Do you keep in mind the primary Extremely cellphone? It’s well known because the Galaxy S20 Extremely, and options a number of new firsts for Samsung’s cell expertise lineup. It additionally set the trade commonplace and ushered in a brand new period, a lot as the unique Galaxy Observe impressed the large-screen period that has develop into the norm at this time.
The Galaxy S20 Extremely introduces a bunch of recent options that show Samsung might innovate in smartphones. These included a 108MP most important digital camera, twin telephoto cameras — together with a 48MP periscope telephoto lens able to “100x House Zoom” — and a big 5,000 mAh battery. It additionally included 8K video recording, a 40MP selfie digital camera, and as much as 16GB RAM.
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At this time’s greatest Samsung Galaxy S26 Extremely offers
An up to date digital camera system with a pictures package
(Picture credit score: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central)
The Galaxy S26 Extremely has a strong all-around digital camera, but it surely does pale compared to among the options discovered on its three key present and upcoming rival Extremely gadgets.
All three key opponents — the Xiaomi 17 Extremely, Vivo X300 Extremely, and Oppo Discover X9 Extremely — both have or are anticipated to supply an optionally available pictures package. Xiaomi deserves credit score for kicking off this development, whereas the others adopted go well with. Though the Vivo and Oppo Extremely telephones have not been formally launched but, we’ve already seen the previous at MWC and heard loads of leaks in regards to the latter, lots of which have come from the corporate itself.
(Picture credit score: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central)
All three telephones function a pictures package that extends the cellphone’s built-in zoom past what the Galaxy affords. Primarily based on the Vivo X300 Professional and Oppo Discover X9 Professional pictures kits, this contains the flexibility to increase the optical zoom to 10x or extra, an extended 200x most zoom, and — within the case of Vivo — a number of lens selections.
The Galaxy S26 Extremely, in the meantime, has two telephoto lenses. The 10MP telephoto affords 3x optical zoom, whereas the 50MP affords 5x optical zoom. The previous is designed for portraits, however has been ever-present for a few years.
It’s additionally an space that the competitors has firmly overwhelmed, and Samsung might stand to improve its built-in telephoto sensors.
The case for the up to date telephoto setup
(Picture credit score: Sanuj Bhatia / Android Central)
The most important case for Samsung to replace its telephoto setup is the Oppo Discover X9 Extremely. Though it received’t be launched till subsequent month, Oppo’s Chief Product Officer — and likewise Co-Founder/CEO of OnePlus — Pete Lau has already confirmed that it will likely be coming to international markets.
One other leak, this time from a publication in Bulgaria and reported by GSMArena, revealed key particulars: the Discover X9 Extremely will probably function a 200MP most important digital camera, a 200MP periscope telephoto digital camera with 3x optical zoom, a 50MP periscope telephoto digital camera with 10x zoom, and a 50MP ultrawide digital camera.
What to learn subsequent
The Discover X9 Extremely is shaping as much as be a beast of a digital camera cellphone, and we already know what its chief competitors has. Apart from Samsung, the Xiaomi 17 Extremely launched globally at MWC with a 50MP most important digital camera, 200MP periscope telephoto with variable aperture, and a 50MP ultrawide digital camera.
In the meantime, the Vivo X300 Extremely has been largely confirmed — by way of Vivo’s personal Blueprint Imaging Expertise Communication Convention — to supply a 200MP most important digital camera, a 200MP periscope telephoto digital camera, and a 50MP ultrawide lens.
As talked about, the Vivo X300 Extremely additionally comes with the G2 teleconverter package, which incorporates two extendable lenses, and there’s one other space the place Vivo is closely teasing that the brand new X300 Extremely will stand out: video recording.
Samsung and Apple have massive competitors in video recording
(Picture credit score: Harish Jonnalagadda / Android Central)
We went hands-on with the Vivo X300 Extremely at MWC 2026, and other than the core specs, one factor is for sure: Vivo is aiming massive for video on the X300 Extremely.
First, the cellphone can shoot 4K at 120 fps from all rear cameras in 10-bit Log and Dolby Imaginative and prescient. That is cinema-grade video from a cellphone, and it’ll be enhanced by a brand new customized taking pictures rig. There’s additionally a Professional video mode and higher coloration science when taking pictures movies.
Just like the Oppo Discover X9 Extremely, the Vivo X300 Extremely has but to be launched, however Vivo confirmed it is going to additionally arrive globally this 12 months. That’s three glorious Extremely telephones, all launching globally and able to difficult Samsung’s digital camera prowess in sure methods.
Samsung nonetheless leads the best way in a few key methods
(Picture credit score: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)
Apart from the digital camera system, there’s one massive space the place Samsung continues to prepared the ground: advertising. The opposite is selecting to take totally different paths, and the brand new Privateness Show on the Galaxy S26 Extremely reveals the corporate is rethinking what it means to be an Extremely cellphone.
But, as nice because the Galaxy S26 Extremely is — and it’s considered one of Samsung’s most refined telephones ever constructed from my testing — there’s no denying that it’s now not the digital camera champion it as soon as was. That’s to not say it’s dangerous — it’s superb in a variety of situations — however the important thing competitors has redefined what it means to be an Extremely flagship smartphone.
Personally, I hope Samsung revamps the Galaxy S27 Extremely digital camera system and provides a pictures package. It’s the right kind of accent that may add to its backside line and firmly aligns with the corporate’s historical past of digital camera improvements, even with massive, prolonged cameras. Bear in mind the Galaxy S4 Zoom?
A brand new revamped Galaxy S27 Extremely would additionally reaffirm Samsung’s place atop one of the best telephones listing, though given the corporate’s international attain, it’s going to be some time earlier than anybody can actually displace it completely.
