Samsung Galaxy S26 starts at $899 in the US, Rs 74,999 in India — smallest flagship slab phone of 2026, but the S25 is still smaller and cheaper. The Galaxy S26 launched in March 2026 with a 6.3-inch display, measuring 149.6 x 71.7 x 7.2 mm and weighing 167 grams.
It shares nearly all core features with the S26 Ultra, same chipset, same One UI 9 software, same battery architecture. Minus S Pen support and the Ultra’s multi-lens camera system. Samsung positioned it as the compact alternative in its 2026 flagship trio. But here’s the twist: the year-old Galaxy S25 remains physically smaller.
Its 6.2-inch screen sits in a body just 146.9 x 70.5 x 7.2 mm, 2.7 mm shorter, 1.2 mm narrower, and 5 grams lighter than the S26. And unlike the S26, which launched into a market hit by memory chip price hikes, the S25 now sells at a discount. SamMobile notes it’s “potentially cheaper, especially now that the 2026 lineup has gotten pricier.” It also just received the global rollout of One UI 9.
So buyers get the latest software without paying 2026 premiums. That makes the S25 the de facto smallest and most affordable full-size Galaxy flagship available today. Foldables complicate the “smallest” label. The Galaxy Z Flip 8 folds to 85.7 x 75.4 x 13.1 mm, pocketable, cover-screen-first, with a 4.1-inch display.
But unfolded, its 6.9-inch inner screen matches the S26 Ultra’s footprint. The Galaxy Z Fold 8’s cover screen is 5.5 inches, 16:10. A deliberate callback to the original Galaxy Note’s proportions, and it’s Samsung’s lightest foldable yet. Yet it doesn’t support the S Pen, and its folded size still dwarfs the S25’s slab form.
Only the Fold 8 supports Bluetooth Channel Sounding, required for the Galaxy SmartTag 3’s extended Compass View. A niche but real differentiator. No pricing was given for the Z Flip 8 or Z Fold 8 in this report. The Galaxy S26 is on sale now.
The S25 remains widely available, with One UI 9 rolling out globally as of October 2026.
MDFiled by The Mobile Desk
Phones from leak to launch to price cut: what was announced, what it costs where, and when it goes on sale. Indian launches and prices included, not appended.
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