[##Part1] Samsung Galaxy S26 could get a major battery upgrade that makes it worth waiting for If you’ve yet to grab a Samsung Galaxy S25, then the Galaxy S26 could be worth waiting for as it’s been tipped to get a huge battery update. A report from Korean-language website FNNews claims that Samsung is considering a move to silicon-carbon batteries for its next-generation Galaxy phones, which could see battery capacities leap from 4,000mAh and 5,000mAh to 6,000mAh and 7,000mAh. This boost in capacity would be facilitated by swapping out the graphite in the anode of a conventional lithium-ion battery and using the compound silicon carbide, allowing for a smaller yet more energy-dense battery as silicon can hold more ions than graphite. The use of silicon carbide rather than plain silicon also makes for a battery that’s able to handle more power and higher voltages than silicon, and which has better thermal stability, all leading to a battery that’s more powerful and efficient. [##Part2] We’ve already seen silicon carbon batteries pop up in new phones, as you’ll see in our Oppo Find X8 Pro review. But the adoption of such battery tech, which can be expensive, has yet to find its way into Samsung, Google, or Apple phones. A new frontier for Galaxy phones I’ve been using the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra for a few weeks now, and while I’ve not been impressed by the longevity of its 5,000mAh battery, I’ve not been let down either. But the continued rise of artificial intelligence (AI)-powered tools and features, and the increased ability to run on-device rather than needing support from the cloud, means current and future smartphones could be more energy-hungry than ever before. Then there’s the future move to 6G to consider, which like 5G could prove to be a drain on phone batteries when under sustained use. [##Part3] So new ways to get more out of the same-sized batteries as we see in today’s phones could be the low-key next frontier for smartphones. And if FNNews’ report is accurate, then Samsung could be one of the big brands to spearhead this move, even though it won’t be the first. Given that the Galaxy S25 family has only just launched – with the phones duly claiming spots on our best phones and best Samsung phones lists – it’ll be a while before we see the Galaxy S26. But some 12 months from now, we might get a Galaxy phone with a battery life that thoroughly impresses us. [##Part4] iFixit praises Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra's battery pull tabs, but the screen is still difficult to remove The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra “could be one of Samsung’s most repair-friendly phones in a long time,” says iFixit after taking the phone apart and exploring the repair options available. Even so, the phone received only a 5/10 repairability score (provisional) – that’s better than most Samsung flagships in recent memory, but still leaves a lot to be desired. iFixit’s favorite part is the battery – four sticky tabs surround the battery and hold it in place. Peel those off and the battery falls right out. There’s no need for heat, isopropyl alcohol or elbow grease. [##Part5] That said, some things didn’t work out as well as hoped. Samsung switched back to a flat display this generation and that one is supposed to be easier to remove. And yet removing the S25 Ultra display proved to be quite a struggle even for an experienced user. The good news is that there isn’t anything under the display, really. The only reason to remove it is if it’s already broken. There’s more – most cameras are modular and easy to replace. The four modules on the back are held in by screws and can be swapped fairly easily if needed. The selfie camera, however, is epoxied in place. It’s not impossible to remove, but again, the experienced iFixit team found it challenging – regular folks at home trying to get it out will have a tough time. The S Pen situation is a real head-scratcher. You may have heard that the Galaxy S25 Ultra has the inductive charger that in previous generations sent power to the Bluetooth-enabled styluses. Well, iFixit took the S Pen apart and found that it’s very similar to that of previous generations. [##Part6] The PCB is still there, but all the chips that make the Bluetooth functions work are not populated. Also, the capacitor that provided power to the stylus while it was outside the phone has been removed. That means that the PCB is completely unnecessary and yet there it is. In summary, the new sticky tabs for the battery are great. The (mostly) modular cameras also bumped up Galaxy S25 Ultra’s repairability score. Screen replacements are still a pain, though. Samsung also needs to improve its repair documentation, says iFixit, and sell replacement parts individually instead of as bundles. [##Part7] Galaxy S25 Edge Gets Re-Tested In New Benchmark Leak, With The Overclocked 8-Core Snapdragon 8 Elite Displaying Its Full Potential In The Multi-Core Tests The last time Samsung’s Galaxy S25 Edge was benchmarked, the scores obtained by the Snapdragon 8 Elite were severely disappointing, as the chipset looked like it was a few generations old in the multi-core department. At the time, we assumed that the lack of cooling on the sleek flagship meant that the SoC would deliver a lower score, but we have been proven incorrect on that front because the Galaxy S25 Edge has been re-tested, with updated results showing that the Snapdragon 8 Elite punches at the same weight class as the version present in Samsung’s other three models. [##Part8] Updated scores of the Galaxy S25 Edge show a whopping 21.6 percent improvement in multi-core scores, though there was a drop in the single-core resultsIn a new Geekbench 6 listing that was uploaded on February 11, the Galaxy S25 Edge with the model number SM-S937B obtained a multi-core score of 8,416, making it more than 21 percent faster than what the device previously secured. However, the single-core result of 2,806 is lower than the 3,005 figure that we reported about earlier. It is possible that during that time, Geekbench 6 was not optimized for the Snapdragon 8 Elite, but now, the latest scores reflect the chipset’s true potential. Even more impressive is that Samsung chose the overclocked version, which has performance cores running at 4.47GHz instead of the default 4.32GHz. Given the Galaxy S25 Edge’s slim profile, the company could have easily prioritized the regular Snapdragon 8 Elite or saved up on components cost and chose the 7-core version of the SoC, but it appears that Samsung did not want to downgrade a buyer’s impression that he or she would be investing in a slower flagship. [##Part9] Coming to the rest of the specifications, we noticed that the Galaxy S25 Edge sports 12GB RAM, meaning that Samsung has made this memory count a standard for all four models. The new scores are also indicative that the sleek flagship is approaching its launch timeline, but we have reported that this particular model would be unveiled in April. The updated benchmark leak gives us some relief for the Galaxy S25 Edge’s performance, but it will be interesting to see how it fares in other tests, particularly in hot and humid climates, so stay tuned for more updates. [##Part10] Galaxy A56 leaked renders showcase its Galaxy Z Fold 6-inspiration The Galaxy A55 5G is one of the safest choices for those looking for a solid mid-range smartphone without any unnecessary bells and whistles. The Galaxy A5x series has had a history of such solid performers, so we’re not surprised to learn that Samsung is working on its successor, the Galaxy A56. We now have fresh renders of the device, showing the upcoming mid-ranger from all angles. [##Part11] Leaker Evan Blass has shared images of four color variants of an upcoming Samsung phone, referred to as the Galaxy A56, through his leakmail email. These leaked, official-looking renders match what we have seen of the Galaxy A56 in regulatory listings. The camera island looks very similar to that of the Galaxy Z Fold 6, and we can also see the volume rocker and the power button on the raised platform on the side. Samsung calls it the “Key Island,” and it’s also present on the predecessor, the current Galaxy A55. [##Part12] Previous leaks have suggested that the Galaxy A56 could pack an Exynos 1580 SoC, an FHD+ AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, and a camera setup comprising a 50MP primary sensor flanked by 12MP and 5MP secondary sensors. The battery could be 5,000mAh in capacity. The big upgrade here could be 45W charging speeds, which would be the first on the Galaxy A lineup. The phone is also expected to launch with One UI 7 based on Android 15 right out of the box. Given that the Galaxy A55 launched in March 2024, we expect the Galaxy A56 to launch in March 2025. There don’t seem to be any cutting-edge improvements on this upcoming phone, but that is how Samsung plays it. We’ll hopefully find out soon enough.