxy-s26-ultra-is-awesome-news-for-all-of-us\/"},"modified":"2026-05-07T23:48:43","modified_gmt":"2026-05-07T23:48:43","slug":"the-massive-success-of-the-galaxy-s26-ultra-is-awesome-news-for-all-of-us","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/christiancorner.us\/index.php\/2026\/05\/07\/the-massive-success-of-the-galaxy-s26-ultra-is-awesome-news-for-all-of-us\/","title":{"rendered":"The massive success of the Galaxy S26 Ultra is awesome news for all of us"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>\n<\/p>\n<div data-content-wrapper=\"true\">\n<div class=\"e_f\">\n<div class=\"e_vt\" style=\"max-width:2560px\"><picture class=\"e_Ig\" style=\"padding-top:56.25%;aspect-ratio:2560 \/ 1440\"><source sizes=\"(min-width: 64rem) 51.25rem, 80vw\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/samsung-galaxy-s26-ultra-pine-tree-scaled.jpg.webp 2560w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/samsung-galaxy-s26-ultra-pine-tree-64w-36h.jpg.webp 64w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/samsung-galaxy-s26-ultra-pine-tree-1000w-563h.jpg.webp 1000w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/samsung-galaxy-s26-ultra-pine-tree-1920w-1080h.jpg.webp 1920w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/samsung-galaxy-s26-ultra-pine-tree-1536w-864h.jpg.webp 1536w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/samsung-galaxy-s26-ultra-pine-tree-675w-380h.jpg.webp 675w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/samsung-galaxy-s26-ultra-pine-tree-300w-170h.jpg.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/samsung-galaxy-s26-ultra-pine-tree-1280w-720h.jpg.webp 1280w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/samsung-galaxy-s26-ultra-pine-tree-840w-472h.jpg.webp 840w\" type=\"image\/webp\"\/><\/picture>\n<div class=\"e_mv e_wt\">\n<p>Stephen Radocchia\/Android Authority<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"e_e e_D\">\n<p>When I got my hands on the Galaxy S26 Ultra for the first time, I was overwhelmed. I&#8217;d be a fool to argue that this isn&#8217;t a solid flagship phone, and I understand why Samsung does. Still, the Galaxy S26 Ultra didn&#8217;t generate as much excitement as I did with other devices, and its hardware lags behind similarly priced smartphones overseas.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"e_e e_D\">\n<p>However, that hasn&#8217;t stopped buyers from gobbling up the Galaxy S26 Ultra. Sales figures remain strong, proving that Samsung knows what it&#8217;s doing.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"e_e e_D\">\n<p>But that doesn&#8217;t mean any of this is good \u2013 at least not for you and me. The S26 Ultra may be good for Samsung&#8217;s pocketbooks, but for anyone who wants more from Samsung and its smartphones, it&#8217;s the worst-case scenario.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"e_e e_-j\">\n<div class=\"e_ck e_bt\">\n<h3 class=\"e_et\">Which Samsung phone did you upgrade to when you bought the Galaxy S26 Ultra?<\/h3>\n<p>394 votes<\/p>\n<div class=\"e_gt e_kk\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"e_ht\"><\/p>\n<p>Galaxy S22 Ultra or older<\/p>\n<p>35<!-- -->%<\/p>\n<p><\/button><button type=\"button\" class=\"e_ht\"><\/p>\n<p>Galaxy S23 Ultra<\/p>\n<p>24<!-- -->%<\/p>\n<p><\/button><button type=\"button\" class=\"e_ht\"><\/p>\n<p>Galaxy S24 Ultra<\/p>\n<p>20<!-- -->%<\/p>\n<p><\/button><button type=\"button\" class=\"e_ht\"><\/p>\n<p>Galaxy S25 Ultra<\/p>\n<p>22<!-- -->%<\/p>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><h2>Samsung didn&#8217;t offer anything refreshing on the Galaxy S26 Ultra<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<div class=\"e_f\">\n<div class=\"e_vt\" style=\"max-width:2560px\"><picture class=\"e_Ig\" style=\"padding-top:56.25%;aspect-ratio:2560 \/ 1440\"><source sizes=\"(min-width: 64rem) 51.25rem, 80vw\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Samsung-Galaxy-S26-Ultra-home-screen-black-cat-scaled.jpg.webp 2560w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Samsung-Galaxy-S26-Ultra-home-screen-black-cat-64w-36h.jpg.webp 64w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Samsung-Galaxy-S26-Ultra-home-screen-black-cat-1000w-563h.jpg.webp 1000w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Samsung-Galaxy-S26-Ultra-home-screen-black-cat-1920w-1080h.jpg.webp 1920w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Samsung-Galaxy-S26-Ultra-home-screen-black-cat-1536w-864h.jpg.webp 1536w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Samsung-Galaxy-S26-Ultra-home-screen-black-cat-675w-380h.jpg.webp 675w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Samsung-Galaxy-S26-Ultra-home-screen-black-cat-300w-170h.jpg.