Canada is the same as the USA basically. Mostly Best Buys and carrier channels. Thankfully there is a Samsung store in Metro Vancouver where I live (rare to see a Samsung store in the USA) so as a Samsung fan I love that. My wife is Filipina and when visiting the Philippines it is jaw dropping to see the endless branded and multi-branded electronic shops and clusters of retailers (CyberZone within SM Malls for example). Endless choice compared to Canada/USA it's overwhelming. The rest of the world (majority at least) have it figured out to buy directly from the OEM (or wholesale retailer) and simply buy a SIM and data plan from your carrier of choice. Never sign a contract and BYOD on a month-to-month basis in perpetuity. Chase the best deals and change carriers on a whim.
@sawyerleemoorefilipino-canadian here and yes. The asian market is spoiled with choices. What’s the point of getting a samsung when they keep nerfing their phones to level down to iphones? Might as well get the original
y'all let the base iphone overrun with 60hz and lightning for like 6 years but now that the S26 base model doesn't have a 100000 mah battery and 20 gigs of ram you're crying your eyes out.
@Community-Notes-For-RUclipsno it's just that they can do better, they just don't want to on purpose so they can profit more while you get a worse phone, THAT'S what we are mad about
People have been mocking apple for some time now. But the new 17 is a massive upgrade and much better than the s25. The base s has been the same for 5 years. We need them to make it a major upgrade. Apple isnt afraid of the base model eating the top models lunch but samsung is afraid of that
It would be better if phone companies introduced new models with substantial improvements every few years, like every 2 or 3 years, rather than releasing new versions annually that don’t really change much.
You can just skip 4 years. Laptops & cars doesn't drastically change every year. Phone is now in the same category. Only LLM are making insane growth now
Why does it seem like America only has 3 mobile brands operating in the market? It's always a video about an iPhone, Samsung or Google device. There are other brands that are Android and none Android that actually give those 3 a run for their money. They have better tech and at time less expensive without compromise on hardware, software or ecosystem.
Yeah, for 14 years I was only with Samsung Galaxy S models and I found all of them fun and interesting and the last one was S23 Ultra. After that I found S24U boring. I know all of them are still great phones but they were only talking about party tricks (AI) for what distinguishes S24 from S23. Same was with S25. I was so unimpressed that I moved on to other brands for the first time.
After having a Samsung S vanilla model from the Galaxy S2's, I felt it was time to switch, because they're lacking innovation. Also camera performance is so far behind in the base and plus models... It's embarrassing. Switched to ViVo X300 to have a completely different software experience and way better cameras. To this moment, I'm still really enjoying the phone. Best one I've owned in years. Especially the feel of a completely new phone. Samsung needs to get a pen and paper and take a critical look at what they're doing in the smartphone department. I'm seeing more and more people switching away from them.
🙄🤦♂️ the problem with Apple, Google, Vivo, Xiaomi, etc is they don't don't understand what people want. They also don't understand that bigger camera sensor with small lenes does not≠ better photos. They also don't understand that majority of people just point and shoot. Samsung has the best hardware and software experience out of all the smart phones.
@evacody1249 vivo right now has best Smartphone camera right now. im using S23Ultra. and yes i have no reason to upgrade to new S series, yet vivo camera offering is attempting
I have of late been looking at several of the Chinese phones as Samsung alternatives. It is only there software updates that hass kept me loyal to them, but that is changing, and quickly
Tm roh and his cost cutting and incrementalisn is one of the worst things that has happened , I miss the old Samsung that used to pack in as much hardware innovation as possible although the trifold is good
@japomi takes up the only usb c port though. I like charging and using a seperate headphone jack, not to mention the usb c ports can tend to get slippery over time. Micro SD card users still have their use cases for external portable media especially if you cant hold too much in the base 256 variant. This holds especially true for high quality photography over the months.
@evacody1249 I'm in the US he is talking about and I'm asking for that as well. I have and love the S25U yet it would've been an amazing upgrade from my beloved S22U had it had all of that.
I absolutely hate that you can't wirelessly reverse charge with the magnetic qi2 standard!! It's better just sticking with that normal charging and rivers wireless charging and just adding a magnet case!
The charging speeds are embarrassing. Chinese brands are pushing 100w and Samsung still charges at 25w (the super fast charging only goes to a certain percentage then rates drop).
@sullystechhub I second this.. The 200MP is great but the other cameras are more midrange in quality. This is the most expensive flagship as well. Inexcusable. Samsung is not innovating or even interested in catching up anymore.
Chinese phones come out every other Tuesday, and they hardly offer any security.... definitely not 7 years....these companies are thinking long term, not short term...otherwise we'd have all these crazy charging and silicone batteries by now
Screens are also better on chinese phones, Samsung and apple has just started using 10 bit display last year that produce billion colours, otherwise Samsung displays were only producing few million colors while chinese displays were producing billion colors, even nothing phone 3 has better display than S25 ultra, on every parameter.
@harshyadav73 people who upgrade are the ones with old phones or need a new phone. If you're not one of them then don't buy one, it shouldn't concern you whether they release a new phone every year. It's the people who buy it every year is the problem.
They have neglected the regular mode and ultra both, the plus model got the most changes starting the s21+ to the s26+, the s22+ got 45W super fast charging, the s23+ got ufs 4.0 storage same as ultra, the s24+ got WQHD+ resolution and 256GB base storage upgrade where the s24 and s25 were left in the dust ufs 3.1 128GB base 256GB to get ufs 4 and with the ultra line we have been losing features every year, the s21 ultra lost 2.0 charging, the s22 ultra lost 256GB base and had 8GB RAM mode, the s23 ultra lost the 40MP selfie while the s23/+ got upgraded from 10MP selfie to 12MB the s23 ultra downgraded and introduced the 12MP new selfie camera instead, the s24 ultra got rid of 10× parascope zoom and there were some software features removed from the spen, the s25 ultra got rid of that note look and it removed active spen making it a dumb toy, the s26 ultra round is gonna put the s26 ultra on par with the s26/+, the regular model is getting neglected while the ultra is being demolished and + is the only one getting upgrades.
