Samsung is ready to abandon the Galaxy S26 Ultra’s “perfect” design.
Rumors about a horizontal camera bar for the Galaxy S27 series have been making the rounds for months. Today, reliable leaker Ice Universe posted a cryptic sketch that might give us our first look at the Galaxy S27 Ultra‘s revamped module.
Don’t quote Ice on the Galaxy S27
The sketch shows a rear panel with an iPhone 17 Pro-esque camera bar. It houses two vertically stacked cameras on the right and an elongated island on the left, likely for a third camera and a flash unit.
Galaxy S27: Horizontal camera bars are in
Horizontally stacked camera bars are the hallmark of Pixel phones. Even Apple joined in last year, though it kept the same stovetop camera placement as before.
Earlier this year, Lee Ji-young, VP of design for Samsung’s Mobile eXperience unit, called the Galaxy S26‘s design “perfect,” insisting that the vertically arranged cameras were a core brand identity.
However, it looks like the company is now ready to abandon that for what’s in vogue. Many reports have hinted that the current design is on its way out, though not everyone agrees.
Recently, SammyGuru spotted a patent filing showing a horizontal module for a future device.
Been there, done that
Besides, the current camera setup prevents Qi2 accessories from aligning properly. Many users also don’t like how devices wobble on tables.
Headed to the S27 Ultra?
If Samsung goes for the design, it might not roll it out across the entire lineup at once. The S27 Ultra could be a likely candidate. After all, that was also Apple’s strategy with the iPhone 17 Pro.
All Samsung phones have a vertical bar, so reserving the horizontal one for the S27 Ultra would make it stand out.
Alternatively, Samsung may play it safe and start with the standard model or maybe even the rumored Galaxy S27 Pro. The successor to the S25 Edge was expected to come with the design Ice has teased, but that device hasn’t been revealed so far.