Samsung aimed to increase sales of the Plus models, and as a result, planned to replace the Plus model with the Galaxy S26 Edge.
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge (pictured) is the company's new ultra-slim smartphone
Samsung's 2026 flagship smartphone lineup could include the Galaxy S26+, as per a report. It was previously rumoured that the South Korean tech giant would unveil the Galaxy S26 series early next year, comprising three models — Galaxy S26 Pro, Galaxy S26 Edge, and Galaxy S26 Ultra. The existing Plus variant was expected to be replaced by an ultra-slim Edge model. However, sales of the existing Galaxy S25 Edge are reported to have fallen below Samsung's expectations, and thus, the Galaxy S26+ project is being revived.
Citing industry sources, South Korean publication The Elec reported that Samsung recently began the development of a Galaxy S-series model dubbed M Plus. It is said to reference the purported Galaxy S26+. The handset was previously rumoured to be slashed from the company's 2026 lineup, with only three smartphones in development: Galaxy S26 Pro (M1), Galaxy S26 Edge (M2), and Galaxy S26 Ultra (M3).
The M1, M2, and M3 models are currently in the development stage, which is why Samsung can afford to adjust the number of devices in its upcoming flagship lineup. Consequently, we may see four handsets in the Galaxy S26 series in 2026.
This decision is attributed to the poor sales of the Galaxy S25 Edge, which was introduced earlier this year as an ultra-slim addition to the Galaxy S25 lineup and a competitor to the new iPhone Air. As per the report, the production volume for the September to December 2025 period of the handset was in the low 300,000 units. In comparison, the production volume for the Galaxy S25 Ultra and the standard Galaxy S25 during the same period was estimated to be around 3.4 million and 2.9 million units, respectively.
Following the initial three months of sale, Samsung is reported to have determined the demand for its ultra-slim handset and adjusted the production volume accordingly. Citing an industry official, the report stated that the company was developing four types of organic OLED panels for the Galaxy S26 series. At the time, however, it was unknown if the Edge would replace the Plus model.
Interestingly, Samsung's Galaxy S Plus models aren't the highest-selling in its lineup either. As per the report, the Galaxy S25 Plus had a shipment target of 6.7 million units — the lowest across the entire series. It aimed to ship 13.6 million units of the standard Galaxy S25, while expectations for the Galaxy S25 Ultra were at 17.4 million units.
The South Korean tech conglomerate had been seeking ways to increase sales of the Plus models, which is why it reportedly planned to replace them with the Galaxy S26 Edge in 2026. The report adds that Apple followed a similar strategy with its latest iPhone 17 series, replacing the Plus model with a new iPhone Air. That, too, was a low-selling model in Apple's lineup.
Apart from this, the publication noted that Samsung is considering using the Exynos 2600 processor in the regular Galaxy S26 model that will be sold in the European markets. If this is accurate, it would mark a shift from the current lineup, where all of the handsets are powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite SoC.
Catch the latest from the Consumer Electronics Show on Gadgets 360, at our CES 2026 hub.