May be because, their plus model is the least selling one. For ultra and vanilla models to get their deserved attention, we may have to stop buying them. Worked in fold series and suddenly Samsung gave better Fold 7. Buy the new ultra and vanilla models in droves, Sammy will keep on killing features in them.
@KanagaDeepanNif thats the case why don't they kill the a3x and a5x and why not just demolish the plus and sell 2 phones if the edge didn't sell well because phone thats are selling more should be priority
Ugh, i did have higher hopes for the base S26 back when the rumors were about a "Pro" version. But agree that it just feels so stagnant and they almost neglect the base 26 and 26+ for everything they can do for the ultra to progress further. If the pre-order incentives are not compelling this year, i may consider going with a completely different brand.
I'm so pissed not a single major manufacturer is making a normal size phone (6.2ish inch) with a top end camera. It's really disappointing. How is it possible there is no market for this?
Open up the US market and what is available with the carriers. Many upgrade their phones via the carrier still, and are presented with two main options. Samsung and Apple have this locked up. More available carrier options and we would see more competitive phones.
Actually from what I have seen Samsung does not make the best long lasting hardware, at least regarding batteries which I have seen in Samsung have the tendency to bloat and some models screens which had the tendency to begin showing green lines 🤔, vs at least old LG and Pixel phones I still have around which didn't show those issues even to this date.
Yeah I definitely got bored with Samsung. I use all the phones but was an excited Samsung user for years and after the s22 ultra - ish I haven’t really been back. Same phone year after year after year is dull. And the cameras are still great in some ways but when I use other phones it’s like oh wow Samsung has rested way too long because it shows its age. I was excited for the 26 ultra until the leaks made it clear it’s same ol same ol. Maybe they’ll surprise us but I’m guessing not this year.
The thing that does concern me is the potential quality of it overall. Because I feel like this is being made in crunch time. Remember it's being delayed because they couldn't decide if they wanted to stick to the usual base, plus, and ultra models or make a edge model
The Matte anti-refletive display for the base models too, would be appreciated 2ndly, the Camera sensor too, should be upgraded... like near to 1inch type sensors with all cameras having same mp and sensor size (or atleast, upgrade both the telephotos and U.W Plus All galaxy phones need a battery upgrade.... the S26 base should atleaasssttt have 4900 5000 mah and the ULTRA needs to have atleast 6800 mah pack or so.... And pls give Us the spen ultra already
Really hard to want to upgrade from my S22U, the only sensible 'upgrade' is that S24U but you're still paying a hell of a lot for a flat screen (I guess a tradeoff in comfort for durability) and not really much else changing overall apart from Snapdragon all around and a few extra years of software support. Smashing really need to pull their finger out of their arse or people will just go elsewhere at this point.
Base model desperately needs a redisign. It is exactly the same as S23 and also same as lower end A series. They also need a "one more thing". Edge clearly was not it. Flip/Fold 7 are nice but foldables have still compromises many people do not like (durability, price to features).
I'm using the S25 Ultra. I've alternated between Android & iOS every few years. My last Android phone was a Galaxy S21(base). One UI is fantastic and I can't see myself on iOS again with the liquid glass nonsense. I've had poor experiences with Pixel in the past due to quality control issues. So, I'm happy using Samsung but I'll wait a few years to upgrade.
I prefer One UI 8.0 over 8.5. don't need MagSafe or privacy screens, those can be solved with a case and screen protector. Rarely if ever used the spen but I agree it should be more developed for those who use it. The important things for me are newer camera sensors, longer battery life and lighter phones
I do follow the ins and outs of phone tech but I don't see an option besides Samsung, and to a lesser extent, Pixel. I absolutely don't want them to change and follow the Chinese phones, which have great hardware but have unusable software, for me. I create smartphone content but can only afford to cover budget and midrange phones. So, I play around with Xiaomis, Galaxys, some smaller brands you guys don't know about. Even at the budget level, OneUI is just more pleasant to use. So, let them keep maintaining its stability (regrettable iOS design copying, but that's not bigger than stability.They should not chase 'excitement' for tech enthusiasts; they can get their Vivos and Oppos.
Samsung has dropped off. Sad. I've bought nothing but Samsung series all my life but now, I'm looking at Vivo. I need good cameras. Samsung just isn't doing it. China has taken over as Androids best mobike phones.
I'm still on my s21 ultra. I was hoping that smartphones developed enough over the years that a base s model would be better today than my s21 ultra is... I want a bit smaller phone again and would like to go to the base model, but it doesnt seem like Samsung developed much futher since my last purchase... I care especially about battery, and if the S26 doesn't defy all odds and surprises us with actually upgrades, the only options i have is to wait another year and hope that they finally move up with the 27 series OR just buy an oppo or one plus which arent smaller than my current phone, but at least have newer technology... I'm disappointed in samsung; i dont want AI, I want proper hardware.
Imho I think peak galaxy s ultra generation was the s24. The spen downgrade from the s25 ultra is unforgivable, and gorilla glass armor, the anti glare screen, the flat screen itself plus arguably the 5x telephoto instead of 10 (I prefer it) make the s24u overall better than the s24U
Samesung is becoming truer every year. Considering every Ultra phone since the Note 20 Ultra has just been the same phone with a minor spec bump, it's harder and harder to justify upgrading. I have the S23 Ultra and the S25 Ultra in some way seems slightly worse, if the 26 is the same why would I spend £1200 for the same phone. When I went from the Note 2 to Note 4 the jump seemed massive, they don't risk anymore. I agree they are going to sack off the pen, that's why they dropped the Note name and the Bluetooth going was the first dip in the water.
I can't wait for the s27 ultra. I need to upgrade this s22 and I'm not changing brands because I use my eco system for work and school. It is boring but man.
As a long time Sammy lover I'm disappointed in the leaks and rumors. This is the first time I won't be upgrading to the new device. I hope the S27U is a big game changer.
@ZVVWVVZBecause of battery upgrade 😂 silicon carbon batteries have lower charge cycles than lithium (meaning that huge battery capacity will drain much faster)
They can bring back all the older standard features like removable battery, expanded memory, sdcard slots, ir scanners. Etc.... However they remove features and make their flagships worse each year.
Samsung is doing what you expect when the market hasn't punished them for standing still. Let's keep it real there not alot going on across the phone market. Camera upgrades are cool but I use my camera mostly for scanning documents.
