A camera bump so large it defeats the purpose of making the phone thin
In the ongoing conversation between the world's two great smartphone makers, Samsung appears to be borrowing a page — and a camera island — from Apple's design language, raising quiet questions about originality, identity, and the paradox of building a thinner phone that grows bulkier where it matters most. The Galaxy S26 Edge, expected in early 2026, arrives as a kind of mirror held up to the industry: a device that chases slimness as a virtue while its most prominent feature pushes back against that very ideal. It is a familiar tension in modern design — the pursuit of one quality quietly undermining another.
- Samsung's thinnest flagship yet carries a camera bump so large it nearly erases the thinness advantage it was built to celebrate.
- The three-tiered camera island stretches nearly edge-to-edge, drawing unmistakable comparisons to Apple's iPhone 17 Pro and sparking debate about Samsung's design independence.
- Despite measuring just 5.5mm at its slimmest point, the S26 Edge swells to 10.8mm with the camera — thicker than its predecessor when measured the same way.
- Samsung is quietly restructuring its entire 2026 lineup, dropping the Plus model and renaming the base phone the Galaxy S26 Pro, signaling a portfolio consolidation still awaiting official confirmation.
- A genuine bright spot emerges: built-in magnets enabling native Qi2 wireless charging at 25 watts, no special case required — a convenience feature that gives the slim design at least partial justification.
Samsung's Galaxy S26 Edge is arriving with a camera design so bold it may undercut the very premise of the Edge line. New CAD renderings show a three-tiered camera island stretching nearly across the full width of the phone's back — a look borrowed unmistakably from Apple's upcoming iPhone 17 Pro, and a striking departure from the restrained aesthetic Samsung's thin-phone series has long favored.
The numbers tell a story of careful compromise. The S26 Edge shaves its thinnest point down to 5.5mm, a marginal improvement over the S25 Edge's 5.8mm. But once the camera system is factored in, the phone reaches 10.8mm — noticeably thicker than the 10mm of its predecessor. Samsung is playing a familiar hand: leading with an impressive spec while the real-world device tells a different story.
The camera bump is the defining design statement here. Aggressive, horizontal, and prominently tiered, it signals that Samsung is willing to trade visual coherence for a more imposing presence. Whether buyers will embrace that trade-off remains an open question.
One meaningful addition softens the critique: the S26 Edge will support Qi2 wireless charging at 25 watts through built-in magnets, meaning no special case is needed. It's a genuine convenience that lends the thinness claim at least some practical grounding.
Meanwhile, the broader S26 lineup is being reshaped. Samsung appears set to drop the Plus model entirely, launching instead a renamed Galaxy S26 Pro, the S26 Edge, and the S26 Ultra. Final branding remains unconfirmed, but the direction is clear — a leaner portfolio arriving in early 2026, led by a phone that asks whether boldness and minimalism can truly coexist.
Samsung's next flagship phone is getting a camera bump so large it might defeat the entire purpose of making the phone thin in the first place. New design renderings of the Galaxy S26 Edge, due early next year, show a camera island that stretches nearly from edge to edge across the back, arranged in three distinct tiers. The look is unmistakably borrowed from Apple's upcoming iPhone 17 Pro—a design choice that seems to prioritize visual boldness over the sleek minimalism the Edge line has traditionally promised.
The specs tell an interesting story of compromise. The S26 Edge will measure 5.5 millimeters at its thinnest point, making it marginally slimmer than its predecessor, the S25 Edge, which came in at 5.8 millimeters. But add the camera system, and the new phone balloons to 10.8 millimeters thick, compared to 10 millimeters on the older model. Samsung appears to be playing a familiar game: boasting an impressively thin phone on paper while the actual device you hold in your hand feels considerably bulkier. The overall dimensions are 158.4 by 75.7 millimeters, barely different from the S25 Edge's 158.2 by 75.6 millimeters.
The camera bump itself is the story here. Rather than the subtle, integrated approach Samsung has favored, the S26 Edge's three-tiered island is aggressive and prominent, extending horizontally across much of the phone's width. It's a dramatic departure from the S25 Edge and signals that Samsung is willing to sacrifice the visual coherence of its thin-phone narrative for a more imposing, statement-making design. Whether that trade-off will appeal to buyers remains to be seen.
Beyond the camera redesign, the S26 Edge is expected to support Qi2 wireless charging with 25-watt power, thanks to integrated magnets built into the device itself. This means users won't need special cases to take advantage of the faster charging standard—a genuine convenience feature that makes the thinness claim slightly more defensible, even if the camera bump undermines it.
The broader Galaxy S26 lineup is also shifting. Samsung appears ready to retire the Plus model entirely, instead launching three phones: a base model that will be renamed the Galaxy S26 Pro, the S26 Edge, and the S26 Ultra. This consolidation suggests Samsung is streamlining its portfolio, though the final branding has not been officially confirmed and may change before launch. The leaks come from multiple sources, including CAD renderings shared by Android Headlines and comparative images from leaker Sonny Dickson, giving a fairly clear picture of what Samsung has in store. Whether the dramatic camera design will become a signature look for the S26 generation, or whether it signals a broader shift in how Samsung approaches flagship aesthetics, won't be clear until the phones arrive in early 2026.
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Why would Samsung make the phone thinner at the base but then add a camera bump that makes it thicker overall? That seems backwards.
It's a marketing trick, really. They get to say "the world's thinnest phone" in their press release, pointing to that 5.5-millimeter measurement. But the bump is what you actually feel in your hand. It's the specs versus the reality.
And they're copying Apple's iPhone 17 Pro design for the camera? That seems risky—why not do something distinctly Samsung?
It's less about copying and more about following what works. Apple's design is bold and recognizable. Samsung might be thinking that if people are already familiar with that look from iPhone leaks, it becomes the expected aesthetic. But it does feel like Samsung is chasing rather than leading.
The Qi2 magnets are built in now. Does that actually make the thinness worthwhile?
It helps the argument, but only if you care about wireless charging speed. Most people still plug in their phones. The magnets are nice, but they don't solve the fundamental problem: a huge camera bump makes a thin phone feel thick.
What about dropping the Plus model? Is Samsung giving up on that market?
Not necessarily. They might be consolidating because the Plus never had a clear identity—it was always the middle child. By renaming the base model to Pro and focusing on Edge and Ultra, they're creating clearer tiers. It's simpler for consumers and probably simpler for Samsung to manufacture.
When will we actually know if this design works?
Not until early next year when these phones launch. Right now it's all renderings and leaks. The real test is whether people find that camera bump as striking in person as it looks in the CAD renders, or whether it just feels awkward to hold.