A new leak from leaker Ice Universe has disappointed the tech community, especially those who were waiting for a powerful hardware upgrade on the Galaxy S26 series. According to this source, Samsung is unlikely to invest significantly in camera hardware improvements for its next flagship line. Instead, the company is shifting its focus to AI features and a slim design.

Ice Universe said that the Galaxy S26 will continue to use the same camera system as the Galaxy S25. Even the Ultra version, which is expected to bring a breakthrough in imaging technology, may still use the 200MP ISOCELL HP2 sensor that has been around for years. More importantly, this sensor may continue to be used until the Galaxy S27 Ultra.

The source also revealed that the ISOCELL HP9 sensor, which was expected to equip the telephoto camera of the Galaxy S26 Ultra, will never be used. This shows that Samsung seems to be less interested in racing to upgrade cameras in the near future.

The reason is said to stem from both technical factors and internal strategies. According to Ice Universe, Samsung's mobile division is under pressure from other business segments of the group. Being "forced" to use components produced by the parent company, such as Exynos chips, ISOCELL sensors, memory and screens at high costs, is reducing the competitiveness of the smartphone segment.

Instead of continuing to invest heavily in camera hardware, Samsung is choosing to cut upgrades to control costs and maintain profits. AI features, especially software image processing, will become the main highlight to help products attract users.

Ice Universe frankly stated: "Samsung is giving up on cameras on phones". While this claim is a bit extreme, if the leaks are accurate, users expecting a big camera upgrade on the Galaxy S26 or S27 may be disappointed.

However, there are still rumors that the standard Galaxy S26 will use a new 50MP main sensor, switching from ISOCELL to a Sony sensor. While the resolution will not change, this could be a move to improve image quality. It is unclear whether these reports contradict Ice Universe's information, or whether the leaker is simply highlighting the lack of innovation on the Ultra version. More details are expected to appear in the coming time.