Good. They should be worried. No good upgrades, no new design, no larger battery. One good update from Apple and they scramble. It's time for them to wake up
I'm I missing something? Are there other devices that already have a built in privacy display? That's the one feature that's making me consider an upgrade. I've tried several privacy screen protectors and I always take them off after a few days because they make the fingerprint scanner too inconsistent. And why does everyone want to get rid of the s-pen? Just get another phone and let the people who actually use it regularly enjoy it. That's the main reason I've used Samsung devices exclusively since the Note 4.
Yes any old phone has low visual angel. That is the p4ivacy display without a fancy name. Samsung is trying to be apple and calling features fancy names.
@yankeesusa1 your wasting your money. As yourself, how many yimes have someone been looking at your screen whilst you use it? Everyone uses their own phone. Its not an important feature.
@SamuelSKBApeople are always looking at my phone, with the modern display it's easily readable from a distance and wide angles. So I think that's a great feature, but not enough fort the price they want.
Samsung would never do significant upgrades because people keep buying them. In Samsung's eyes, why should they give us more when people will pay them regardless?
The point is - Samsung base flagships have been the same from past decade and no one cares, coz no one is buying them anymore. It’s a grandma phone now. They never have any significant upgrades, same design from s20 series. But no one complaints, coz no one is noticing that much. They are all about cost cutting and making more and more money! No innovations whatsoever. I remember how excited people used to get with the base flagship models and now you could get the same looking flagship models in their A15 series too. Now imagine your phone looks and feels the same way as something 10 times less expensive. Weird brand .
No one asked for a 'thinner' phone that then needs a horrific camera bump to house the cameras! No one has asked for ai crap. People want bigger batteries. Some people were miffed when they took bluetooth functionality out of the s-pen. People were moved when they took the sd card out, the headphones jack out. Why do they remove stuff and do stupid things? They're losing customers with silly mistakes. I've upgraded every year since the S9+ then the Ultras. That hideous camera bump - I WON'T be upgrading
I pre-reserved the S26 Ultra and planned to upgrade from my S23 Ultra, but honestly I don’t see the value. Samsung isn’t even in DXOMark’s top 25 (S25 U #27), and there’s little to no real camera upgrade this time. The 5× 12MP telephoto feels redundant. Videography is still behind competitors - photos/videos look fine on the phone, but on a big TV screen the quality drops. No Qi2 MagSafe, no meaningful battery upgrade. Only Snapdragon Gen 5 Elite and a privacy display. 25W wireless or 60W wired charging doesn’t excite me either - faster charging + SD Gen 5 heating issues will only hurt battery health long term. I’d rather wait for S27 with SD Gen 6 (2nm) and better heat management (HMB), proper camera upgrades, and a bigger battery jump. One UI 8.5 is good, but Samsung still packs too much bloat - multiple app stores, multiple assistants (Bixby, Gemini), multiple AI engines (Bixby, Perplexity, Gemini). Too many background services running. The UI doesn’t lag, but the clutter is real.
Tech enthusiasts don't seem to actually know the reality of this industry. They only think about what they want to see, but at the end of the day, Samsung's approach hasn't hurt their bottom line. Quite the opposite as the S25 Ultra was their strongest selling Ultra to date.
Which only furthers they should do more with their base and replace the plus with a mini ultra, a better edge, or nothing. Put all resources and time into the ultra and the base.
@mitzforkeeps I actually don't know but if you compared the reviews on S24 Ultra vs. S25 Ultra, the latest model had mixed reviews due to S-Pen controversy and no hardware improvements since S22.
Unless there's significant improvement in power, features, and battery life, I don't know why people upgrade? Paying the same or more for minimal, if any, improvement is asinine. Max performance phone to phone charging, better wireless charging overall, increased storage and data retrieval speed, better cooling, less AI garbage, a fully functional S-pen, more efficient memory, variable refresh rate from 1-120 (at least), higher brightness with a privacy mode that prohibits viewing at an angle, and faster charging from USB-C along with a max brick in the bloody package. Anything less in the Ultra, and there's zero reason to upgrade from the S23+. I haven't used any AI crap unless it was baked in to enhance already present functionality. I don't need to have conversations with my phone. I'd rather have better phone sensors than all AI fakery playing with the final product.
Good lord that new design is ugly. I understand why a design refresh is needed, but I really do not care. I defintely feel like phones have become less of a fashion accesory these days. The S21 still performs pretty amazing for everyday use. The only reason I had to upgrade to my S23 is because the SIM tray got moisture in it and stopped working. It sits beside my bed on a wireless charger capped at 80%. When they day ends, I'll throw the S23 on the charge overnight. I miss my S9, it was a fantastic phone, aside from the battery life tanking and the charger port not working. I'd probably still be using that, I miss the size of it very much.
I have already decided that I am either going to review the Vivo Ultra or Oppo Ultra this year. Samsung, Google, and Apple have gotten so far behind on camera performance.
The base S model looks to have almost the same cameras once again, only a minor battery capacity increase and….. that’s it, that’s all that looks to be changing.
Samsung keep doing the same thing because they know they that american consumers will be dumb enough to buy the same crap every year. Beside google pixel , samsung almost have no competition in the american android smartphone markets .
Watching on my S24 Ultra, this looks just as bland as last year's S25 Ultra. The S24 Ultra rules until Samsung comes up with something a lot more compelling design-wise in the future.
I think the new screen tech alone will help sell this phone. In the end, people love their Samsung phones and all the cool stuff it can do. The good news is that those that own an s23,24,25 ultra are still good because they will get all the new updates. I think the s23 still has 2 more years of updates.
You missed talking about how samsung has fallen behind in battery compared to Chinese OEMS which is become a detterent for those who want to buy a phone with long term support but with wek battery
@evacody1249No but when you stay in regions where Samsung doesn’t have official battery support or stores its hard getting replacements means you have to shell for a brand new phone
Read the article from Android authority on why Samsung doesn't change too much. It does make a lot of sense dealing with production, challenges, risk and safety concerns, profit margin and lack of competition.
