Quick summary
The design change expected for Samsung’s new Galaxy S27 Pro and S27 Ultra devices has raised concerns after the leak of cases for the upcoming phones.
The cases feature a large camera island, with many calling the copycat design.
Samsung fans reeling after cases for the Samsung Galaxy S27 series leak, suggesting an unwanted change in design for some.
Cases for four phones – the Galaxy S27, Galaxy S27+, Galaxy S27 Pro and Galaxy S27 Ultra – have all been released. And while the cases shown are basic in nature, the camera cutouts show changes for the upcoming devices.
(Image credit: @UniverseIce / X)
While the Galaxy S27 and Galaxy S27 + are expected to look much like they currently have with a triple vertical camera on the back, the Galaxy S27 Pro and S27 Ultra are expected to adopt a larger island than the iPhone Pro.
The leak comes from a reliable source, UniverseIce on X, and it confirms with previous images that show the change in camera layout for Samsung Ultra phone.
One of the lenses looks down, but the entire camera sits on an island that spans the entire width of the phone.
It’s a design that has been widely copied from the iPhone Pro, with a number of devices offering a similar layout of cameras. Samsung had previously offered individual lenses on the back of its phones and established something of its own design identity.
That’s the accusation from commentators, with one saying: “S27 Ultra looks like Chinese design. It’s not Samsung’s identity.”
Another says: “Samsung has lost all its original identity and is trying to copy Apple.”
Caught in the flack is the Galaxy S27 Pro, Samsung’s new entry into the line-up designed to offer that ultra experience, but without the S Pen. It is believed that it will have the same camera, but in a slightly more compact form.
The return of a more compact powerplant should be cause for excitement, but the design change seems to be causing some consternation.
What changes should we expect?
The change in camera design is believed to be paired with dropping the 3x zoom camera that Samsung has offered for many years. Although that intermediate zoom step feels like a loss, it’s a camera that hasn’t really stopped changing anywhere else.
That’s likely to see a single 4x optical telephoto with a 1/1.9in sensor, which should be an upgrade to the quality of both lenses it replaces.
At the same time, a recent report suggested that Samsung has raised doubts about the latest Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 chip, which is thought to be used in the S27 Ultra and S27 Pro. The report says that Samsung experienced overheating problems with the new Qualcomm chip, and that Exynos could be used instead.
We’ve seen this up and down, but it’s possible that come launch day, Samsung will use a mix of hardware in different regions.
The launch of the Samsung Galaxy S27 series is not expected until February 2027.