Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra Tipped to Get Under-Display Camera (UDC) Similar to Galaxy Z Fold 6

Samsung introduced the Under-Display Camera (UDC) in Galaxy Z Fold 3.

Written by Nithya P Nair, Edited by Siddharth Suvarna | Updated: 4 February 2025 11:43 IST

Highlights

Initial leaks about next year's Galaxy S26 are doing rounds on Web
Prototypes of the phone lack selfie camera cutouts in their displays
Samsung already employs UDC in Galaxy Z Fold smartphones

Samsung showcased the Galaxy S25 Ultra (above) last month

Photo Credit: Samsung

Samsung Galaxy S25 series will go on sale later this week, but initial leaks about next year's Galaxy S26 lineup have already started circulating online. Samsung hasn't introduced any significant upgrades to the front camera setup on its flagship phones in recent years, but the latest leak suggests that the Galaxy S26 Ultra could change this trend. The early prototypes of the Galaxy S26 Ultra are said to be missing the selfie camera cutout in their displays, which could mean that next year's Ultra model could borrow a feature from the Galaxy Z Fold 6.

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Tipster Kro on X suggested that Samsung is testing a UDC (Under Display Camera) for its Galaxy S26 Ultra. The display of the prototype is said to lack a notch or a hole-punch cutout for the selfie camera.

Samsung already employed an under-display camera unit on the inner screen of Galaxy Z Fold smartphones. The feature was introduced with the Galaxy Z Fold 3. By keeping it hidden under the display, the UDC allows users to enjoy videos or games uninterrupted by any cutout. It is primarily used for video calls and facial recognition for unlocking the device.

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Apart from the UDC, Samsung is said to be evaluating a 200-megapixel periscope telephoto camera with a 1/1.5-inch sensor size for the Galaxy S26 Ultra model. The Galaxy S26 series is expected to feature 65W wired fast charging. This would be a considerable improvement over the 45W charging offered by the Galaxy S25 lineup.

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Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is also said to be the brand's first bar-type smartphone to feature the latest Colour Filter on Encapsulation (CoE) technology, which is claimed to reduce power consumption and increase light transmittance. It could run on Qualcomm's flagship Snapdragon hardware. The non-ultra models in the Galaxy S26 series, on the other hand, are rumoured to ship with the company's in-house Exynos chips.