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Samsung-Galaxy-S26-Ultra-home-screen-black-cat-1280w-720h.jpg.webp 1280w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Samsung-Galaxy-S26-Ultra-home-screen-black-cat-840w-472h.jpg.webp 840w\" type=\"image\/webp\"\/><img class=\"e_Jg\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"(min-width: 64rem) 51.25rem, 80vw\" title=\"Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra Home Screen Black Cat\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Samsung-Galaxy-S26-Ultra-home-screen-black-cat-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Samsung-Galaxy-S26-Ultra-home-screen-black-cat-64w-36h.jpg 64w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Samsung-Galaxy-S26-Ultra-home-screen-black-cat-1000w-563h.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Samsung-Galaxy-S26-Ultra-home-screen-black-cat-1920w-1080h.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Samsung-Galaxy-S26-Ultra-home-screen-black-cat-1536w-864h.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Samsung-Galaxy-S26-Ultra-home-screen-black-cat-675w-380h.jpg 675w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Samsung-Galaxy-S26-Ultra-home-screen-black-cat-300w-170h.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Samsung-Galaxy-S26-Ultra-home-screen-black-cat-1280w-720h.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Samsung-Galaxy-S26-Ultra-home-screen-black-cat-840w-472h.jpg 840w\" alt=\"Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra Home Screen Black Cat\" src=\"https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Samsung-Galaxy-S26-Ultra-home-screen-black-cat-scaled.jpg\"\/><\/picture>\n<div class=\"e_mv e_wt\">\n<p>Stephen Radocchia\/Android Authority<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"e_e e_D\">\n<p>I don&#8217;t live in an enthusiast bubble, and you&#8217;ll never see me using benchmarks to help convince you to buy (or not buy) a phone. But Samsung needs to strike a balance. Yes, the general user experience is excellent, but that doesn&#8217;t excuse the company for not including all the hardware improvements you&#8217;d expect on a $1,300 smartphone.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"e_e e_D\">\n<p>It doesn&#8217;t help that a major innovation by Samsung fails. I can&#8217;t turn on the television without seeing ads for Samsung&#8217;s Privacy Display feature on the Galaxy S26 Ultra, and I don&#8217;t care. This is no gimmick, and I hope the company works on future generations of technology. But it is not worth compromising on the quality in its present form.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><q>Samsung is smart enough to know how people buy their phones in the US.<\/q><\/p>\n<div class=\"e_e e_D\">\n<p>If you live in an urban area and you&#8217;re constantly on public transportation, I see a benefit to having your screen obscured. However, in testing, I could still see the display quite easily from an acute angle, unless I turned on maximum privacy. But the maximum setting makes the display look terrible, as if I&#8217;m looking at it through blurry lenses.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"e_f\">\n<div class=\"e_vt\" style=\"max-width:2560px\"><picture class=\"e_Ig\" style=\"padding-top:56.25%;aspect-ratio:2560 \/ 1440\"><source sizes=\"(min-width: 64rem) 51.25rem, 80vw\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Samsung-Galaxy-S26-Ultra-Privacy-Display-settings-scaled.jpg.webp 2560w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Samsung-Galaxy-S26-Ultra-Privacy-Display-settings-64w-36h.jpg.webp 64w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Samsung-Galaxy-S26-Ultra-Privacy-Display-settings-1000w-563h.jpg.webp 1000w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Samsung-Galaxy-S26-Ultra-Privacy-Display-settings-1920w-1080h.jpg.webp 1920w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Samsung-Galaxy-S26-Ultra-Privacy-Display-settings-1536w-864h.jpg.webp 1536w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Samsung-Galaxy-S26-Ultra-Privacy-Display-settings-675w-380h.jpg.webp 675w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Samsung-Galaxy-S26-Ultra-Privacy-Display-settings-300w-170h.jpg.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Samsung-Galaxy-S26-Ultra-Privacy-Display-settings-1280w-720h.jpg.webp 1280w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Samsung-Galaxy-S26-Ultra-Privacy-Display-settings-840w-472h.jpg.webp 840w\" type=\"image\/webp\"\/><img class=\"e_Jg\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"(min-width: 64rem) 51.25rem, 80vw\" title=\"Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra Privacy Display Settings\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Samsung-Galaxy-S26-Ultra-Privacy-Display-settings-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Samsung-Galaxy-S26-Ultra-Privacy-Display-settings-64w-36h.jpg 64w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Samsung-Galaxy-S26-Ultra-Privacy-Display-settings-1000w-563h.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Samsung-Galaxy-S26-Ultra-Privacy-Display-settings-1920w-1080h.