KEY TAKEAWAYS
  • Leak hints at a 6.9 mm thin Galaxy S26 with a refreshed camera island.
  • Magnetic Qi2 wireless charging ring is shown in the sketch, suggesting stronger, aligned charging.
  • Qi2 25W is official worldwide, so faster wireless pads and power banks already exist in the UAE.
  • Conflicting design chatter exists for the S26 Plus thickness; treat early numbers with caution.
  • Launch isn’t February 2025 — current reporting points to late Jan–Feb 2026 for unveiling and sales.

Samsung's Galaxy S26 lineup is shaping up to be a significant leap forward in smartphone design, with fresh leaks suggesting the upcoming flagship will be one of the slimmest premium phones on the market while introducing magnetic wireless charging to the Galaxy ecosystem.

According to reliable industry sources, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus will measure just 6.9mm in thickness, making it notably thinner than its predecessor while packing advanced Qi2 magnetic wireless charging technology. This represents a major design evolution for Samsung's flagship series, which has traditionally prioritized battery capacity over extreme thinness.

Leak at a glance: thinner frame, magnetic charging

The base S26 is rumoured at just 6.9 mm thick with a pill-shaped camera island and a magnetic Qi2 ring on the back.

  • 6.9 mm thickness claimed for the base model
  • Triple camera in a vertical pill housing
  • Magnetic ring suggests native Qi2 support

The drawing posted by a regular Samsung tipster and covered by tech sites indicates Samsung is trimming a few tenths of a millimetre from the S26 while refreshing the camera housing.

The ring around the coil strongly hints at built-in magnets for Qi2, which should improve alignment and stability compared to today’s non-magnetic Galaxy pads. As ever, sketches aren’t specs, but the direction is clear.

Wireless charging upgrade: what Qi2 25W means

Qi2 is the industry standard that borrowed the good bit from MagSafe: magnets that snap your phone into the sweet spot. Qi2 25W is the faster version.

  • Qi2 25W is official from the Wireless Power Consortium
  • Certified chargers and banks at 25W are already rolling out
  • Expect better hold, less heat, and faster top-ups

Qi2 25W raises the ceiling from 15W to 25W for compatible phones and chargers. If the S26 ships with full Qi2 hardware, magnetic accessories should charge faster and more reliably. In the UAE, Qi2 25W pads from big brands are already on sale, so the ecosystem is ready the moment Samsung flips the switch.

Mind the fine print: conflicting S26+ dimensions

Not every leak sings the same song. A separate report pegs the S26 Plus as fractionally thicker than the S25+, which would run counter to the “all models slimmer” narrative.

  • Claimed S26+ size: 158.4 × 75.7 × 7.35 mm
  • That’s a hair thicker than the 7.3 mm S25+
  • Colour leaks and renders remain speculative

This doesn’t kill the slimmer-S26 story, but it’s a reminder to treat early CAD and marketing-style images as provisional. The base S26 and S26+ can follow different design paths, and small deltas often come from case or camera ring changes.

Cameras and design language: subtle, not radical

The camera stack looks familiar but neater, with a unified pill and three lenses.

  • Vertical pill housing replaces the S25’s separated rings
  • Triple-camera layout remains
  • Design language lines up with other recent Samsung hardware

If this layout sticks, don’t expect a dramatic camera count change. The focus seems to be tidying up the rear design and making room for the Qi2 magnet ring without weird bumps or wobbles. It’s evolution, not reinvention, which is typical in Samsung’s off-year refreshes.

So, when is the Galaxy S26 actually launching?

Short version: not 2025. Recent reporting points to a late January 2026 Unpacked event, with sales following in February or March, depending on the market.

  • Late Jan 2026 unveiling has been reported
  • Retail availability likely mid- to late February 2026
  • Some outlets still float a late-February Unpacked date

Timelines vary by source, but they all live in early 2026. Expect pre-orders to open immediately after the event, mirroring S25’s cadence earlier this year. UAE release usually tracks global timing within days, with local telco bundles following soon after.

Also on Tbreak: Best phones of 2025 in the UAE

FAQs

Is the Galaxy S26 really thinner than the S25?

Leaks suggest the base S26 is 6.9 mm, about 0.3 mm slimmer than the S25. The S26+ rumour, however, shows a tiny increase, so thickness may differ by model.

Will the Galaxy S26 support magnetic Qi2 chargers?

The leaked sketch shows a magnetic ring and Qi2 coil, which points to native support for magnetic Qi2 accessories. Final specs aren’t confirmed yet.

How fast will wireless charging be on the S26?

Qi2 25W is now official and shipping in chargers and power banks. If Samsung enables full Qi2 25W, you should see faster, more consistent wireless charging than current Galaxy models. We’ll need confirmed specs to be sure.

When will the Galaxy S26 launch in the UAE?

Expect alignment with the global window: unveiling in late January 2026 and retail in February 2026 if current reporting holds. Local carrier bundles typically arrive at the same time.

Should I buy Qi2 gear now or wait?

If you already own a Qi2 phone, go ahead. For Galaxy users eyeing the S26, buying a Qi2 25W pad now is safe; it will charge existing phones and be ready for the S26 if it supports full Qi2.

Note: This article covers unconfirmed leaks. Details can change at launch.