Samsung Galaxy S26 rumor: all members may be equipped with 16GB of memory

After the Galaxy S24 series was widely criticized by users for its reduced configuration, Samsung tried to restore its reputation through the improvements of the Galaxy S25 series. Its design of 12GB memory as standard for the entire series has been recognized by the market, but the Galaxy S25 Ultra version in China and South Korea has been upgraded to 16GB as an exception. Now, the latest Samsung Galaxy S26 rumor information shows that Samsung is brewing a larger-scale upgrade: the Galaxy S26 series launched in early 2026 will be equipped with 16GB memory as standard across the board to cope with the explosive demand for AI functions on the edge.

Well-known whistleblower @Jukanlosreve cited Macquarie research data to point out that even the basic Galaxy S26 will be equipped with 16GB of memory, which will not only support the real-time operation of more AI applications, but also significantly improve multitasking capabilities and background application retention efficiency. In contrast, the same research institute predicts that the memory specifications of Apple's iPhone 18 series will stagnate at the 12GB level. Although the iPhone 17 series is expected to fine-tune the memory by the end of the year, the standard version may be limited to 8GB, further highlighting the technological gap. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo's previous analysis also confirmed that although the entire iPhone 18 series comes standard with 12GB of memory, it is difficult to compete with Samsung's aggressive hardware strategy.

This memory upgrade is not an isolated phenomenon, but a strategic response to the wave of generative AI. The Galaxy S25 series has taken the lead in performance tests through customized Snapdragon processors and high memory configurations, laying the foundation for the upgrade of S26. Not only that, industry observations show that the arms race of hardware specifications is driving sales growth. Samsung's move is expected to strengthen its AI ecosystem competitiveness in 2026 and put continuous pressure on Apple.