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Samsung-Galaxy-S26-Ultra-Privacy-Display-settings-1536w-864h.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Samsung-Galaxy-S26-Ultra-Privacy-Display-settings-675w-380h.jpg 675w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Samsung-Galaxy-S26-Ultra-Privacy-Display-settings-300w-170h.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Samsung-Galaxy-S26-Ultra-Privacy-Display-settings-1280w-720h.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Samsung-Galaxy-S26-Ultra-Privacy-Display-settings-840w-472h.jpg 840w\" alt=\"Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra Privacy Display Settings\" src=\"https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Samsung-Galaxy-S26-Ultra-Privacy-Display-settings-scaled.jpg\"\/><\/picture>\n<div class=\"e_mv e_wt\">\n<p>Stephen Radocchia\/Android Authority<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"e_e e_D\">\n<p>I also agree with my colleague Jack Cave-Dennis in his reservations about the S26 Ultra&#8217;s display. Brightness and viewing angles are worse than the Galaxy S25 Ultra, and the S26 Ultra is unpleasant to my eyes in the long run \u2013 the minor privacy trade-off isn&#8217;t worth it.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><h2>People are buying the Galaxy S26 Ultra in record numbers anyway<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<div class=\"e_f\">\n<div class=\"e_vt\" style=\"max-width:2560px\"><picture class=\"e_Ig\" style=\"padding-top:56.25%;aspect-ratio:2560 \/ 1440\"><source sizes=\"(min-width: 64rem) 51.25rem, 80vw\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Samsung-Galaxy-S26-Ultra-S-pen-silo-scaled.jpg.webp 2560w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Samsung-Galaxy-S26-Ultra-S-pen-silo-64w-36h.jpg.webp 64w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Samsung-Galaxy-S26-Ultra-S-pen-silo-1000w-563h.jpg.webp 1000w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Samsung-Galaxy-S26-Ultra-S-pen-silo-1920w-1080h.jpg.webp 1920w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Samsung-Galaxy-S26-Ultra-S-pen-silo-1536w-864h.jpg.webp 1536w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Samsung-Galaxy-S26-Ultra-S-pen-silo-675w-380h.jpg.webp 675w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Samsung-Galaxy-S26-Ultra-S-pen-silo-300w-170h.jpg.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Samsung-Galaxy-S26-Ultra-S-pen-silo-1280w-720h.jpg.webp 1280w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Samsung-Galaxy-S26-Ultra-S-pen-silo-840w-472h.jpg.webp 840w\" type=\"image\/webp\"\/><img class=\"e_Jg\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"(min-width: 64rem) 51.25rem, 80vw\" title=\"Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra S Pen Silo\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Samsung-Galaxy-S26-Ultra-S-pen-silo-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Samsung-Galaxy-S26-Ultra-S-pen-silo-64w-36h.jpg 64w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Samsung-Galaxy-S26-Ultra-S-pen-silo-1000w-563h.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Samsung-Galaxy-S26-Ultra-S-pen-silo-1920w-1080h.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Samsung-Galaxy-S26-Ultra-S-pen-silo-1536w-864h.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Samsung-Galaxy-S26-Ultra-S-pen-silo-675w-380h.jpg 675w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Samsung-Galaxy-S26-Ultra-S-pen-silo-300w-170h.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Samsung-Galaxy-S26-Ultra-S-pen-silo-1280w-720h.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Samsung-Galaxy-S26-Ultra-S-pen-silo-840w-472h.jpg 840w\" alt=\"Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra S Pen Silo\" src=\"https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Samsung-Galaxy-S26-Ultra-S-pen-silo-scaled.jpg\"\/><\/picture>\n<div class=\"e_mv e_wt\">\n<p>Stephen Radocchia\/Android Authority<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"e_e e_D\">\n<p>The privacy display wasn&#8217;t the only feature Samsung used to sell the Galaxy S26 Ultras. The Galaxy AI has disappointed me from the start, and it just doesn&#8217;t do well enough to make you want to buy a new smartphone. Still, none of my misgivings have put off buyers, who are purchasing the Galaxy S26 Ultra in record numbers.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"e_e e_D\">\n<p>Samsung&#8217;s sales success highlights some uncomfortable realities. Renewal cycles are more important than innovation. I remember sitting in on the pre-briefing for the Galaxy S25 Ultra and I thought it was strange how many times Samsung representatives mentioned how big an upgrade it was over the Galaxy S22 Ultra. Sure, it&#8217;ll look impressive compared to a three-year-old device, but was that really the only benchmark a new $1,300 phone had to meet? Unfortunately, the answer is yes.