Samsung’s Design Focus: From Z Fold 5 Refinements to S26 Ultra Rumors

Samsung continues to position its flagship devices as leaders in premium design, balancing established aesthetics with future-forward technology. While the 2023 Galaxy Z Fold 5 solidified the company’s foldable strategy, intensive speculation is already building around the conventional flagship expected in 2026, the Galaxy S26 Ultra.

Established Design: The Galaxy Z Fold 5 Palette

When Samsung launched the Galaxy Z Fold 5 in the summer of 2023, the device was noted for a crucial design refinement. The introduction of an improved hinge finally allowed the book-style foldable to close completely flat, eliminating the “gap” seen in previous models. This change significantly enhanced the device’s premium feel and durability.

Beyond its engineering, the Z Fold 5 continued Samsung’s reputation for sophisticated color palettes. The device was released in three main colors, supplemented by two online-exclusive options.

• Standard Colors: The primary options available through all retailers were Cream, Phantom Black, and Icy Blue.

• Online Exclusives: Customers purchasing directly from Samsung.com had access to two additional colors: Blue and Gray.

A Closer Look at the Z Fold 5 Hues

The standard Z Fold 5 colors offered distinct, polished aesthetics. Phantom Black, a returning classic from the Z Fold 4, provided a deep, matte black finish that often appeared as a dark gray in direct light, making it a popular choice for a professional look.

Cream offered a subtle, near-white shade with a light touch of beige, slightly less saturated than the “Beige” option on the Z Fold 4. The metal frame was tinted in a matching shade to maintain a cohesive, premium look.

Icy Blue served as the year’s signature color. This unique, cool-toned blue with a silvery quality was designed to be versatile, appealing to both business users and those seeking a more trend-focused, youthful vibe.

The online-exclusive Blue and Gray models offered a key design difference: a contrasting, darker frame. This gave the exclusive models a slightly “edgier” aesthetic compared to the polished, monolithic look of the standard versions.

Galaxy S26 Ultra: Release and Price Speculation

As Samsung’s foldable design language matures, all eyes are turning to the 2026 “slab” flagship. The Galaxy S26 Ultra is expected to be unveiled alongside the Galaxy S26 and S26+ in January 2026. Early rumors of a “Pro” or “Edge” model have faded, with reports suggesting an S26 Edge concept was shelved following the poor market performance of a theoretical S25 Edge.

While official pricing is months away, Samsung’s recent price increases for the Fold 7 and Flip 7 suggest a potential hike for the S26 Ultra, possibly to €1,499 in Europe. However, this strategy faces a major obstacle: Apple. With Apple holding prices steady—and in some cases, lowering them—for the iPhone 17 series, a Samsung price increase could put the S26 Ultra at a significant competitive disadvantage.

S26 Ultra Design and Color Rumors

Leaked information suggests the S26 Ultra will feature design refinements rather than a complete overhaul. The design may move away from the separate camera rings of the S25 Ultra, instead adopting a unified camera bar reminiscent of the Galaxy Z Fold 7.

Renders provided by sources like Android Headlines and OnLeaks also show a design with more rounded corners, moving further away from the classic Note series aesthetic. This shift may necessitate a redesigned S-Pen, and images from IceUniverse show a stylus that appears thicker at the base. The phone is also rumored to be thinner at 7.9mm, which could result in a more pronounced camera module (4.5mm), making the total thickness 12.4mm at its thickest point.

Perhaps most interesting are the rumored color options. Samsung may be taking cues from Apple by dropping a simple black option in favor of more vibrant hues. The most prominent rumor, teased by Max Jambor, is a striking orange variant potentially named Tangerine. Dummy models have also surfaced in Silver and a Champagne/Gold color.

Display and Processor Uncertainty

The S26 Ultra is expected to retain a 6.9-inch QHD+ (3120 x 1440) AMOLED display with an adaptive 1-120 Hz refresh rate, similar to the panel praised on the S25 Ultra. However, the bezels are expected to be even thinner.

The biggest question remains the processor. The device will almost certainly feature the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, which utilizes new Oryon cores and an Adreno 840 GPU, with benchmarks suggesting it outperforms Apple’s A19 Pro. However, conflicting leaks suggest Samsung may use its own Exynos 2600 processor in some regions, with mass production of the 2nm chip reportedly set to begin in November.