@cameron_boschthe only one (some) of them don't work on is Verizon. Every other network works fine. Put a case on you phone. You're fighting for your life to have an excuse to pay more for a worse phone. For the price you're paying for a Google, an Apple, or a Samsung, you could get a far between Xiaomi, Vivo, or Oppo with double the storage, far better battery life, twice the charging speeds, and camera sensors twice the size of what you get on western devices. If you're hell-bent on coming up with reasons to waste your money, go for it. They appreciate your unending loyalty.
Releasing a phone which will automatically end up as the worst battery life among the Top 5 phones is disrespectful. S20 Ultra (2020) 5,000 mah - iPhone 12 Pro Max (2020) 3687 mAh S21 Ultra (2021) 5,000 mah - iPhone 13 Pro Max (2021) 4352 mAh S22 Ultra (2022) 5,000 mah - iPhone 14 Pro Max (2022) 4323 mAh S23 Ultra (2023) 5,000 mah - iPhone 15 Pro Max (2023) 4441 mAh S24 Ultra (2024) 5,000 mah - iPhone 16 Pro Max (2024) 4685 mAh S25 Ultra (2025) 5,000 mah - iPhone 17 Pro Max (2025) 5088 mAh S26 Ultra (2026) 5,000 mah - iPhone 18 Pro Max (2026) likely 5,245 mah - 5444 mah Even Apple which has far superior battery efficiency respect their customers enough to increase battery capacity.
Based on the leaks it should have a snapdragon gen 5 for the ultra with magsafe for android (about damn time) For me it will be a big upgrade cause I've had my s10+ for 4 years now but it's still not impressive cause once i get to experience an ultra I'm moving to xiaomi or redmagic There's xiaomi phones made 3 years ago with 5000+mah battery with 120w charging yet samsung only wanna give you 60w wired charging which is depressing I was already tired of apple that's why i switched to samsung and now samsung has basically become apple so it's time to move to real upgrades because samsung has gotten too lazy for me
i really wanted to want it because i am in a year when i wanna upgrade my phone but - nope. will stay with my s24 ultra for at least a year. don't wanna chinese brands, don't wanna iphone so i have a lot of limitations because market is boring, expensive and full of AI BS i don't need or want.
They need to do more with the plus model by making it more like the ultra.and to do that they should make the ultra wide 48 megapixels and put a 5x 48 megapixels telephoto lens instead of the same camera's that are on the base model.
Of course it's going to be boring because it's not an advancement of the S25 Ultra which is as boring as phones get. I heard someone saying that the S25 Ultra was a "generational" device. If so it's definitely Generation 💤😴. The S24 Ultra is better.
The thing I'm most concerned about is the actual price.
Smart man
1300
Increase price without upgrading any major hardware is a bold strategy
@noelv1976they didnt increase though
s25 ultra msrp is $1299, $100 more expensive than iPhone 17 Pro Max.
It just sucks we don’t have options in the US :(
Canada is the same as the USA basically. Mostly Best Buys and carrier channels. Thankfully there is a Samsung store in Metro Vancouver where I live (rare to see a Samsung store in the USA) so as a Samsung fan I love that. My wife is Filipina and when visiting the Philippines it is jaw dropping to see the endless branded and multi-branded electronic shops and clusters of retailers (CyberZone within SM Malls for example). Endless choice compared to Canada/USA it's overwhelming. The rest of the world (majority at least) have it figured out to buy directly from the OEM (or wholesale retailer) and simply buy a SIM and data plan from your carrier of choice. Never sign a contract and BYOD on a month-to-month basis in perpetuity. Chase the best deals and change carriers on a whim.
You can buy anything, just open internet browser
@sawyerleemoorefilipino-canadian here and yes. The asian market is spoiled with choices. What’s the point of getting a samsung when they keep nerfing their phones to level down to iphones? Might as well get the original
The poster child of the free market, the US for you, eh?
Because corporations easily can pay the politicians to push the competition out
no upgrade to camera,battery.And ignoring the base s models is not good
Get a Vivo, Xiaomi, or Oppo
@sullystechhubSamsung software is miles better
y'all let the base iphone overrun with 60hz and lightning for like 6 years but now that the S26 base model doesn't have a 100000 mah battery and 20 gigs of ram you're crying your eyes out.
@Community-Notes-For-RUclipsno it's just that they can do better, they just don't want to on purpose so they can profit more while you get a worse phone, THAT'S what we are mad about
People have been mocking apple for some time now. But the new 17 is a massive upgrade and much better than the s25. The base s has been the same for 5 years. We need them to make it a major upgrade. Apple isnt afraid of the base model eating the top models lunch but samsung is afraid of that
Last phone worth upgrading was the S23 series
8:30 green lines though
It would be better if phone companies introduced new models with substantial improvements every few years, like every 2 or 3 years, rather than releasing new versions annually that don’t really change much.
It's been 3 years and my S23U is still competing with the Ultras. At this rate, I'll get an S24U when this phone is EOL.
You can just skip 4 years. Laptops & cars doesn't drastically change every year. Phone is now in the same category. Only LLM are making insane growth now
@crusherman96 its been 6 years and my s10 ans note 10+ can do everything I need my phone to do without lag.
Definitely but they don't wanna lose out on that money every year
@SamuelSKBAi have an Exynos Galaxy S10 and its battery was worse than my old Galaxy S7 (at the time of purchasing S10)
Why does it seem like America only has 3 mobile brands operating in the market? It's always a video about an iPhone, Samsung or Google device. There are other brands that are Android and none Android that actually give those 3 a run for their money. They have better tech and at time less expensive without compromise on hardware, software or ecosystem.
It's bcz we don't have them in the US. Sure we have OnePlus and he covers them yet I agree he could give us more OnePlus I'm a major fan.
We don't have but 3 brands that make flagships that are sold to carriers that's why 😞
only price hike upgrade 📈 besides the generic soc bump.
motorola do give stylis along its phone
And they give higher resolution
Yeah, for 14 years I was only with Samsung Galaxy S models and I found all of them fun and interesting and the last one was S23 Ultra. After that I found S24U boring. I know all of them are still great phones but they were only talking about party tricks (AI) for what distinguishes S24 from S23. Same was with S25. I was so unimpressed that I moved on to other brands for the first time.
I got stuck on S23U.
