I need Samsung to add these to the Galaxy S26 Ultra

Samsung’s new flagship, the Galaxy S26 Ultra, could be arriving very soon, according to rumors, and my 14 years of experience as a CNET reviewer means I know exactly what the company needs to do to make it its best phone ever.

I’ve tested every generation of Samsung’s Ultra line, including taking thousands of photos and playing countless hours of games. Over the years, I’ve learned a thing or two about why these phones rank among competitors from Apple and Google. But I also learned where they can be improved.

All the while, I’ve seen Samsung remain a dominant phone maker, consistently outperforming its major competitors. But that doesn’t mean Samsung can rest on its dominance. I’ve also tested some amazing phones from brands like Xiaomi, Oppo and Huawei, more innovative and forward-thinking than what Samsung has done with its Galaxy S line. And it’s time for Samsung to show us what it’s capable of.

So with the Galaxy S26 Ultra almost upon us, here’s what I want to see from Samsung’s next super phone.

Galaxy S26 Ultra cameras need bigger sensors

Samsung’s Ultra phones have always been among the best when it comes to taking photos. Its Galaxy S phones excelled at nighttime images and were among the first companies to really wow us with telephoto zoom lenses. But camera hardware hasn’t changed much over the past few generations of Ultra phones, and it looks like it’s time to think big.

Xiaomi’s 14 Ultra blew me away with its photography skills, thanks to its 1-inch type image sensor, which is physically larger than the sensors you’ll find in almost any other phone camera. A larger image sensor can capture more light, theoretically allowing for better dynamic range and more detail without relying as much on software image processing.

I love the photos I’ve taken with Xiaomi’s recent phones, and I want to see Samsung create a camera that’s truly geared toward professional photographers like me. Of course, the Galaxy S25 Ultra’s zoom is good and the extra resolution we added to the ultra-wide is nice to see. But install a larger main camera sensor for the S26 Ultra and let me take some gorgeous images that look like they were taken with a mirrorless camera, and yes, you’ll be onto a winner there, Samsung.

This would also help the S26 Ultra stand out from the S25 Edge and Z Fold 7, both of which have the main camera of the current S25 Ultra. And with Xiaomi’s 17 Ultra shaping up to be a total imaging powerhouse, it would be smart of Samsung to really push the boat out here.

The Galaxy S26 Ultra needs more photo filter options

Samsung’s cameras already have a variety of filters that adjust the color tone and exposure of your images. They work quite well and are similar to Apple’s Photographic Styles in that you can customize the appearance of each filter. And change these settings even after taking the photo.

You can also create your own custom presets based on the tones of a different source image, which works fine. What you can’t do is then share that preset for other photographers to use, and I think Samsung is missing a trick here. There’s a small, hidden store where you can download a handful of additional presets, but if Samsung opened up the ability for Galaxy owners to share their custom presets for others to download, it would help create a community of passionate photographers who would want to continue using Samsung’s camera phones.

Fujifilm has had similar success with its cameras, allowing photographers to create “recipes” that other photographers can simply enter into their cameras and immediately begin shooting using the exact same filmic style that caught their eye. As a result, Fujifilm has a huge and passionate fan base that will happily rant about the quality of Fujifilm cameras because of the looks you can get when using them. Samsung has the opportunity to create the same thing for mobile photography.

The Galaxy S26 Ultra needs a smaller size option

The S25 Ultra may be an absolute powerhouse, but it’s also immense. At 6.9 inches, it takes inches the size of a redwood tree to type with one hand, and trying to squeeze it into skinny jeans means suffering an embarrassing bulge in places you don’t want an embarrassing bulge.

And even though I’m 6 feet 2 inches tall, I actually have pretty small hands, so I’ve always preferred smaller phones. I use iPhone 17 Pro, not the 17 Pro Max, because I much prefer the 6.3-inch screen to the Max’s gargantuan 6.9-inch. But unlike Apple, Samsung has always offered its best technology in a single form factor, forcing you to choose between pocket size and performance.

I’d like to see Samsung take a cue from Apple here and put the processor and camera skills that make the Ultra series what it is into a more manageable size. I’d even be happy to see the S Pen make this easier – I never use it anyway.

The Galaxy S26 Ultra needs more colors

While we’re on the subject of design choices, I’d like to see more fun colors in the Ultra line. Samsung briefly flirted with bright orange on the S22 Ultra, but since then its color ranges have been rather more muted. OK, sure, the S25 Ultra comes in different colors than black or silver, but they’re very subtle shades that, if I’m feeling generous, could be described as elegant, and if I’m not feeling generous, then they’re just plain boring.

I love the cosmic orange color of the iPhone 17 Pro. I like that it doesn’t take itself seriously at all, and why should we? Phones are fun accessories and I don’t need a neutral gray to match my suit. I’m old enough to remember the hot pink Motorola Razr V3, and I’ll be honest, I really loved it. My best friend Charlie had one and I was extremely envious. The current Motorola Razr Ultra not only comes in pink, but also uses fabric on the back to make it more comfortable to hold and helps it stand out from the glass and aluminum crowd.

If Samsung takes that vibrant metallic pink and slaps it on the S26 Ultra, then I’ll be forced to throw my credit card at them to get one.

Galaxy S26 Ultra needs bigger battery and faster charging

The Galaxy S25 Ultra packs a 5,000mAh battery with a maximum charging speed of 45 watts. These are the same specs that the S22 Ultra had when it launched four years ago. Battery technology has evolved significantly over the past four years, and we’re now seeing phones using new silicon-carbon technology for more energy-dense cells. And phones with charging speeds of 100 watts.

Some of the fastest phones come from China and many aren’t available in the US, but the OnePlus 15 offers 80 watts of wired charging and its 7,300 mAh battery seriously impressed us in the full review.

The S25 Ultra’s battery was certainly good when we tested it, but with new battery technology being used on competing phones, it’s time for Samsung to refresh its Ultra series a bit here.

Galaxy S26 Ultra price

I’m asking a lot in this article, and I know that if I got everything right, the phone would have to see a significant price increase. Even though the S25 Ultra launched at the same price as its predecessor, I don’t expect that to be the case this time around.

Between economic fluctuations, pricing, and the current RAM shortage, which makes components more expensive, the S26 Ultra is likely going to have a higher price tag – or see some specs reduced to keep costs down.

But I hope Samsung will be able to keep this to a minimum and not use market changes as an opportunity to raise the price to such an extent that having the latest technology is simply out of reach for anyone who doesn’t have the title “oil baron” on their business card.