Samsung could push Galaxy S26 launch to March for the first time in 5 years

Samsung may be delaying the Galaxy S26 launch to March 2026, reportedly due to a last-minute model reshuffle that brings back the “Plus” variant and drops the planned ultra-slim “Edge” edition.

Samsung Galaxy S26 will most likely be powered by the Exynos 2600 chipset in some regions. (Express Photo)

Samsung is gearing up to unveil the Galaxy S26 series, but now rumour has it that the South Korean tech giant will be delaying the launch. According to a machine-translated report by ETNews, Samsung will be holding an unpacked event for the Galaxy S26 series on February 25 next year, but the official launch in South Korea will most likely take place in the first week of March.

If true, this would mark the first time in five years that Samsung has launched its flagship Galaxy S series in March. The report goes on to say that the main reason for the delay is the “sudden change in product composition.” Samsung was planning to launch a new ultra-slim “Edge” model alongside other devices, but rumour has it the “Plus” model is now making a comeback.

“The somewhat delayed product planning affected the timing of the launch. Since it is still in the pre-mass production stage, the final schedule has not been confirmed”, a Samsung Electronics official reportedly told the publication.

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Rumour also has it that Samsung will be increasing the price of the Galaxy S26 series because of the rising cost of components and a sudden price hike in both memory and storage. Compared to last year, Samsung says the price of mobile processors has increased by 12 per cent, while camera modules are now 8 per cent more expensive.

Talking of specifications, Samsung is most likely to continue the dual chipset strategy with the Galaxy S26 series. In some regions, the Galaxy S26 series is rumoured to pack Samsung’s new Exynos 2600 chipset, while the global variants may be powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5.

Speculations also suggest that the Galaxy S26 Ultra will have a more rounded design than its predecessor. Recently leaked photos of the Galaxy S26 Ultra show that Samsung might be redesigning the camera island as well, with three lenses now placed inside a pill-shaped module.