After having a Samsung S vanilla model from the Galaxy S2's, I felt it was time to switch, because they're lacking innovation. Also camera performance is so far behind in the base and plus models... It's embarrassing.
Switched to ViVo X300 to have a completely different software experience and way better cameras.
To this moment, I'm still really enjoying the phone. Best one I've owned in years. Especially the feel of a completely new phone.
Samsung needs to get a pen and paper and take a critical look at what they're doing in the smartphone department. I'm seeing more and more people switching away from them.
🙄🤦♂️ the problem with Apple, Google, Vivo, Xiaomi, etc is they don't don't understand what people want.
They also don't understand that bigger camera sensor with small lenes does not≠ better photos.
They also don't understand that majority of people just point and shoot.
Samsung has the best hardware and software experience out of all the smart phones.
@evacody1249 vivo right now has best Smartphone camera right now. im using S23Ultra. and yes i have no reason to upgrade to new S series, yet vivo camera offering is attempting
I have of late been looking at several of the Chinese phones as Samsung alternatives. It is only there software updates that hass kept me loyal to them, but that is changing, and quickly
This is a pretty accurate assessment. I just upgrade to S25 ultra from S22 ultra. Needless to say, I won't be "upgrading" to S26 ultra.
Tm roh and his cost cutting and incrementalisn is one of the worst things that has happened , I miss the old Samsung that used to pack in as much hardware innovation as possible although the trifold is good
Bring back the headphone socket and a microSD card slot.
Headphone socket is there - using the usb C headpones right now. SD - that's bullshit, no need with such a big capacity - fast 512 GB 😅
@japomi takes up the only usb c port though. I like charging and using a seperate headphone jack, not to mention the usb c ports can tend to get slippery over time. Micro SD card users still have their use cases for external portable media especially if you cant hold too much in the base 256 variant. This holds especially true for high quality photography over the months.
Just move on from the headphone jack already. That won't be coming back 😅
C'mon Samsung, just give us a bigger battery, faster charging, and better cameras! This is getting embarrassing.
Who is this us? The majority of people are not asking for that.
@evacody1249 that is straight up not true bro. who in the world is not asking for a better battery and faster charging dude, sod off
@evacody1249 I'm in the US he is talking about and I'm asking for that as well. I have and love the S25U yet it would've been an amazing upgrade from my beloved S22U had it had all of that.
@evacody1249 sorry, theres a lot of people thats been asking for faster charging and bigger battery
@MisterChief711just take the leap and buy the OnePlus 15, you will not regret it.
I absolutely hate that you can't wirelessly reverse charge with the magnetic qi2 standard!! It's better just sticking with that normal charging and rivers wireless charging and just adding a magnet case!
The charging speeds are embarrassing. Chinese brands are pushing 100w and Samsung still charges at 25w (the super fast charging only goes to a certain percentage then rates drop).
The charging speeds are the least of their worries. The camera gap is massive.
@sullystechhub I second this.. The 200MP is great but the other cameras are more midrange in quality. This is the most expensive flagship as well. Inexcusable. Samsung is not innovating or even interested in catching up anymore.
Chinese phones come out every other Tuesday, and they hardly offer any security.... definitely not 7 years....these companies are thinking long term, not short term...otherwise we'd have all these crazy charging and silicone batteries by now
@FLPatrick1095200mp is not a top sensor. MP count really doesn't matter very much. Sensor size matters much more.
Screens are also better on chinese phones, Samsung and apple has just started using 10 bit display last year that produce billion colours, otherwise Samsung displays were only producing few million colors while chinese displays were producing billion colors, even nothing phone 3 has better display than S25 ultra, on every parameter.
Phones hit plateau like 2 years ago. We don't need new phones every year.
The Chinese companies haven't hit any plateau
5 years ago
Never did, iPhone users have been doing 5-6 years for a while.
When did we 'need' it every year?
I have always upgraded every 2-3 years except maybe the first 1 when the RAM was like 256 MB.
@harshyadav73 people who upgrade are the ones with old phones or need a new phone. If you're not one of them then don't buy one, it shouldn't concern you whether they release a new phone every year. It's the people who buy it every year is the problem.
They have neglected the regular mode and ultra both, the plus model got the most changes starting the s21+ to the s26+, the s22+ got 45W super fast charging, the s23+ got ufs 4.0 storage same as ultra, the s24+ got WQHD+ resolution and 256GB base storage upgrade where the s24 and s25 were left in the dust ufs 3.1 128GB base 256GB to get ufs 4 and with the ultra line we have been losing features every year, the s21 ultra lost 2.0 charging, the s22 ultra lost 256GB base and had 8GB RAM mode, the s23 ultra lost the 40MP selfie while the s23/+ got upgraded from 10MP selfie to 12MB the s23 ultra downgraded and introduced the 12MP new selfie camera instead, the s24 ultra got rid of 10× parascope zoom and there were some software features removed from the spen, the s25 ultra got rid of that note look and it removed active spen making it a dumb toy, the s26 ultra round is gonna put the s26 ultra on par with the s26/+, the regular model is getting neglected while the ultra is being demolished and + is the only one getting upgrades.
May be because, their plus model is the least selling one. For ultra and vanilla models to get their deserved attention, we may have to stop buying them. Worked in fold series and suddenly Samsung gave better Fold 7.
Buy the new ultra and vanilla models in droves, Sammy will keep on killing features in them.
@KanagaDeepanNif thats the case why don't they kill the a3x and a5x and why not just demolish the plus and sell 2 phones if the edge didn't sell well because phone thats are selling more should be priority
I really hope all the models have a snapdragon processor but I dont think so
They can at least increase the base S to to a higher resolution say 1220p
Ugh, i did have higher hopes for the base S26 back when the rumors were about a "Pro" version. But agree that it just feels so stagnant and they almost neglect the base 26 and 26+ for everything they can do for the ultra to progress further. If the pre-order incentives are not compelling this year, i may consider going with a completely different brand.
I'm so pissed not a single major manufacturer is making a normal size phone (6.2ish inch) with a top end camera. It's really disappointing. How is it possible there is no market for this?
