Samsung's vanilla Galaxy S-series models never seem to grab any headlines, with the flagship Ultra variant stealing all the limelight. This is due in no small part to the base-model phone rarely boasting noteworthy new hardware.
Read more: Samsung Galaxy S25 full review
For instance, the Galaxy S25's primary camera sensor - Samsung's 50MP, 1/1.57" ISOCELL GN3 - has been previously used in the base S24 and S23, and even the ISOCELL GN5 sensor in the vanilla S22, though technically different, still shared the same resolution and sensor size. Clearly it's about time Samsung's standard S-series phone got a camera upgrade, and if a rumor publicized by the Dutch website Galaxy Club is to be believed, that may be on the cards. The source claims that the primary (wide-angle) image sensor in the base S26 appears to be different to that used in the current S25.
However, there's a catch: while the sensor might be different, according to the source its resolution is still apparently 50MP. But that doesn't necessarily mean image quality wouldn't be noticeably improved. If the new sensor is physically larger than the current GN3, its individual pixels would also be bigger, potentially leading to reduced noise and wider dynamic range. This latest rumor doesn't reveal any additional detail about what form this 'new' sensor could take, and since we're around 8 months off a likely launch of the S26, any rumors should be taken with a hefty helping of salt.
