Galaxy S26 Ultra Thinborne case. | Image credit – Thinborne
The Galaxy S26 Ultra is still months from launch, but thanks to an early case listing, we might already have a hint of what Samsung’s 2026 flagship will look like – and what it could bring to the table.
Early case listing hints at design and features
Casemaker Thinborne’s new listing for the S26 Ultra gives us a sneak peek that goes beyond just a protective shell. It shows off parts of the phone’s design and teases some key features, like the camera layout and support for faster wireless charging.From the images, you can see the familiar triple-lens vertical camera setup is back, but now tucked inside a large pill-shaped island. It’s a small, yet noticeable design shift that aligns with previous rumors.
This is how the S26 Ultra might look like with a case from Thinborne. | Image credit – Thinborne
The body may end up a bit slimmer, though those large lenses still need room, so don’t expect a drastically thinner phone. Overall, the raised camera module and camera island design mean it might not feel much smaller than the current model.
Another highlight from the listing is Qi2 and MagSafe-style wireless charging. A perfectly aligned magnetic ring sits at the center, designed to improve charging alignment, speed, and compatibility with accessories.
Galaxy S26 Ultra could fully support Qi2. | Image credit – Thinborne
The Galaxy S25 Ultra is already labeled as “Qi2 ready,” but it doesn’t actually have built-in magnets for full Qi2 support – Samsung kept them out because they interfere with the S Pen.
How the company plans to get around this is still a mystery, though it might tie into the rumored S Pen redesign. Until we see more leaks or Samsung confirms the details, it’s hard to say for sure if Qi2 charging will really be fully supported. If it does land, the Galaxy S26 series would finally match the Google Pixel 10 series, which already has Qi2 support, and the iPhone 17 lineup.
Inside and out: upgrades, but not massive changes
The Galaxy S26 Ultra isn’t looking to reinvent the wheel visually, but it seems Samsung is fine-tuning things here and there. Under the hood, not much is expected to change dramatically either.The phone is rumored to pack a brighter, more energy-efficient display. It should also debut with the new Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor, at least in the US. Battery life should remain steady, sticking with the familiar 5,000mAh cell.
There’s also chatter that Samsung might bring back a variable aperture for the flagship line, which would line up with Apple’s rumored move to include it on the iPhone 18 Pro models.
Casemakers hint launch is near
The fact that casemakers are already listing Galaxy S26 Ultra cases suggests the launch is getting closer. Some rumors hint Samsung could push the release to March, but nothing is set in stone. Considering case makers are preparing now, another January launch still seems very possible. And naturally, as the months go on, expect more leaks and rumors to pop up – keeping us guessing right up until Samsung makes it official.
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