Iphone 17 Pro exists 😊
Open up the US market and what is available with the carriers. Many upgrade their phones via the carrier still, and are presented with two main options. Samsung and Apple have this locked up. More available carrier options and we would see more competitive phones.
Verizon does not want those phones on there network.
2:33
Isn't it confirmed that S26 and S26+ will be running on exynos?
In some regions
Actually from what I have seen Samsung does not make the best long lasting hardware, at least regarding batteries which I have seen in Samsung have the tendency to bloat and some models screens which had the tendency to begin showing green lines 🤔, vs at least old LG and Pixel phones I still have around which didn't show those issues even to this date.
Love it thanks excited
For the 1st time in years I have left Samsung. Not something that was on my 2026 bingo card.
To?
@gachanjaone plus 15
Yeah I definitely got bored with Samsung. I use all the phones but was an excited Samsung user for years and after the s22 ultra - ish I haven’t really been back. Same phone year after year after year is dull. And the cameras are still great in some ways but when I use other phones it’s like oh wow Samsung has rested way too long because it shows its age. I was excited for the 26 ultra until the leaks made it clear it’s same ol same ol. Maybe they’ll surprise us but I’m guessing not this year.
Samsung reeaaallllyyy needs to update its batteries and cameras in this generation
🤔SAMSUNG S27 ULTRA's all camera should together in a border like s26 ultra main camera bumper
I agree with the points on this video for myself
The thing that does concern me is the potential quality of it overall. Because I feel like this is being made in crunch time. Remember it's being delayed because they couldn't decide if they wanted to stick to the usual base, plus, and ultra models or make a edge model
So I should keep my pixel 10 pro XL??
Unless Samsung is offering an amazing trade in offer, there's zero reason to upgrade.
The Matte anti-refletive display for the base models too, would be appreciated
2ndly, the Camera sensor too, should be upgraded... like near to 1inch type sensors with all cameras having same mp and sensor size (or atleast, upgrade both the telephotos and U.W
Plus All galaxy phones need a battery upgrade.... the S26 base should atleaasssttt have 4900 5000 mah and the ULTRA needs to have atleast 6800 mah pack or so....
And pls give Us the spen ultra already
I agreed with everything you say
Really hard to want to upgrade from my S22U, the only sensible 'upgrade' is that S24U but you're still paying a hell of a lot for a flat screen (I guess a tradeoff in comfort for durability) and not really much else changing overall apart from Snapdragon all around and a few extra years of software support. Smashing really need to pull their finger out of their arse or people will just go elsewhere at this point.
Base model desperately needs a redisign. It is exactly the same as S23 and also same as lower end A series.
They also need a "one more thing". Edge clearly was not it. Flip/Fold 7 are nice but foldables have still compromises many people do not like (durability, price to features).
Nothing improves drastically and the price goes up and up
Yes. The lack of innovation will ultimately be their downfall.
I really wonder what's the rationale behind this lack of innovation
no competition on android market.
@vanjadezelic732yep
When ur releasing the same phone for 5 years yeah it will have a lot of problems
I'm using the S25 Ultra. I've alternated between Android & iOS every few years. My last Android phone was a Galaxy S21(base). One UI is fantastic and I can't see myself on iOS again with the liquid glass nonsense. I've had poor experiences with Pixel in the past due to quality control issues. So, I'm happy using Samsung but I'll wait a few years to upgrade.
I prefer One UI 8.0 over 8.5. don't need MagSafe or privacy screens, those can be solved with a case and screen protector. Rarely if ever used the spen but I agree it should be more developed for those who use it. The important things for me are newer camera sensors, longer battery life and lighter phones
Still don't see any need at all to upgrade from my S23U...
greed is the only thing that have changed, companies getting more greedy and phones costing more with less
Ir blaster 🤷🏽♂️🤦🏽♂️
I do follow the ins and outs of phone tech but I don't see an option besides Samsung, and to a lesser extent, Pixel. I absolutely don't want them to change and follow the Chinese phones, which have great hardware but have unusable software, for me. I create smartphone content but can only afford to cover budget and midrange phones. So, I play around with Xiaomis, Galaxys, some smaller brands you guys don't know about. Even at the budget level, OneUI is just more pleasant to use. So, let them keep maintaining its stability (regrettable iOS design copying, but that's not bigger than stability.They should not chase 'excitement' for tech enthusiasts; they can get their Vivos and Oppos.
Samsung has dropped off. Sad. I've bought nothing but Samsung series all my life but now, I'm looking at Vivo. I need good cameras. Samsung just isn't doing it. China has taken over as Androids best mobike phones.
If the pixel was sold in my country, I'd buy that. Unfortunately second best to that is Samsung
Same camera module for the last 5 years. Shameful
I'm still on my s21 ultra. I was hoping that smartphones developed enough over the years that a base s model would be better today than my s21 ultra is... I want a bit smaller phone again and would like to go to the base model, but it doesnt seem like Samsung developed much futher since my last purchase... I care especially about battery, and if the S26 doesn't defy all odds and surprises us with actually upgrades, the only options i have is to wait another year and hope that they finally move up with the 27 series OR just buy an oppo or one plus which arent smaller than my current phone, but at least have newer technology...
I'm disappointed in samsung; i dont want AI, I want proper hardware.
they have ran out of good ideas!
Imho I think peak galaxy s ultra generation was the s24. The spen downgrade from the s25 ultra is unforgivable, and gorilla glass armor, the anti glare screen, the flat screen itself plus arguably the 5x telephoto instead of 10 (I prefer it) make the s24u overall better than the s24U
No. Peak was s10, not 10s and n20s after that all the models started removing features.
Why innovate when you can just add AI. 😂 AI is an abomination
Samesung is becoming truer every year. Considering every Ultra phone since the Note 20 Ultra has just been the same phone with a minor spec bump, it's harder and harder to justify upgrading. I have the S23 Ultra and the S25 Ultra in some way seems slightly worse, if the 26 is the same why would I spend £1200 for the same phone.
When I went from the Note 2 to Note 4 the jump seemed massive, they don't risk anymore. I agree they are going to sack off the pen, that's why they dropped the Note name and the Bluetooth going was the first dip in the water.
Do people actually use the S pen when they buy the s25 ultra?
