The Samsung Galaxy S27 Ultra may finally address significant issues with its camera and battery performance.

      The Galaxy S27 Ultra might utilize camera fusion technology for capturing 3x zoom photos without the need for a dedicated 3x lens.

      Though the Galaxy S27 series is anticipated to launch in early 2027, rumors regarding Samsung’s upcoming flagship phones are already surfacing. A significant change may occur with the Galaxy S27 Ultra, as reports indicate that Samsung is likely to replace its long-standing 3x telephoto camera with a single 5x periscope zoom lens.

      According to a recent report by yeux1122 on Naver, the 5x periscope camera from Samsung offers enhanced image quality and better stability for 3x zoom shots. If true, this could potentially resolve one of the most frequent criticisms directed at recent Galaxy Ultra models. However, this leads to the question of whether Samsung intends to use fusion technology to achieve 3x zoom using the 5x periscope.

      The report does not clarify how a fixed 5x periscope camera can take 3x zoom photos, as a lens with a fixed focal length cannot shift to a shorter optical zoom level. Contemporary smartphones are increasingly using data from multiple cameras and cropping high-resolution sensors to create intermediate zoom levels.

      If Samsung indeed removes the 3x telephoto camera, it might combine data from the 200MP main camera and the 5x periscope camera to generate 3x zoom images. Alternatively, there may be a translation error in the report, or Samsung's new periscope camera might have a shorter focal length compared to traditional 5x setups. At this point, there isn't sufficient information to ascertain how the company intends to manage zoom photography on the Galaxy S27 Ultra.

      There are compelling reasons for Samsung to eliminate the 3x camera, despite the ambiguity surrounding this transition. The primary concern is the size of the sensor. Even in the Galaxy S26 Ultra, Samsung’s 3x telephoto camera features a relatively small sensor compared to some competing flagship devices.

      A larger sensor can capture more light, resulting in better sharpness, reduced noise, improved colors, and enhanced low-light performance. These benefits are crucial for telephoto cameras, which already contend with spatial restrictions within smartphones.

      Samsung's 3x camera struggles in scenarios such as indoor photography, portraits, food shots, pet photos, and low-light environments. Ironically, these situations are among the most common for utilizing 3x zoom.

      Eliminating the dedicated 3x telephoto camera might also create additional internal space for a larger battery. The report suggests that Samsung could finally exceed the 5,000mAh battery capacity that has remained consistent in Galaxy Ultra models for several generations. While fans have been urging the brand to adopt the silicon-carbon technology seen in recent Chinese Android flagships, even a larger lithium-ion battery would be a welcome change.