The problem with super-thin phones is that space is at even more of a premium than usual. Since bigger batteries need more space, there's a limit on how much battery you can actually get in there. There are things you can do to improve battery density, and reduce the required space, but word is that the Samsung Galaxy S26 Edge won't be doing that.
Certification documents spotted by SamMobile show the 2026 Edge as coming with the same lithium-ion battery chemistry as your average smartphone.
No new battery tech
That's contrary to rumors that the phone could switch to silicon-carbon batteries next year, which improves the overall density and increases the amount of power you can store in the same amount of space.
It's not all bad news, though. The S26 Edge is tipped to come with a 4,200 mAh battery, which is a step up from the 3,900 mAh power pack in the S25 Edge.
It's not clear how Samsung is going to squeeze that extra 300 mAh in there, especially considering the Galaxy S26 Edge is supposed to be at least 3mm thinner than its predecessor. But it should, hopefully, mean there's better battery life.
Considering the S25 Edge only lasted 12 hours and 38 minutes in our testing (over 4 hours less than the 5,000 mAh S25 Ultra), there is a lot of room for improvement. Both in terms of extra capacity, and improved energy efficiency of the phone itself.
It's something Samsung is seriously going to have to work on if the rumors are true, and Samsung plans to replace the Galaxy S26 Plus with the 26 Edge. As intriguing as the super-thin design might be, it's a bit pointless if you have to recharge the phone multiple times a day.
It's going to be a while before we find out for sure, though. The Galaxy S26 series isn't expected to launch until early 2026 — likely towards the end of January. Which means we have a few months, and at least one more Samsung phone release, before we actually get any confirmation of what's going on.
Until then be sure to check out our Samsung Galaxy S26 and Galaxy S26 Edge hubs for all the latest news and rumors on both phones.
More from Tom's Guide
- While Apple is busy with a thinner iPhone 17 Air, Samsung is readying the Galaxy Z Roll with a huge 12.4-inch display
- I ditched my iPhone and iPad for the Galaxy Z Fold 7 for 2 weeks — here’s what happened
- I tested the Pixel 10 Pro — 5 reasons to buy (and 3 reasons to skip)
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