Will the Galaxy S27 Ultra Feature a New Design? Horizontal Camera Setup Resembling the iPhone Expected

"Horizontal Camera Island Likely at the Top Rear"

There are predictions that the rear design of the Galaxy S27 Ultra, which Samsung Electronics is expected to launch in early next year, will differ from its predecessor. Instead of the conventional vertical camera layout, it is highly likely that the new model will feature a horizontally arranged “camera island” at the top of the rear panel.

According to major IT news outlets such as Nine to Five Google and GSMArena on August 25, 2026, recently leaked renders of the Galaxy S27 Ultra show that the top rear portion is dominated by a camera module.

Rendering of a product presumed to be the Galaxy S27 Ultra. Screenshot from Nine to Five Google

The leaked images reveal that two camera lenses are positioned on the left side of the top rear, with a capsule-shaped space immediately to the right. This area is expected to house an additional camera lens and a flash. Further to the right of this space, the camera island structure fills the remainder of the upper rear portion.

This configuration closely resembles the rear camera layout of Apple’s iPhone 17 Pro, released last year. With the iPhone 17 Pro, Apple expanded the existing camera island to cover the entire upper rear, which increased the available space inside the device for components and allowed for a larger battery capacity.

Some speculate that the number of cameras may decrease by one compared to previous models. The existing Ultra series has featured a main (wide), ultra-wide, 3x telephoto, and 5x telephoto camera setup, but with cost-saving and usability in mind, it appears the 3x telephoto camera may be omitted. However, with about half a year remaining until the launch of the Galaxy S27 series, the actual design and camera configuration could change at any point during development.

The circular structure in the middle of the rear panel is also attracting attention. The industry estimates that this is an array of magnets designed to support wireless charging conforming to the Qi2 standard. Qi2 is a wireless charging standard that uses magnets to allow a charger to attach to the center rear area of the device.

Previously, Samsung did not add magnets for Qi2 wireless charging in its Galaxy S26 series or in foldable models such as the Z Fold 8 and Z Flip 8 released this year. This is because including magnets makes it difficult to reduce the device’s thickness, and the previous vertical camera arrangement could interfere with the magnet area. Magnetic card wallets for devices with built-in Qi2 magnets are already sold on the market, but these accessories may overlap with the camera area. Instead, Samsung has sold wireless chargers and magnetically embedded cases that comply with Qi2 standards separately.

Meanwhile, there are also predictions that the lineup composition of the Galaxy S27 series, scheduled to launch early next year, could change. Whereas the previous lineup was divided into standard, plus, and ultra models, it appears that a "Pro" lineup may be added. The Galaxy S27 Pro is expected to be a flagship model slightly smaller than the Ultra.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.