Leak: Samsung Galaxy S26 batteries include a surprising downgrade
Source: Mashable Tech
The mobile world is eagerly awaiting the big upcoming announcement from Samsung about its new line of smartphones. A recent leak, however, brings some disappointing news regarding the battery health of the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S26 series.
Battery Cycle Downgrade
Mobile news outlet Ytechb obtained the EU labels for the still‑unannounced Samsung Galaxy S26 series. According to the ratings on these labels:
- Samsung Galaxy S26
- Samsung Galaxy S26+
- Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
each have 1,200 charge cycles before the battery health drops to 80 %.
For comparison, the predecessor, the Samsung Galaxy S25, was rated for 2,000 charge cycles, allowing the battery to stay closer to full health for a significantly longer period.
Energy Efficiency Improvements
Despite the reduced cycle count, the EU‑standardized battery tests show that the S26 line is more energy‑efficient than the S25 line:
| Device | Battery Life (EU Test) |
|---|---|
| Samsung Galaxy S26 | 51 hours |
| Samsung Galaxy S25 | 37 hours |
| Samsung Galaxy S26+ | 55 hours |
| Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra | 55 hours |
| Samsung Galaxy S25+ | 43.5 hours |
| Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra | ~45 hours |
The S26 models last 14 hours longer than the S25 in the base model, and the plus/ultra variants gain roughly 11–12 hours of runtime.
What to Expect
The downgrade in charge‑cycle durability appears to be offset by a notable increase in runtime per charge. As more details emerge at the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Unpacked event, we’ll learn whether this trade‑off is acceptable to consumers.