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"e_e e_D\">\n<p>Samsung is smart enough to know how people buy their phones in the US. Carrier financing contracts cover millions of units sold each year, and they are typically upgradeable after three years. If your last three phones were the Galaxy S10+, Galaxy S23 Ultra, and now the S26 Ultra, Samsung is killing it in your eyes \u2013 and that&#8217;s what the company is betting on.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"e_e e_D\">\n<p>Carrier finance deals also cushion the blow of falling prices. Phone contracts used to last for two years, but then smartphones got expensive. Then carriers started offering three-year contracts \u2013 your monthly out-of-pocket costs didn&#8217;t change, but companies could charge more for their phones. Samsung recognizes this, which is why the price increase may seem worrisome and prohibitive to journalists like me, but most buyers will never find it a hassle.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><h2>I hate what this will mean for the future<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<div class=\"e_f\">\n<div class=\"e_vt\" style=\"max-width:2560px\"><picture class=\"e_Ig\" style=\"padding-top:56.25%;aspect-ratio:2560 \/ 1440\"><source sizes=\"(min-width: 64rem) 51.25rem, 80vw\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Samsung-Galaxy-S26-Ultra-camera-closeup-scaled.jpg.webp 2560w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Samsung-Galaxy-S26-Ultra-camera-closeup-64w-36h.jpg.webp 64w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Samsung-Galaxy-S26-Ultra-camera-closeup-1000w-563h.jpg.webp 1000w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Samsung-Galaxy-S26-Ultra-camera-closeup-1920w-1080h.jpg.webp 1920w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Samsung-Galaxy-S26-Ultra-camera-closeup-1536w-864h.jpg.webp 1536w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Samsung-Galaxy-S26-Ultra-camera-closeup-675w-380h.jpg.webp 675w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Samsung-Galaxy-S26-Ultra-camera-closeup-300w-170h.jpg.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Samsung-Galaxy-S26-Ultra-camera-closeup-1280w-720h.jpg.webp 1280w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Samsung-Galaxy-S26-Ultra-camera-closeup-840w-472h.jpg.webp 840w\" type=\"image\/webp\"\/><img class=\"e_Jg\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"(min-width: 64rem) 51.25rem, 80vw\" title=\"Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra Camera Closeup\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Samsung-Galaxy-S26-Ultra-camera-closeup-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Samsung-Galaxy-S26-Ultra-camera-closeup-64w-36h.jpg 64w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Samsung-Galaxy-S26-Ultra-camera-closeup-1000w-563h.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Samsung-Galaxy-S26-Ultra-camera-closeup-1920w-1080h.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Samsung-Galaxy-S26-Ultra-camera-closeup-1536w-864h.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Samsung-Galaxy-S26-Ultra-camera-closeup-675w-380h.jpg 675w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Samsung-Galaxy-S26-Ultra-camera-closeup-300w-170h.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Samsung-Galaxy-S26-Ultra-camera-closeup-1280w-720h.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Samsung-Galaxy-S26-Ultra-camera-closeup-840w-472h.jpg 840w\" alt=\"Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra Camera Closeup\" src=\"https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Samsung-Galaxy-S26-Ultra-camera-closeup-scaled.jpg\"\/><\/picture>\n<div class=\"e_mv e_wt\">\n<p>Stephen Radocchia\/Android Authority<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"e_e e_D\">\n<p>People vote with their wallets, and Samsung shows no signs of stopping what it&#8217;s doing. Buyers don&#8217;t see these impressive foreign phones from Xiaomi, Vivo and others on carrier store shelves. It appears that Google is not looking to compete with Samsung&#8217;s hardware on its Pixel phones. HTC, LG and others have been relegated to the dustbin of history, so there&#8217;s no real incentive for Samsung to push the envelope.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"e_e e_D\">\n<p>Yes, the early leaks of the Galaxy S27 are promising, but that&#8217;s in line with the trend. Samsung is mostly competing with itself, and the Galaxy S24 Ultra remains an excellent smartphone. If the company wants people to open their wallets next year, it needs to at least look different with the money in people&#8217;s pockets. Still, I don&#8217;t expect to see the kind of relentless innovation we get from Samsung every year again.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"e_e e_D\">\n<p>The only silver lining is that Samsung keeps innovating in other ways too. I love my Galaxy Z TriFold, and I&#8217;m excited to see the upcoming wider Galaxy Z Fold 8 variants, but they&#8217;re expensive devices. Not everyone wants or needs a $2,000 smartphone, and it shouldn&#8217;t be priced at such an expensive price just to see some exciting new features.