I don't care about the S26 Ultra, but I really want Samsung to finally make the S26 Plus great

It seems that Samsung has finally settled on its Galaxy S26 lineup. Early rumors that it is dropping the Plus model in favor of a new super-slim Edge phone turned out to be false, or perhaps Samsung made a last-minute pivot after seeing the sales numbers for the Edge.

Yet, despite all that, it is Samsung’s big boy Galaxy S26 Ultra that is getting all the hype. But honestly? I don’t really care about the S26 Ultra.

Every year, the Ultra model disappoints me with its slow pace of innovation and a stubborn decision to keep the S Pen, an accessory I never use. Meanwhile, the Galaxy S26 Plus sits in this weird middle child position, so close to a true flagship, but always missing one or two important upgrades.

This year, that needs to change. I need Samsung to get the Galaxy S26 Plus right this time.

The Anti-Reflective screen should come to the S26 Plus

You probably already know that Samsung is the world leader in display tech, shipping the panels for most of the best flagships out there.

Yet it has kept one particular development to itself, and to one model in particular. I’m talking about the superb anti-reflective coating, only available on the Ultra models (the S24 Ultra was first to get it).

Now that phones have hit sufficient peak brightness, it’s time to talk about visibility and the big role reflections play in that.

While Samsung obviously gets that, yet it refuses to give this feature to the S26 Plus. The unspoken logic here is that this exclusive feature draws people towards the most expensive Ultra model, but it’s not like the S26 Plus is a cheap phone — it’s still a $1,000 flagship. Adding this one improvement could genuinely pull iPhone and Pixel users over to Galaxy phones. It would have me considering it, that’s for sure.

The S26 Plus already comes with a single 3X camera, but Samsung has not upgraded the sensor in years, and it’s a tiny one that produces compromised quality in low light.

We desperately need an upgrade here. Keep the 3X lens, but improve the sensor. Maybe add in the ability for telephoto macro photography. A few little improvements like that would help truly elevate the S26 Plus to that next level. One reliable telephoto camera instead of the Ultra’s redundancy might make more sense after all.

It’s time for a bigger battery

The S26 Ultra sacrifices battery space to house the S Pen, and you can see that in the specs sheet. If Samsung insists on keeping the stylus inside the Ultra, then fine, but give the S26 Plus the monster battery instead.

And no, let’s not pretend that some AI “optimizations” will do.

We just need a bigger, denser battery that will last no matter which particular way you use your phone.

And yes, silicon-carbon technology seems like the answer here.

Qi2 magnetic charging

Qi2 adoption has been so slow that it’s maddening. But now with the Pixel 10 finally adopting the new technology, hope is that Samsung will follow suit and the Galaxy S26 series will have it too.

Having magnets on the back of your phone so that it always aligns perfectly with a wireless charger is not just a gimmick or a fad. It’s a convenience that has become the new standard. 

The magnets make wireless charging practical not just on a desk, but when you are on the move too, and in your car.

This will also help with the depressingly slow wireless charging speeds on Samsung phones currently. Samsung fluctuates between 15 watt and 10 watt wireless charging, while most others have now adopted at least 25W charging speeds. With the tight magnetic alignment, it would be easier for Samsung to hit those speeds.

A better selfie camera

Okay, let’s please stop pretending that it’s somehow wrong or shameful to use your front camera to take pictures.

Yet, Samsung has stubbornly stuck with a selfie camera that is way too narrow to comfortable fit a larger frame or group of people. And the iPhone 17 only showed how more innovation is possible in that area, with things like a square sensor that allows you to rotate your selfies without rotating your phone. Samsung needs to catch up.

And yes, give me a dedicated camera button

I know how this might be a controversial one, but I find it absurd that most people use the camera multiple times per day without a dedicated button. Yet something as niche as a stylus has a dedicated space in the S25 Ultra.

I think that every phone that claims to be a “camera phone” should have a camera button. After using iPhones in the past couple of years, reaching for the camera button has become second nature for me to capture those impromptu moments. I miss not having that on most Android phones.

Listen, I’m not saying we need Apple’s camera button, but we do need a button. Not a touch-sensitive one — that seems to do more wrong than good, but a button that you can program your own way is a good thing.And for the camera heads, it’s just a faster way to take pictures, making the process feel a bit more intentional rather than just tapping the screen.