Samsung Galaxy S26 Series Hits Kenyan Retailers Before Official Launch
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| Note: The devices shown here are last year's Samsung Galaxy S25 lineup (Ultra, Plus, and standard). Keep reading to see how the early-release S26 models compare! |
As Samsung gears up to launch its next-generation S series flagship smartphones, the S26 series, on February 25, I am surprised to see the full S26 series lineup being sold by a local retailer,phoneplacekenya.
I understand that this happens a lot in some countries where the next generation of the Samsung S series hits the market before the official launch, but never have I ever seen it happen in Kenya.
Samsung is set to launch three models of the Samsung S26 series this year: the base model, S26+, and S26 Ultra.
From the leaks, we know that there will not be a pro and an edge model this year, and according to GSM Arena, the S26 Edge was supposed to replace the S26,+ but due to low sales of the Edge, Samsung had to do away with it and fit in the S26+ instead in a last-minute rush.
Hardware and Specs Breakdown
Display
The retailer has not listed the specs; they just posted photos of all three models. However, based on credible online leakers, the base Samsung S26 will have a 6.3-inch Super Dynamic AMOLED display, the S26+ a 6.7-inch Super AMOLED display, and the S26 Ultra a 6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED display as well.
All three models will feature an LTPO display, 120Hz refresh rate, and Corning Gorilla Glass Amor 2, but only the ultra will have the DX antireflective coating.
Processor
The S26 Ultra is expected to ship with the new Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 (3nm) processors.
A regional split is expected, according to GSM Arena's report. Certain regions will receive the Exynos 2600 for the S26 and S26+, notable for being the first to employ a 2nm architecture, and the performance of this chip against the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 is something I'm very interested in seeing.
The S26 Ultra will get the 8 elite Gen 5 exclusively across all regions.
Battery
On the battery side of things, the Samsung S26 Ultra will be sticking to the same old 5000mAh battery with 60W charging, the base 26 will have a 4300mAh battery with 25W wired and reverse wireless charging, and 4.5W reverse wireless charging. The Plus model will have a 4,900mAh battery with 45W wired charging and 20W wireless charging.
Camera
On the camera side of things, the S26 Ultra will have a 200MP main camera with OIS, a 10MP telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom, 5a 0MP periscope telephoto, and a 50MP ultrawide lens.
The Base S26 will have a 50MP main camera, the same as the S25, 10MP telephoto, and a 10MP ultrawide lens.
The S26+ will get a 50MP main lens, 10MP telephoto,o and a 12MP ultrawide.
Both the S26+ and the Ultra will be able to record videos up to 8k resolution; the S26 will only do 4k resolution.
| Feature | Galaxy S25 | Galaxy S26 | Galaxy S25+ | Galaxy S26+ | Galaxy S25 Ultra | Galaxy S26 Ultra |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Design & Display | ||||||
| Screen Size | 6.2" | 6.3" | 6.7" | 6.7" | 6.9" | 6.9" |
| Display Tech | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz | QHD+ Dynamic AMOLED, 120Hz | Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz | QHD+ Dynamic AMOLED, 120Hz, Privacy Display |
| Peak Brightness | 2,600 nits | 2,600 nits | 2,600 nits | 2,600 nits | 2,600 nits | 2,600 nits |
| Performance | ||||||
| Processor | Snapdragon 8 Elite | Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 / Exynos 2600 | Snapdragon 8 Elite | Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 / Exynos 2600 | Snapdragon 8 Elite | Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 |
| RAM | 12GB | 12GB | 12GB | 12GB | 12GB / 16GB | 12GB / 16GB |
| Storage Options | 128GB, 256GB, 512GB | 256GB, 512GB | 256GB, 512GB | 256GB, 512GB | 256GB, 512GB, 1TB | 256GB, 512GB, 1TB |
| Cameras | ||||||
| Main Camera | 50MP | 50MP (New Sensor) | 50MP | 50MP (New Sensor) | 200MP | 200MP (Wider f/1.4 aperture) |
| Ultrawide | 12MP | 12MP | 12MP | 12MP | 50MP | 50MP |
| Telephoto | 10MP (3x Optical) | 10MP (3x Optical) | 10MP (3x Optical) | 10MP (3x Optical) | 10MP (3x) + 50MP (5x Periscope) | 10MP (3x) + 50MP (5x Periscope) |
| Front Camera | 12MP | 12MP | 12MP | 12MP | 12MP | 12MP |
| Battery & Charging | ||||||
| Battery Capacity | 4,000 mAh | 4,300 mAh | 4,900 mAh | 4,900 mAh | 5,000 mAh | 5,000 mAh |
| Wired Charging | 25W | 25W | 45W | 45W | 45W | 60W |
| Wireless Charging | 15W | 15W (Qi2 Support) | 15W | 15W (Qi2 Support) | 15W | 25W (Qi2 Support) |
Pricing and Local Availability
As listed by phoneplacekenya, the Samsung GalaxyS26 base model 256 GB will go for KES 115,000, the S26+ 256GB will go for KES 139,000, and the S26 Ultra 256GB will retail for KES 162,500, and the 512GB retails for KES 185,000.
The "Early Listing" Phenomenon
From my experience and observation, retailers like Phoneplace often list phones like the S26 early because distributors receive stock from Samsung weeks before the official launch.
This gives retailers time to prepare pre-orders, upload listings, and plan marketing so they’re ready to sell immediately once the embargo lifts.
Sometimes they have demo units or confirmed incoming stock, not necessarily ready for immediate sale. It’s actually a sign the retailer has strong distributor connections and is preparing for local demand early.
Final Verdict
So, should you go and just buy either of the S26 series…I actually recommend you wait for the official launch by Samsung on the 25th of February, so you get to see the full confirmed specs, and also watch and read a few reviews and see if it’s worth buying the S26 series or if you would be better off with the S25 series.
