Samsung Cancels Galaxy S26 Edge Amid S25 Sales Slump
Samsung Electronics has reportedly scrapped plans for its Galaxy S26 Edge smartphone, citing disappointing sales of the ultra-thin Galaxy S26 Edge model launched earlier this year.
According to a report from the Korea Economic Daily, the South Korean company halted development of the follow-up device entirely and shifted its focus to a more traditional lineup for 2026, including standard, plus, and ultra variants.
The Galaxy S25 Edge, unveiled in May at 5.8 millimeters thick, drew initial praise for its slim design but faced backlash over trade-offs such as a 3,900 milliamp-hour battery that limited endurance for heavy users and the absence of a telephoto camera to maintain the thin profile.
Shipments of the S25 Edge reached 1.31 million units by August, far below the 8.28 million for the standard Galaxy S25, 5.05 million for the S25 Plus and 12.18 million for the S25 Ultra, according to data from Hana Investment and Securities.
Company insiders pointed to broader market reluctance toward ultra-slim flagships, where consumers favored battery life, camera versatility and performance over minimal thickness.
Apple scaled back production of its comparable iPhone Air by one million units in October after demand fell short, with complaints centering on similar issues of battery constraints and camera limitations.
"I’m not sure if the slim line (i.e. Edge line) will ever return, but as of now, it seems unlikely. It’s practically gone," an anonymous Samsung official said.
Samsung had completed development on the Galaxy S26 Edge before the cancellation and now plans to clear the remaining inventory of the S25 Edge without resuming production.
The firm explored a larger battery for the scrapped model but did not adopt silicon-carbon technology used by some Chinese manufacturers to pack higher capacity into thin frames.