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><h2>Samsung won this round, but I don&#8217;t have to love it<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<div class=\"e_f\">\n<div class=\"e_vt\" style=\"max-width:2560px\"><picture class=\"e_Ig\" style=\"padding-top:56.25%;aspect-ratio:2560 \/ 1440\"><source sizes=\"(min-width: 64rem) 51.25rem, 80vw\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Galaxy-S26-Ultra-rock-background-scaled.jpeg.webp 2560w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Galaxy-S26-Ultra-rock-background-scaled-64w-36h.jpeg.webp 64w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Galaxy-S26-Ultra-rock-background-scaled-1000w-563h.jpeg.webp 1000w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Galaxy-S26-Ultra-rock-background-scaled-1920w-1080h.jpeg.webp 1920w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Galaxy-S26-Ultra-rock-background-scaled-1536w-864h.jpeg.webp 1536w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Galaxy-S26-Ultra-rock-background-scaled-675w-380h.jpeg.webp 675w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Galaxy-S26-Ultra-rock-background-scaled-300w-170h.jpeg.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Galaxy-S26-Ultra-rock-background-scaled-1280w-720h.jpeg.webp 1280w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Galaxy-S26-Ultra-rock-background-scaled-840w-472h.jpeg.webp 840w\" type=\"image\/webp\"\/><img class=\"e_Jg\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"(min-width: 64rem) 51.25rem, 80vw\" title=\"Galaxy S26 Ultra Rock Background\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Galaxy-S26-Ultra-rock-background-scaled.jpeg 2560w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Galaxy-S26-Ultra-rock-background-scaled-64w-36h.jpeg 64w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Galaxy-S26-Ultra-rock-background-scaled-1000w-563h.jpeg 1000w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Galaxy-S26-Ultra-rock-background-scaled-1920w-1080h.jpeg 1920w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Galaxy-S26-Ultra-rock-background-scaled-1536w-864h.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Galaxy-S26-Ultra-rock-background-scaled-675w-380h.jpeg 675w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Galaxy-S26-Ultra-rock-background-scaled-300w-170h.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Galaxy-S26-Ultra-rock-background-scaled-1280w-720h.jpeg 1280w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Galaxy-S26-Ultra-rock-background-scaled-840w-472h.jpeg 840w\" alt=\"Galaxy S26 Ultra Rock Background\" src=\"https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Galaxy-S26-Ultra-rock-background-scaled.jpeg\"\/><\/picture>\n<div class=\"e_mv e_wt\">\n<p>Zack Q-Dennis\/Android Authority<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"e_e e_D\">\n<p>I&#8217;m reminded of a scene from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, where we see the story behind how Indiana Jones got his hat. The evil adventurer, who had gotten the best of Indy, pulled a cap over his eyes and said, &#8220;You lost today, kid, but you don&#8217;t have to like it.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"e_e e_D\">\n<p>That&#8217;s exactly how I feel about the Galaxy S26 Ultra. Yes, Samsung knows what it&#8217;s doing, and the sales figures don&#8217;t lie \u2013 but that doesn&#8217;t mean I have to like it. And if you want a future with exciting Samsung phones once again, you shouldn&#8217;t like this one.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div data-deal-order=\"1\" class=\"e_yj e_Ck e_Dk e_e\"><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" id=\"deal-large-7029\" class=\"e_k\">Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra<\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"e_zj\"><picture class=\"e_Aj e_Dk e_Ig\"><img class=\"e_Jg\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"(min-width: 64rem) 12.5rem, (min-width: 40rem) calc(100vw \/ 3), calc(100vw - 2.5rem)\" alt=\"Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra\" src=\"https:\/\/clearbuy-cloud.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/media\/12139\/custom_filename.jpg\"\/><\/picture><\/div>\n<div class=\"e_Kj\"><picture class=\"e_Lj e_Ig\"><img class=\"e_Mj e_Jg\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"2.4375rem\" alt=\"AA Editor's Choice\" src=\"https:\/\/clearbuy-cloud.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/media\/455\/aa2020_editors_choice.png\"\/><\/picture><\/div>\n<p><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" href=\"https:\/\/clearbuy.com\/redirect\/341573d50b382ffdc824882217d0398f6d906e6d?pId=7029&amp;tag()=androautho-20\" class=\"e_Bj\">Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Privacy Performance \u2022 Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy \u2022 Power AI Features<\/p>\n<p>Powerful flagship with top-tier cameras, AI and privacy features.