Samsung hasn't done much to upgrade the camera hardware on its base and Plus Galaxy S models in recent years. The company has reused the same ISOCELL GN3 (S5KGN3) sensor since the launch of the Galaxy S23, but things might finally change with the Galaxy S26 next year.

It seems a bit early to be sure of anything regarding the forthcoming premium S lineup. Even so, new bits of information unearthed by our colleagues at GalaxyClub paint a hopeful picture. Namely, that the base Galaxy S26 will employ a different wide camera.

The source says the sensor to be used by the Galaxy S26 retains a 50MP resolution. Nevertheless, despite the identical resolution as the GN3, the sensor itself appears different. It could mean it has superior characteristics despite the 50MP pixel count.

Other technical details are so far unknown. However, the sensor will likely be Samsung-made under the ISOCELL GN brand. It's possible Samsung hasn't announced it yet, so it will be brand-new.

Given Samsung's usual format in recent years, it stands to reason that if the base Galaxy S26 has a new 50MP sensor, the Galaxy S26+ does, too. After all, the base and Plus models usually share camera specs.

Then again, rumors about Samsung canning the Plus variant next year have made a comeback. The demise of the Plus model has been rumored for years without becoming true, but for what it's worth, there are whispers that the S26 Edge could replace the S26+ next year. Should this come to pass, the new 50MP sensor could be used solely by the base S26 model.

Regardless of how things turn out across the entire S26 lineup, the takeaway is that Samsung will most likely replace the ISOCELL GN3 sensor for at least the base S26 model. Time will tell. Samsung should announce the 2026 flagship lineup early next year, but more details are bound to surface in the meantime.