According to the Weibo user known as Digital Chat Station, Samsung is reportedly planning to incorporate a 200MP periscope telephoto lens into an upcoming Ultra flagship model. Given that the Galaxy S25 Ultra is nearing its release, speculation suggests that this advanced camera could feature in the Galaxy S26 Ultra, expected to launch early next year. Currently, the Galaxy S24 Ultra sports a 50MP sensor for its 5x periscope telephoto, a specification anticipated to remain the same in the Galaxy S25 Ultra. The primary anticipated upgrade for the S25 Ultra is a switch from a 12MP to a 50MP ultrawide sensor.
Samsung has been a pioneer in advancing high-resolution sensors in its smartphones, elevating the main sensor resolution in the Galaxy S23 Ultra from 108MP to 200MP, and is now set to apply this high-resolution standard to its periscope telephoto lens.
However, the sensor size mentioned by Digital Chat Station for the 200MP telephoto (1/1.5″) is slightly smaller than the 200MP main sensor (1/1.33″) found in the Galaxy S24 Ultra, indicating it might not be the same sensor. Furthermore, Samsung won’t be the first to feature a 200MP sensor for a periscope telephoto lens; Vivo has already achieved this with the X200 Pro, which sports a slightly larger 1/1.4″ sensor and has demonstrated superior zoom capabilities over the Galaxy S24 Ultra in detailed long-range shots.
The reliance on AI sharpening techniques for enhancing long-range zoom images is common across recent flagship models. It remains to be seen whether the introduction of this new sensor will enable Samsung to surpass its competitors and regain its status as the leader in smartphone zoom technology with the Galaxy S26 Ultra.
