At a time when Apple’s newest iPhone 17 lineup is smashing the sales charts, news doesn’t seem good on the other side of the ‘walled garden’. Samsung’s flagship Galaxy S26 lineup, which is now looked upon as the formidable answer to the iPhone 17 series, is now rumoured to be delayed from its usual launch schedule. According to intel from the industry, it seems that the South Korean tech giant could be pushing back the launch timeline for its upcoming flagship S-series, breaking its recent tradition of unveilings in January.
Samsung traditionally launches its Galaxy S series in January and sets a benchmark for the year’s other premium smartphones. (excluding Apple). However, it is now said that the Galaxy S26 series might launch later than expected. The phones could possibly be released in February or even by March 2026.
While Samsung has not issued any official statement regarding the delay, insiders claim that the company is adjusting its production and marketing schedule. If these claims are true, then this would be the rare moment in recent years that Samsung’s flagship series release has missed its usual early-Q1 window.
Why Samsung is delaying
The reasons for the delay seem multifaceted and complex, since several factors could be at play. Some industry sources hint that Samsung may be changing the product lineup itself. There are rumuors of a shift in naming strategy, like dropping the rumoured “Pro” tag and renaming the models as – Galaxy S26, Galaxy S26+, and Galaxy S26 Ultra. Just like before.
Another claim suggests hardware refinements or supply-chain constraints. Since Samsung is likely integrating more advanced AI features and cutting-edge chipsets into the new series, the company may be taking additional time to improve the performance and design before going public.
Will the delayed Galaxy S26 affect its rivals?
The delayed launch of the S26 series is expected to impact the dynamics of the 2026 flagship smartphones race. Rival brands such as OnePlus, Xiaomi, and Oppo are expected to release their next-generation devices in the February-March phase. Even Apple is expected to come up with the iPhone 17e in March, following the launch schedule from last year. A high-profile launch from Samsung in that launch period could offset the market dynamics, encouraging heated competition.
With rumours of the Galaxy S26 Edge being dropped from the lineup, Samsung could be focusing more on AI features and possibly some design updates to fall in line with the smartphone trends of 2026. Rumours hint at a collaboration with Perplexity AI as the new default AI assistant instead of Google Gemini.
