September 8, 2025, 2:31 pm | Read time: 3 minutes
New render images for the Samsung Galaxy S26 Edge are currently causing a stir—and not in a positive way. The ultra-thin smartphone bears a strong resemblance to the soon-to-be-released iPhone 17 Air.
Galaxy S26 Looks Like iPhone 17 Air
A few days ago, the well-known Samsung leaker PhoneArt (formerly IceUniverse) showed images of dummy units from the Galaxy S26 series. Now, “Android Headlines,” in collaboration with OnLeaks, has released renderings for the S26 Edge.
Everything suggests that the next Edge model might feature a camera bar—or rather, a camera island—similar to the iPhone 17 Air. While the S25 Edge had a subtle camera bump around the two lenses on the back, the area on the S26 Edge extends across the entire width of the device. The new model is expected to be just 5.5 mm thin—but with the camera bump, it measures 10.8 mm. For comparison, the Galaxy S25 Edge was 5.8 mm thick without the camera protrusion.
According to “Android Headlines,” the new Edge is not only set to replace its predecessor but also the current Plus model. Samsung might be following a similar path as Apple, which is also expected to replace its Plus model with the iPhone 17 Air.
“New” Design Also for the S26 Ultra
PhoneArt has shown the S26 Ultra as a dummy unit alongside the Edge. Unlike its predecessor, the device is expected to shrink by 0.3 mm to a thickness of 7.9 mm. However, the necessary camera hardware would no longer fit inside. While the S25 Ultra only had lenses protruding from the body, the S26 Ultra will also require a bump. Apparently, this will only encompass the three main lenses.
In addition to the visual updates, the two Galaxy S26 models are expected to integrate magnets for wireless Qi2 charging directly into the body. MagSafe is already standard in current iPhones, and Qi2 has finally arrived in the Android world with Google’s Pixel 10 series.
Full Steam in the Wrong Direction
I remember Samsung’s early smartphone days when the company had to pay billions in damages to Apple because the first models were too similar to the iPhone. Over the following decade, however, the South Koreans found their identity and created their own design language.
Recently, newer models seem to be more reminiscent of the iPhone again. The shift from angular to soft corners, the flat front and back, and most recently the S25 Edge, whose camera bump looks like the iPhone 16, all at least give this impression.
The fact that the next Edge is now supposed to have a wide camera bar like the iPhone 17 Pro, which is only being released tomorrow, seems strange. I understand that Samsung needs more space for the camera optics. But isn’t the area around the lenses on the back enough for that? Aside from copying Apple—why even have an ultra-thin Edge if soon a third of it is significantly thicker than the rest?