Yes note taking is a real thing
I've never used the s-pen since they introduced it on the S22 Ultra
I can't wait for the s27 ultra. I need to upgrade this s22 and I'm not changing brands because I use my eco system for work and school. It is boring but man.
As a long time Sammy lover I'm disappointed in the leaks and rumors. This is the first time I won't be upgrading to the new device. I hope the S27U is a big game changer.
Well its similar to i17pm gradual improvements, we are now at the peak of smartphone era not much can be done anymore
Check the OnePlus 15..
@ZVVWVVZcheaply made Chinese phone with subpar cameras, only 4 years of major updates and no resale value.
@ZVVWVVZBecause of battery upgrade 😂 silicon carbon batteries have lower charge cycles than lithium (meaning that huge battery capacity will drain much faster)
Besides they also downgraded the phone camera never have a smartphone company have a better camera last year compared to the next generation
They can bring back all the older standard features like removable battery, expanded memory, sdcard slots, ir scanners. Etc....
However they remove features and make their flagships worse each year.
Samsung is doing what you expect when the market hasn't punished them for standing still. Let's keep it real there not alot going on across the phone market. Camera upgrades are cool but I use my camera mostly for scanning documents.
Good. They should be worried. No good upgrades, no new design, no larger battery. One good update from Apple and they scramble. It's time for them to wake up
Google Pixel Supremacy
Pixel is not a top 5 phone in 2026. Especially if you're talking about cameras.
Pixel is even worse, they lack basic features that samsung has had for years
I can drop WMD's just to get that pixel 10 .... Perfection down to the minute detail
Mid range phones disguised as flagship phones
"yeah just give me an Android phone with all the dumbness of an iPhone with none of the verstility or features of an Android phone"
so basically S25-S model. same phone, spec bump cpu/gpu. raise price $50-$100. is what it is
I'm I missing something? Are there other devices that already have a built in privacy display? That's the one feature that's making me consider an upgrade. I've tried several privacy screen protectors and I always take them off after a few days because they make the fingerprint scanner too inconsistent. And why does everyone want to get rid of the s-pen? Just get another phone and let the people who actually use it regularly enjoy it. That's the main reason I've used Samsung devices exclusively since the Note 4.
That's the only reason i may give up my s24 ultra.
Yes any old phone has low visual angel. That is the p4ivacy display without a fancy name.
Samsung is trying to be apple and calling features fancy names.
@yankeesusa1 your wasting your money. As yourself, how many yimes have someone been looking at your screen whilst you use it?
Everyone uses their own phone. Its not an important feature.
🙄😂😂@SamuelSKBA
@SamuelSKBApeople are always looking at my phone, with the modern display it's easily readable from a distance and wide angles. So I think that's a great feature, but not enough fort the price they want.
Samsung would never do significant upgrades because people keep buying them.
In Samsung's eyes, why should they give us more when people will pay them regardless?
Nope, not buying Samsung this time around the reason Samsung is so stagnant is because people keep buying their shit.
The point is - Samsung base flagships have been the same from past decade and no one cares, coz no one is buying them anymore. It’s a grandma phone now. They never have any significant upgrades, same design from s20 series. But no one complaints, coz no one is noticing that much. They are all about cost cutting and making more and more money! No innovations whatsoever. I remember how excited people used to get with the base flagship models and now you could get the same looking flagship models in their A15 series too. Now imagine your phone looks and feels the same way as something 10 times less expensive. Weird brand .
No one asked for a 'thinner' phone that then needs a horrific camera bump to house the cameras!
No one has asked for ai crap.
People want bigger batteries.
Some people were miffed when they took bluetooth functionality out of the s-pen.
People were moved when they took the sd card out, the headphones jack out.
Why do they remove stuff and do stupid things?
They're losing customers with silly mistakes.
I've upgraded every year since the S9+ then the Ultras.
That hideous camera bump - I WON'T be upgrading
Samsung camera out 18 months ago and apologised for a lack on innovation... But yet we are back with the re names s22u.
I pre-reserved the S26 Ultra and planned to upgrade from my S23 Ultra, but honestly I don’t see the value. Samsung isn’t even in DXOMark’s top 25 (S25 U #27), and there’s little to no real camera upgrade this time. The 5× 12MP telephoto feels redundant. Videography is still behind competitors - photos/videos look fine on the phone, but on a big TV screen the quality drops.
No Qi2 MagSafe, no meaningful battery upgrade. Only Snapdragon Gen 5 Elite and a privacy display. 25W wireless or 60W wired charging doesn’t excite me either - faster charging + SD Gen 5 heating issues will only hurt battery health long term.
I’d rather wait for S27 with SD Gen 6 (2nm) and better heat management (HMB), proper camera upgrades, and a bigger battery jump.
One UI 8.5 is good, but Samsung still packs too much bloat - multiple app stores, multiple assistants (Bixby, Gemini), multiple AI engines (Bixby, Perplexity, Gemini). Too many background services running. The UI doesn’t lag, but the clutter is real.
Also they disabled users from installing OS they want since OneUI 8 the same way they removed S pen...
Shame!!!
Tech enthusiasts don't seem to actually know the reality of this industry. They only think about what they want to see, but at the end of the day, Samsung's approach hasn't hurt their bottom line. Quite the opposite as the S25 Ultra was their strongest selling Ultra to date.
Which only furthers they should do more with their base and replace the plus with a mini ultra, a better edge, or nothing. Put all resources and time into the ultra and the base.
Eh, the Ultra is regularly the only good one, depending on the generation there is sometimes an alternative, like the S25+.
I'll disagree on the sales on S25 Ultra despite the bluetooth S-Pen controversy and no major upgrades.
@LeonLegowhat are the market stats saying?
@mitzforkeeps I actually don't know but if you compared the reviews on S24 Ultra vs. S25 Ultra, the latest model had mixed reviews due to S-Pen controversy and no hardware improvements since S22.
F Stop 1.4 is kinda a big deal.
I hate the liquid glass IOS look from Apple which is exactly why I am looking at moving to Android.
Unless there's significant improvement in power, features, and battery life, I don't know why people upgrade? Paying the same or more for minimal, if any, improvement is asinine.
