Galaxy S26 Plus Production Delays Could Affect Launch Timeline

Samsung fans eagerly waiting for the Galaxy S26 launch early next year will be disappointed to hear that the flagship series might be delayed. Traditionally, Samsung launches a new Galaxy S series early in the year, with Unpacked events scheduled for January or February. However, that might not happen in 2026. According to a report from Korean news site The Elec, the Galaxy S26 Plus will head to mass production only in January. This might make it impossible for Samsung to announce the new phones as early as previous generations.

The Galaxy S26 Ultra, expected to account for about half of the Galaxy S26 orders next year, will be mass-produced in January. The Elec notes that Samsung will manufacture the standard Galaxy S26 and the Galaxy S26 Plus a month later. Samsung reportedly planned to manufacture three Galaxy S26 models in December, but at the time the Galaxy S26 Edge was part of next year's lineup. Samsung scrapped the ultra-thin model due to disappointing sales and decided to replace it with the Galaxy S26 Plus. While Samsung completed development for the base Galaxy S26 and the Galaxy S26 Ultra, the Plus will need one to two months to be ready for mass production.

The report also notes that manufacturing logistics dictate how Samsung goes about mass-producing the new phones. For example, the OLED panel for the Galaxy S26 Ultra has been approved, but the screens for the standard and Plus models will get approvals in December. Other components for the three phones will be manufactured in November, while specific parts will head to production in December, only after development of all three phones is completed.

The Elec notes that Samsung halted the development of the Galaxy S26 Edge last week. This aligns with recent rumors from Korea that mentioned significant changes for the upcoming flagship line. Initially, we heard the Galaxy S26 Plus would be added to next year's flagship line, as the Galaxy S25 Edge sales were disappointing. Then, reports said Samsung canceled the Galaxy S26 Edge, with the Plus supposed to take its place. Within days, a report from Greece mentioned the possible Galaxy S26 launch delay, prompting speculation that the Galaxy S26 Plus might explain a later-than-expected release date for the Galaxy S26 series. Finally, a couple of reports from Korea said that the Galaxy S26 Ultra might come in Exynos 2600 and Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 Elite chip versions, providing another reason for the possible delays.

The Elec's report on Friday clarifies that the Galaxy S26 Plus could be responsible for manufacturing delays, which might lead to Samsung postponing the first Unpacked press conference of 2025. The report doesn't mention an event date. The Galaxy S23 (February 1st, 2023), the Galaxy S24 (January 17, 2024), and the Galaxy S25 (January 22, 2025) launched in California in previous years. Each time, the three new Galaxy S models went on sale immediately after the Unpacked event. They started shipping to buyers two weeks later. It's too early to tell whether Samsung will change its playbook for the Galaxy S26 series. The company could still unveil the new phones in January or February but delay the release date. Another option is launching the Galaxy S26 Ultra early and then starting sales for the base and Plus models. This is all speculation, however.