NEWS
Galaxy S26 Ultra could bring back variable aperture on main camera
Samsung is planning to launch the Galaxy S26 series in early 2026, and the company will unveil these new Galaxy S26 series devices and the Galaxy S26 Ultra with variable aperture camera technology.
According to information from tipster Ice Universe, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra supports a variable aperture camera. For the first time, Samsung introduced a dual aperture with the Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+. Those smartphones could switch between F1.5 and F2.4, depending on the scene.
The F1.5 aperture allows the Galaxy to let more light into the camera sensor, which reduces noise but results in a smaller field of view. Also, the F2.4 aperture would be ideal in daylight conditions where there is no shortage of light or when you need a wider area of focus.
However, Samsung removed the dual-aperture feature with the Galaxy S20 series. Now, the report states that it appears Samsung is planning to bring a variable aperture camera to the Galaxy S26 series. However, Huawei and Xiaomi are already offering this feature on flagship phones.
Previously, Weibo leaker DigitalChatStation revealed that Samsung is evaluating a 200MP periscope telephoto camera with a 1/1.5″ sensor size, which could potentially debut on the Galaxy S26 Ultra.
For your information, let us tell you that the inputs suggest that things are still in the early stages. The idea of a massive jump is a welcome step, but things should not change as we move towards the launch period.
In February 2025, Qualcomm announced that with Android smartphones running on the Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, the company now offers device manufacturers the ability to provide support for Android software and security updates for up to eight consecutive years. Now, Samsung has confirmed eight Android OS updates for its flagship devices.
In this article, we have compiled a list of Galaxy devices that are eligible for the 8 major Android OS updates.
Samsung has officially confirmed that the Enterprise Edition of the Galaxy S25, Galaxy S25+, and Galaxy S25 Ultra will get eight major Android OS updates. Samsung’s website has specifically mentioned that these variants will get updates up to Android 23 and security patches will be guaranteed until January 2032.
The Galaxy S25 series will support eight generations of OS upgrades and eight years of security updates. Out of the box, you get Android 15 with One UI 7.0 on top, so by the end of the support period, the Enterprise Edition of the Galaxy S25, Galaxy S25+, and Galaxy S25 Ultra will be running Android 23. As for security updates, expect these phones to get one monthly for at least the first four to five years.
On the other hand, when the Galaxy S25 series was announced in February this year, the Korean tech giant promised to release 7 major Android OS updates as well as seven years of security patches.
Samsung is rumoured to be launching a surprise product at its next Unpacked Galaxy event. The Korean tech giant could bring a new One UI in the second half of 2025. A rumour suggests that Samsung may launch Android 16-based One UI 8 alongside the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Flip 7 in August.
On the other hand, Samsung fans are not happy with the way the company is rolling out the One UI 7 update. The official rollout of One UI 7 for the Galaxy S24 series will take place next week.
Google is planning to release the stable Android 16 for Pixel devices in June or July this year. Also, some reports claim that Samsung One UI 8 will not be delayed like One UI 7. On the other hand, the company is yet to start the stable One UI 7 rollout, and the company has only confirmed that the distribution is set to begin on April 07, 2025.
SamMobile, citing a source, revealed that Samsung may launch the Galaxy Z Flip 7 and Galaxy Z Fold 7 foldable flagships in the second half of the year with One UI 8 based on Android 16 preloaded.
It is worth noting that Samsung will launch the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7 in the second half of this year as early as July, if not delayed until August, which is a traditional timeline for new flagship releases.
So, the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7 are the first two devices to run on One UI 8, which will launch in August. Plus, One UI 8 will be based on Android 16.
Samsung kicked off the Android 15-based One UI 7 Beta program about a month ago, and the latest device to get a taste of it is the Galaxy A55.
Interested people can enroll in the One UI 7 beta program from the Samsung Members app on their Samsung Galaxy A55. Once the application is accepted, the One UI 7 beta update can be installed by going to the phone’s Settings > Software update menu.
Samsung Galaxy A55 is the latest phone to get One UI 7 beta
Since this is a beta version, it is better not to use it on the primary device, as beta software often contains bugs that can hamper the user experience. It is worth noting that the One UI beta update for the Galaxy A55 is currently available in South Korea, but other markets should also get it soon.
Note: One UI beta based on Android 15 is already available for the Galaxy S24 series, S23 series, Z Fold 6, Z Flip 6, Tab S10 series, and Galaxy A55 in some markets.
It is worth noting that Galaxy A56 comes with One UI 7 preinstalled, while Galaxy A54 owners will have to wait a little longer for the latest update. Conversely, the Korean tech giant is expected to roll out One UI 7 to many Galaxy A devices in May 2025.
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