A couple of days ago, we published an editorial expressing our feelings about Samsung’s Galaxy S flagship lineup and reasoning that the base model might no longer make as much sense as it once did. Today, a new rumor is making the rounds, claiming that Samsung could, in fact, ditch the base Galaxy S26 in 2026.
Samsung’s flagship smartphone lineup will likely remain intact next year. But 2025 might be a make-or-break year for the base model, with new rumors saying a lot could change in 2026. In other words, there might not be a base Galaxy S26 the year after the next.
Presumably, the Galaxy S26 flagship series may consist only of the Plus and Ultra variants — assuming Samsung will retain its naming scheme.
Samsung already axed the base Galaxy Tab S10 to focus more on the Galaxy Tab S10+ and Tab S10 Ultra. We’ve seen it happen, so it isn’t hard to imagine that the Galaxy S phone series could be next in line for some restructuring.
Why would Samsung abandon the base flagship model?
We can’t be too sure of Samsung’s decision-making process at this point, and this leaves room for plenty of theories as to why the company might want to ditch the base model. Remember that nothing is set in stone yet — not even the idea that the base model will be shelved in 2026 — but here are some thoughts on why this could become a reality.
One reason Samsung might pull the plug on the standard Galaxy S26 could be that the base and the Plus Galaxy S variants are too similar. Aside from the differences in size, battery capacity, charging speed, and storage options, the entry-level and Plus models have very little to set them apart.
There’s also the fact that smaller phones, in general, don’t seem to have a lot of staying power, historically speaking. Granted, some Android phone enthusiasts will probably always lament the slow fall of compact phones. Customers who value the small form factor more than the lower price associated with smaller phones exist.
Nevertheless, the market proved time and time again that the majority of people gravitate toward larger screens when price barriers are lifted. In recent years, plenty of small phones came and went without making much of an impact. They seem unsustainable, and it is possible that the only reason why the Galaxy S base model outsold the Plus is that the price was lower, not that the phone was smaller.
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However, with the Galaxy FE lineup and devices such as the Galaxy S24 FE filling the lower price gap nicely and delivering a bigger screen than the standard Galaxy S model for a lesser cost, Samsung might conclude that the base variant is becoming redundant.
Once again, nothing appears to be set in stone yet, and we wouldn’t be surprised if rumors and conflicting rumors about the structure of the Galaxy S26 series continue to emerge over the coming year. We’ll have to wait and see what the future holds, and as usual, we’ll keep you up to speed.