Samsung Galaxy S26 Series Leaks Surface With Early Design, One UI 8.5 Details

Samsung’s Galaxy S26 series has reportedly appeared ahead of schedule in an early One UI 8.5 test build. The leak gives a first idea of what Samsung is planning for the Galaxy S26, Galaxy S26+, and Galaxy S26 Ultra, and suggests the company is focusing more on refining the existing formula rather than making big changes. Also Read: Apple, Google, Samsung Push Back Against Mandatory Location Tracking In India

According to Android Authority, the leak includes early renders extracted from One UI 8.5 test firmware. While the images are basic and lack finer details, they line up with earlier rumours about Samsung sticking to its current design approach. Also Read: Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 Development Underway Alongside Galaxy Watch 9: What To Expect

Galaxy S26 Series Design Leaks

The Galaxy S26 models are said to feature individual circular camera cutouts on the back, placed on a slightly raised surface. This design is similar to what Samsung has used on recent flagship and foldable devices. The leaked renders show separate circular camera rings on the back instead of a single large camera island. Also Read: Always-On Phone Tracking? Apple, Google, Samsung Raises Red Flags

The leak also reveals internal codenames for the lineup – M1 for Galaxy S26, M2 for S26+, and M3 for S26 Ultra. The “M” reportedly stands for “Miracle,” which is Samsung’s internal project name for the series.

The Galaxy S26 Ultra could see a small physical change, with slightly rounded corners compared to the sharper edges of the current model. Things like the exact placement of the LED flash and the final rear-panel finish are not visible yet.

Expected Hardware and Performance

The leaked firmware does not reveal any confirmed hardware information. However, the Galaxy S26 lineup is expected to run on Qualcomm’s new flagship chipset, likely the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5, in most regions. Samsung may continue offering Exynos variants in select markets.

Samsung is also expected to bring improvements on the camera front, particularly for the Galaxy S26 Ultra. That said, the leak does not mention any specific sensor changes or hardware upgrades at this stage.

One UI 8.5 Based on Android 16

The leak also suggests that the Galaxy S26 series will run One UI 8.5 out of the box, which will be based on Android 16. Samsung is expected to roll out an early One UI 8.5 beta to Galaxy S25 users sometime in December.

Rather than a major redesign, One UI 8.5 is said to make small but useful changes to the existing One UI 8 experience. This is likely to include smoother system animations, better multitasking behaviour, and further tweaks to Galaxy AI features already available on current models.

If Samsung sticks to its usual launch cycle, the Galaxy S26 series should arrive sometime in early 2026.