Samsung’s greatest problem in 2026 is sustaining the robust momentum of progress it had in 2025.
We noticed up to now 12 months that if Samsung stayed targeted on what it does greatest, saved its head down whereas nonetheless being attentive to competitors, it might do wonders. It actually made the most important comeback final 12 months, however now it’s time to point out the world the way it actually is one of the best Android producer.
Concentrate on {hardware}, and focus the {hardware}
Whereas the corporate had a number of the greatest launches in 2025, I nonetheless suppose it struggled with being organized.
Launching the S25 Edge was purely to compete with Apple, however nobody desires a skinny cellphone that compromises efficiency. Studies surfaced that resulting from poor gross sales, the corporate started lowering manufacturing and began closely discounting the cellphone.
And now experiences point out that the corporate has scrapped plans for the S26 Edge, and a senior Samsung govt reportedly informed a South Korean publication that the corporate wasn’t “certain if the slim line will ever return, however as of now, it appears unlikely. It’s virtually gone.”
I feel in 2026, Samsung must give attention to maintaining a decent lineup of telephones it is aware of will ship the identical success it noticed in 2025. Launching its flagship S26 lineup, adopted by the corporate’s subsequent era of foldables (Galaxy Z Flip 8 and Z Fold 8), and its extra inexpensive A-series, needs to be the usual.
However even with this customary lineup of telephones, we’re seeing experiences that Samsung may solely stick to the Galaxy S26 base, Plus, and Extremely fashions, dropping the sting variant and eradicating the “Professional” label for the bottom to maintain the lineup conventional.
This transfer appears to make sense as a result of if it have been to launch the bottom mannequin with a “Professional” suffix, it must carry Professional-level options to the cellphone. Nonetheless, it nonetheless looks like the corporate is complicated clients.
I feel again to different random fashions launched final 12 months, just like the Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE. Why? What was the purpose of launching this variant? Senior Editor, Andrew Myrick, writes in his hands-on, “there’s actually not all that a lot to cowl right here.”
“The Flip 7 FE is mainly the Galaxy Z Flip 6 with a cheaper price and a distinct processor,” he writes.
Android Central’s contributor Nirave Gondhia writes in his overview that whereas the cellphone is stable, it was designed for price-conscious customers and presents a pared-down model of the Flip 6. However the Flip 6 continues to be accessible at a reduced value in any respect the identical retailers the place the Flip 7 FE is on the market.
I get it, typically cellphone launches occur to check the viewers’s waters. However a few of these launches appear so irrelevant and a waste of time.
Strengthen relationship with Google
If Samsung sticks to its common lineup of telephones and focuses on growing high-quality {hardware}, 2026 can be an unimaginable 12 months for it.
The place Samsung succeeded final 12 months was letting Google deal with the software program, whereas it targeted on {hardware}. This enabled the corporate to ship top-of-the-line AI implementations in its flagship, the Galaxy S25 sequence.
Google and Samsung are like peanut butter and jelly, and Samsung all the time must do not forget that sustaining that robust relationship with Google will assist it retain its rank because the primary Android producer.
2026: Persuade me on the TriFold and Galaxy XR
Samsung’s greatest problem in 2026 goes to be convincing me and the general public that we’d like the Galaxy Z TriFold and the Galaxy XR headset. As a result of proper now, the trifold is a gimmick gadget, and the XR has no use case eventualities.
I would like Samsung to inform me why a trifold is the way forward for smartphones, once I’m nonetheless not satisfied about foldable units to start with. Senior Editor, Harish Jonnalagadda, writes that the TriFold is “a daring new imaginative and prescient for Samsung, and it’s evident the model is testing the waters with this gadget.”
However with a price ticket doubtless properly over $2,000, I need to know what the way forward for this manner issue appears like.
I additionally need to understand how Samsung plans to persuade customers to purchase its Galaxy XR headset, as a result of I nonetheless don’t see what the actual use case is for this gadget.
Listed here are my questions for you, Samsung: What are you going to do to enhance the person expertise of the XR gadget? Are we going so as to add extra apps? What are all of the issues folks will be capable to do with the gadget?
There are nonetheless many unknowns about this gadget, and I encourage Samsung to make it extra accessible and customary.
Nonetheless, general, I feel 2026 goes to be a implausible 12 months for Samsung, as long as it sticks to its objectives, focuses on {hardware}, and pushes the narrative on new units.
