Technology
Samsung announces Galaxy S26 FE with minor updates and $50 price increase
The $700 smartphone retains most hardware specifications from its predecessor while adding updated software features and an Exynos 2500 chip.
The short version
- Samsung announced the Galaxy S26 FE starting at $700, marking a $50 price increase over last year's S25 FE.
- The phone retains key hardware specs from the previous generation, including a 6.7-inch display, 4,900 mAh battery, and 8GB of RAM, while updating to an Exynos 2500 processor.
- New software updates include Android 17 with One UI 9 and camera tools such as Super Steady Video with Horizontal Lock and My FanCam.
- The device is scheduled to go on sale in early September in Blueberry, Graphite, and Pistachio colors.
Key facts
- The Samsung Galaxy S26 FE starts at $700 for the 128GB model, which is $50 higher than the launch price of the S25 FE.[Engadget · CNET]
- The S26 FE features a 6.7-inch OLED display, an Exynos 2500 processor, 8GB of RAM, and a 4,900 mAh battery with 45W wired charging support.[Engadget · The Verge · CNET · 9to5Google]
- Rear cameras include a 50MP main sensor, 12MP ultrawide, and an 8MP telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom.[Engadget · CNET · 9to5Google]
- The phone ships with Android 17 and Samsung One UI 9, introducing features like My FanCam, Audio Eraser, and Gemini Omni-powered AI tools.[Engadget · CNET · 9to5Google]
- Samsung promises seven years of software and security updates for the device.[Engadget · CNET]
What remains uncertain
- Outlets report conflicting availability dates, listing the release as either September 3 or September 4.[Engadget · CNET · 9to5Google]
Sources
- Galaxy S26 FE is $699 with last year’s specs, Android 17, and a few new features9to5Google
- The Samsung Galaxy S26 FE looks like a perfectly cromulent budget flagshipEngadget
- Samsung’s Galaxy S26 FE pairs last year’s hardware with last month’s softwareThe Verge
- Samsung’s Galaxy S26 FE Has Flagship Features, but It’s Harder to Call It a BargainCNET