Max performance phone to phone charging, better wireless charging overall, increased storage and data retrieval speed, better cooling, less AI garbage, a fully functional S-pen, more efficient memory, variable refresh rate from 1-120 (at least), higher brightness with a privacy mode that prohibits viewing at an angle, and faster charging from USB-C along with a max brick in the bloody package. Anything less in the Ultra, and there's zero reason to upgrade from the S23+.
I haven't used any AI crap unless it was baked in to enhance already present functionality. I don't need to have conversations with my phone. I'd rather have better phone sensors than all AI fakery playing with the final product.
Good lord that new design is ugly.
I understand why a design refresh is needed, but I really do not care.
I defintely feel like phones have become less of a fashion accesory these days.
The S21 still performs pretty amazing for everyday use. The only reason I had to upgrade to my S23 is because the SIM tray got moisture in it and stopped working.
It sits beside my bed on a wireless charger capped at 80%. When they day ends, I'll throw the S23 on the charge overnight.
I miss my S9, it was a fantastic phone, aside from the battery life tanking and the charger port not working. I'd probably still be using that, I miss the size of it very much.
and I also heard that they're moving back to aluminum. oof
I have already decided that I am either going to review the Vivo Ultra or Oppo Ultra this year. Samsung, Google, and Apple have gotten so far behind on camera performance.
The base S model looks to have almost the same cameras once again, only a minor battery capacity increase and….. that’s it, that’s all that looks to be changing.
I still own the S23 Ultra and it's fine
Not worthy upgrade for now. Just skip it
Samsung keep doing the same thing because they know they that american consumers will be dumb enough to buy the same crap every year. Beside google pixel , samsung almost have no competition in the american android smartphone markets .
Watching on my S24 Ultra, this looks just as bland as last year's S25 Ultra. The S24 Ultra rules until Samsung comes up with something a lot more compelling design-wise in the future.
Agreed same here
I have an S25 Ultra. I won't be upgrading to the S26 Ultra. There is not enough change to warrant it for me.
I think the new screen tech alone will help sell this phone. In the end, people love their Samsung phones and all the cool stuff it can do. The good news is that those that own an s23,24,25 ultra are still good because they will get all the new updates. I think the s23 still has 2 more years of updates.
There is no glass thing with one ui 8.5
Why does it need it? Why are people wanting to being back Windows Vista look?
Thank god.
S24 Ultra was the last one I wanted to buy, each next generation looks more and more boring until they will reach iphone level.
You missed talking about how samsung has fallen behind in battery compared to Chinese OEMS which is become a detterent for those who want to buy a phone with long term support but with wek battery
Does the battery make texting, phone calls and getting on the internet faster?
@evacody1249No but when you stay in regions where Samsung doesn’t have official battery support or stores its hard getting replacements means you have to shell for a brand new phone
@mwinengabo🙄
@evacody1249 Lets see what Samsung bring with the S26 line
Theyve been shit since s22
Read the article from Android authority on why Samsung doesn't change too much. It does make a lot of sense dealing with production, challenges, risk and safety concerns, profit margin and lack of competition.
Excuses and excuses. Xiaomi, Vivo, and Oppo have no problem innovating every single year and giving better hardware.
@sullystechhub None of those are sold in North America.
@Sonchanceimport them. They work fine on US carriers. What other excuse is there?
@sullystechhubTwo of them, yes. And if something breaks, you're on your own.
@cameron_boschthe only one (some) of them don't work on is Verizon. Every other network works fine.
Put a case on you phone. You're fighting for your life to have an excuse to pay more for a worse phone. For the price you're paying for a Google, an Apple, or a Samsung, you could get a far between Xiaomi, Vivo, or Oppo with double the storage, far better battery life, twice the charging speeds, and camera sensors twice the size of what you get on western devices. If you're hell-bent on coming up with reasons to waste your money, go for it. They appreciate your unending loyalty.
no mag safe . obsolete . ill wait for the pixel
Mag safe is useless if you put your phone in a case, which most people do 🤷♂️
It's a gimmick
Releasing a phone which will automatically end up as the worst battery life among the Top 5 phones is disrespectful.
S20 Ultra (2020) 5,000 mah - iPhone 12 Pro Max (2020) 3687 mAh
S21 Ultra (2021) 5,000 mah - iPhone 13 Pro Max (2021) 4352 mAh
S22 Ultra (2022) 5,000 mah - iPhone 14 Pro Max (2022) 4323 mAh
S23 Ultra (2023) 5,000 mah - iPhone 15 Pro Max (2023) 4441 mAh
S24 Ultra (2024) 5,000 mah - iPhone 16 Pro Max (2024) 4685 mAh
S25 Ultra (2025) 5,000 mah - iPhone 17 Pro Max (2025) 5088 mAh
S26 Ultra (2026) 5,000 mah - iPhone 18 Pro Max (2026) likely 5,245 mah - 5444 mah
Even Apple which has far superior battery efficiency respect their customers enough to increase battery capacity.
Based on the leaks it should have a snapdragon gen 5 for the ultra with magsafe for android (about damn time)
For me it will be a big upgrade cause I've had my s10+ for 4 years now but it's still not impressive cause once i get to experience an ultra I'm moving to xiaomi or redmagic
There's xiaomi phones made 3 years ago with 5000+mah battery with 120w charging yet samsung only wanna give you 60w wired charging which is depressing
I was already tired of apple that's why i switched to samsung and now samsung has basically become apple so it's time to move to real upgrades because samsung has gotten too lazy for me
i really wanted to want it because i am in a year when i wanna upgrade my phone but - nope. will stay with my s24 ultra for at least a year. don't wanna chinese brands, don't wanna iphone so i have a lot of limitations because market is boring, expensive and full of AI BS i don't need or want.
They need to do more with the plus model by making it more like the ultra.and to do that they should make the ultra wide 48 megapixels and put a 5x 48 megapixels telephoto lens instead of the same camera's that are on the base model.
Of course it's going to be boring because it's not an advancement of the S25 Ultra which is as boring as phones get. I heard someone saying that the S25 Ultra was a "generational" device. If so it's definitely Generation 💤😴. The S24 Ultra is better.
Glad I went for the OnePlus 15 😅
This isn't the Samsung I remember. What happened. The other Android phone brands are making some good looking devices.