Samsung is reorganizing its product launch strategy this year. The company announced the Galaxy Tab S10 series without a base model, offering only Plus and Ultra versions. Samsung’s next step in this line would be to ditch the base Galaxy S26 model in 2026.
The Samsung Galaxy S26 series could only offer Plus and Ultra models
Ice Universe, a reliable tipster focused on Galaxy devices, said on X that Samsung is considering ditching the vanilla Galaxy S26. So, just like the Galaxy Tab S10 series, the South Korean giant would only offer Plus and Ultra variants. The main reason behind the change would be the poor competitiveness of the base Galaxy S devices against similar devices from big Chinese companies.
Recently, an OPPO representative confirmed that the upcoming OPPO Find X8 will be smaller than the current Find X7. This will make it a compact device, as it will also be lighter, thinner, and have reduced bezels. Ice Universe uses this product as an example of how Chinese companies are releasing compact phones that leave the base Galaxy S models out of the competition. Products like the Xiaomi 13 and Xiaomi 14 also do a fantastic job in this regard.
The Galaxy S FE devices would be their replacement
“You will realize that Galaxy S25 is no longer worth releasing,” claimed the tipster. Samsung will still release a base Galaxy S25 model, but it could definitively rule it out in the Galaxy S26 series of 2026. Another reason would be the existence of the Galaxy S FE models, which offer many of the key features of the main Galaxy S devices at a lower price. The company would consider the existence of a base Galaxy S and a Galaxy S FE a bit redundant.
Plus, while there are still people who value a compact format, there are even more who prioritize a lower price. The Galaxy S FE models meet that premise while appealing to a market that generally prefers bigger screens.
Samsung has also been offering FE models in the Galaxy Tab series for a while now. It’s possible that the popularity of the more affordable FE model compared to the base Galaxy Tab made it easier for the company to ditch it. The vanilla Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S25’s commercial performance will likely determine the future of these phones.