The Samsung Galaxy S26 might not provide the camera enhancements you’re anticipating.

      Samsung's upcoming flagship is likely to retain the same camera hardware as the Galaxy S25.

      Recent reports from South Korea indicate that the base model of the Samsung Galaxy S26 will probably not receive the camera upgrade that was initially anticipated. This decision appears to be influenced by a variety of factors, including increasing costs of semiconductors and memory, disappointing demand for the S25 Edge model, and a broader market landscape that takes into account the pricing of rival devices.

      Reasons behind Samsung's decision

      Due to rising costs in memory and semiconductors, incorporating new camera hardware is becoming more expensive for Samsung. Furthermore, the sales performance of the Galaxy S25 Edge did not meet expectations, leading to the cancellation of the S26 Edge and prompting the company to exercise caution with its spending on upgrades.

      Additionally, Apple's pricing strategy played a role in this decision. By not increasing the price of its base iPhone 17, Apple may have influenced Samsung to postpone a price hike for its own base Galaxy S26 for another year. Retaining the existing camera hardware helps prevent an increase in costs that could necessitate raising the price.

      What this means for Galaxy S26 consumers

      If this report is accurate, improvements in the Galaxy S26’s camera will likely come through software enhancements enabled by the Exynos 2600 chipset, rather than through new hardware.

      The choice to forgo a camera upgrade appears to have been made at the last minute, which will delay mass production of the Galaxy S26. Certain components will need to be redesigned, as they were initially created with the planned camera upgrade in mind. Consequently, only the Galaxy S26 Ultra is expected to begin mass production this month, while the S26 and S26 Plus are likely to start production towards the end of January 2026. This may explain early rumors suggesting that Samsung could delay the Galaxy S26 launch beyond its customary January timeframe.

      Ultimately, it may hinge on whether Samsung can persuade consumers that invisible improvements are still worth the investment.

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      People are spending more time on Gemini compared to ChatGPT

      What’s happening? The competition among AI chatbots has shifted recently. New data reveals that ChatGPT, which previously experienced rapid growth, has reached a plateau, while Google’s Gemini is gaining traction. According to Sensor Tower data, Gemini’s user base increased by 30% between August and November, during which ChatGPT exhibited minimal growth.

      Although ChatGPT maintains a substantial lead with approximately 810 million monthly active users, its growth during the same period was only 6%, indicating a slowdown.

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      You can now try One UI 8.5 on your Galaxy S25

      What’s happening? Samsung has launched the One UI 8.5 beta program for the Galaxy S25 series, allowing users to preview the upcoming significant software update before its official release early next year.

      In a blog post, the company outlined some updates that will be part of this release, including enhancements for the Photo Assist feature, improvements to Quick Share, better device connectivity, and more.

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      Your selfies are about to improve with Google’s new touch-up tools

      Google Photos is testing a comprehensive face editing suite that includes smoothness, teeth, eye, and lip controls. Although Google’s Camera app has previously offered "face retouching" options, the Photos app has generally avoided allowing adjustments to specific facial features. However, this is set to change. Android Authority examined the latest version of the app (7.56) and discovered a fully functional "Touch Up" mode that enables users to refine facial details even after a photo is taken.