A new leak suggests Samsung’s Galaxy S26 Ultra will bring back a full-fledged camera bump—and not a subtle one. According to well-known tipster Ice Universe, the protrusion could measure 4.5mm, roughly doubling the profile seen on the current Ultra. The same leak pegs the chassis at 7.9mm thick and the weight at 217g, while claiming Samsung will stick with a 50MP 1/2.52-inch telephoto sensor. If accurate, it paints a picture of a thinner body paired with a more assertive camera island that lifts the optics noticeably off the back glass.
A 4.5mm bump on a 7.9mm body
The headline spec is the 4.5mm protrusion. For context, the Galaxy S25 Ultra’s camera rings were said to rise about 2.4mm above the rear, while the body itself measured 8.2mm. If the S26 Ultra drops to 7.9mm but grows the bump to 4.5mm, the peak thickness at the camera cluster would climb to about 12.4mm, up from roughly 10.6mm on the S25 Ultra. That’s a tangible difference you’ll feel when laying the phone flat on a desk or slipping it into a slim case.
Most modern flagships live with a 2–3mm camera rise; for example, teardown measurements and reviewer calipers put top-tier devices in that ballpark. At 4.5mm, the S26 Ultra’s bump would stand out in both look and ergonomics, potentially influencing case design and how accessory makers contour their lens protectors and MagSafe-style rings.
Why grow the hump if the sensor doesn’t?
Here’s the twist: the same leak says Samsung is retaining a 50MP 1/2.52-inch telephoto sensor. That’s a relatively small chip for a global flagship tele camera, especially as rivals experiment with larger 1/2.0-inch or near-1/1.7-inch modules in periscope configurations. So what’s the extra depth for?
Periscope systems are limited not just by sensor size, but by the optical path length, prism geometry, stabilization hardware, and lens stack thickness. A taller camera island gives engineers more latitude to enlarge lenses, widen apertures fractionally, improve optical image stabilization travel, or add more robust heat dissipation around the camera control ICs—all without thickening the entire phone. The leaker even suggests Samsung could be preparing the groundwork for future upgrades, where a bulkier base could support larger sensors or variable-aperture assemblies down the line.
It’s also possible Samsung wants visual differentiation. After a few generations of minimalist ring-only designs, a defined plateau around the lenses can signal “new” while improving rigidity around the module. Component suppliers have long noted that a reinforced camera deck can reduce micro-flex and improve long-term OIS calibration stability, particularly on devices with ultra-rigid frames.
Weight and materials: no heavier, just taller
The leak’s 217g figure lands the S26 Ultra right where many premium titanium-and-glass phones sit today. For comparison, last year’s top-tier models from major brands cluster around the 220g mark. In other words, even if the camera bump gets beefier, overall heft reportedly won’t. That balance—trimming the central chassis to 7.9mm while adding height only at the camera—suggests Samsung is prioritizing in-hand comfort and pocket feel over a perfectly flush back.
From a usability standpoint, expect a more pronounced “wobble” on flat surfaces without a case. Most protective cases, however, bridge the gap and create a level plane by extending material around the island. Case makers typically work from early CAD and dimensional data months ahead of launch; if 4.5mm is indeed the target, you can anticipate correspondingly thicker camera guards.
What it could mean for photos and video
Keeping a 1/2.52-inch 50MP telephoto sensor would maintain Samsung’s recent approach: lean on computational imaging and advanced demosaicing to drive detail, then use sensor fusion across multiple focal lengths to stabilize results. The extra vertical room might allow for marginally brighter optics or improved OIS mechanics, yielding steadier long-zoom shots and smoother handheld video. Even small gains in aperture or stabilization can pay dividends at 5x and beyond, where shutter speeds rise and hand shake is amplified.
Thermally, a thicker island can also help during sustained 4K and 8K recording by providing more mass and surface area near the image pipeline, potentially reducing thermal throttling. That said, any measurable improvements will depend on the final lens design, coatings, and tuning, not just the height of the hump.
Proceed with caution—it’s still a leak
Ice Universe has a solid track record with Samsung hardware dimensions and camera specs, but early numbers can shift as pre-production units evolve. The broader rumor mill also points to a return of a unified camera bump across the S26 series, which would align with this direction.
If these dimensions hold, the Galaxy S26 Ultra will break with the minimalist rings of recent models and embrace a bolder, thicker camera island—without adding meaningful weight. Whether that translates into better long-zoom performance or simply sets the stage for bigger hardware in future generations is the open question enthusiasts will be watching closely.