Galaxy S26 Ultra selfie camera finally sees a sensor upgrade, claims tipster
With Samsung’s February 25 Unpacked event getting closer, attention is starting to shift to smaller details. According to tipster Ice Universe, the Galaxy S26 Ultra will keep a 12-megapixel selfie camera. That part isn’t surprising. What’s new, however, is the reported switch to a Sony sensor, possibly the IMX874, instead of Samsung’s usual ISOCELL hardware.

The reported Sony sensor is said to retain the same 1/3.2-inch size and 1.12μm pixel pitch as the ISOCELL unit used in the Galaxy S25 Ultra and older flagships. The aperture also remains at f/2.2, suggesting there’s no major change in light intake on paper.
In other words, Samsung appears to be swapping suppliers rather than altering the physical hardware layout, likely a deliberate move to avoid internal redesigns.
So why switch at all?
Sony sensors have a long-standing reputation for strong dynamic range and more natural color rendering. That doesn’t automatically mean better selfies, but it could influence how skin tones, highlights, and HDR scenes are handled.
Image quality isn’t just about size: processing plays a big role, and Samsung’s AI-enhanced software tuning is expected to be optimized differently around Sony’s sensor characteristics.
The slightly wider 85-degree field of view (vs 80-degree field of view on the S25 Ultra) is also worth noting. If accurate, it would allow a bit more flexibility for group selfies and vlogging without going overly wide.

At this stage, nothing points to a dramatic overhaul of the S26 Ultra’s selfie hardware. The resolution stays the same, and the physical specs are largely unchanged.
But small sensor changes can still affect real-world results, especially when paired with smarter image processing and AI integration.
Whether this translates into noticeably better selfies will depend on tuning more than megapixels. And as always, leaks this far out should be taken with caution.
With Unpacked just days away, we won’t have to wait long to see if the Sony swap is real — and if it makes a difference.
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(Source: Ice Universe)
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