<\/p>\n<p>The Galaxy S26 Ultra is Samsung&#8217;s thinnest and lightest Ultra to date, featuring a 6.9-inch display with the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 and a redesigned cooling system for the Galaxy. It doubles the imaging with a brighter 200MP main camera, advanced zoom, advanced 8K video features and ultra-exclusive privacy and Galaxy AI tools.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"e_e e_8j\" data-container-type=\"content\">\n<div class=\"e_e e_9j e_8j\" data-container-type=\"content\">\n<div class=\"e_e e_D\">\n<p> <strong>Don&#8217;t want to miss the best of <em>Android Authority<\/em>?<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"e_e e_bm\"><picture class=\"e_fm e_gm e_Ig\" style=\"padding-top:31.51%;aspect-ratio:676 \/ 213\"><source sizes=\"9.375rem\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/google_preferred_source_badge_light@2x.png.webp 676w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/google_preferred_source_badge_light@2x-64w-20h.png.webp 64w\" type=\"image\/webp\"\/><img class=\"e_Jg\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"9.375rem\" title=\"Google Preferred Source Badge Lite@2x\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/google_preferred_source_badge_light@2x.png 676w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/google_preferred_source_badge_light@2x-64w-20h.png 64w\" alt=\"Google Preferred Source Badge Lite@2x\" src=\"https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/google_preferred_source_badge_light@2x.png\"\/><\/picture><picture class=\"e_fm e_Ig\" style=\"padding-top:31.51%;aspect-ratio:676 \/ 213\"><source sizes=\"9.375rem\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/google_preferred_source_badge_dark@2x.png.webp 676w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/google_preferred_source_badge_dark@2x-64w-20h.png.webp 64w\" type=\"image\/webp\"\/><img class=\"e_Jg\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"9.375rem\" title=\"Google Preferred Source Badge Dark@2x\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/google_preferred_source_badge_dark@2x.png 676w, https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/google_preferred_source_badge_dark@2x-64w-20h.png 64w\" alt=\"Google Preferred Source Badge Dark@2x\" src=\"https:\/\/www.androidauthority.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/google_preferred_source_badge_dark@2x.png\"\/><\/picture><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-container-type=\"content\">\n<div class=\"e_pd e_D\">\n<p>Thank you for being a part of our community. Please read our comment policy before posting.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Stephen Radocchia\/Android Authority When I got my hands on the Galaxy S26 Ultra for the first time, I was overwhelmed. I&#8217;d be a fool to argue that this isn&#8217;t a solid flagship phone, and I understand why Samsung does. Still, the Galaxy S26 Ultra didn&#8217;t generate as much excitement as I did with other devices,<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":125254,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[58],"tags":[14414,2350,3266,615,2351,2174,2146],"class_list":{"0":"post-125252","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-devotionals","8":"tag-awesome","9":"tag-galaxy","10":"tag-massive","11":"tag-news","12":"tag-s26","13":"tag-success","14":"tag-ultra"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/christiancorner.us\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/125252","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/christiancorner.us\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/christiancorner.us\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christiancorner.us\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christiancorner.us\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=125252"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/christiancorner.us\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/125252\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":125255,"href":"https:\/\/christiancorner.us\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/125252\/revisions\/125255"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christiancorner.us\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/125254"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/christiancorner.us\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=125252"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christiancorner.us\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=125252"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christiancorner.us\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=125252"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}