According to Android Authority, digging into Samsung’s upcoming One UI 8.5 software has revealed official-looking renders of the Galaxy S26 series, which is expected to launch early next year. The images show phones with the internal codenames M1 and M2, which are linked to the base Galaxy S26 and S26 Plus, and M3, tied to the Galaxy S26 Ultra. The renders corroborate earlier leaked imagery from trusted source Steve ‘OnLeaks’ Hemmerstoffer, showing a vertically stacked triple-camera system for the S26/S26 Plus and a more complex five-sensor array for the Ultra. The investigation also found references to “Super Fast Wireless Charging” and “Super Fast Charging 3.0” within the software, hinting at significant charging speed upgrades. This suggests Samsung’s own development tools are the source of the latest and most credible design leak months ahead of the expected 2025 release.
Samsung can’t keep a secret
Here’s the thing: this isn’t just another blurry photo from a factory floor. This is Samsung’s own software spilling the beans. It’s a pretty classic, almost comical, tech industry blunder. You build the vault, but you leave the blueprints taped to the door. It confirms that the designs are locked in at a software integration level, which makes the leaked renders we’ve seen from OnLeaks feel a lot more definitive. Basically, the cat’s not just out of the bag—Samsung handed it the key.
The design deja vu
Now, looking at the described designs, I have to ask: where’s the big change? A vertical camera island for the standard models and a tweaked version of the S24 Ultra’s blocky setup for the S26 Ultra? It sounds like iterative evolution, not a revolution. And that’s fine—Samsung’s design language is established—but it does make you wonder if the real story for the S26 series will be entirely under the hood. The charging tech hints found in the software might be more telling than the camera bump shapes. Faster wired and wireless charging is something users actually feel every day.
Why software leaks matter
But a leak from within the software is a different level of credible. It means these aren’t early prototypes that could be scrapped; these are models being used to test and build the actual user interface. The timing is also interesting. With the launch likely eight or nine months away, this gives competitors a very long look at Samsung’s hand. For a company that invests billions in R&D and marketing, these self-inflicted leaks must be a constant headache. They undermine the big, controlled reveal event. So while it’s fun for us, it’s probably causing some serious meetings in Suwon right now.
