Samsung Cancels Galaxy S26 Edge, May Discontinue Entire Edge Line

Samsung has officially pulled the plug on its ultra-slim Galaxy S26 Edge smartphone following disappointing sales of the Galaxy S25 Edge. The decision marks a dramatic shift in the company's flagship strategy and signals a return to the traditional three-model Galaxy S lineup for 2026.​

Poor Sales Seal the Edge's Fate

The Galaxy S25 Edge, launched in May 2025 as Samsung's thinnest smartphone at just 5.8mm thick, struggled to gain traction with consumers despite heavy marketing efforts. By August 2025, the device had sold only 1.31 million units globally—a fraction compared to its siblings in the S25 lineup.​

The numbers tell the complete story. While the Galaxy S25 Edge languished with minimal market penetration, the standard Galaxy S25 moved 8.28 million units, the S25 Plus reached 5.05 million, and the flagship S25 Ultra dominated with 12.18 million units sold during the same period. The Edge variant represented less than 6% of total Galaxy S25 series sales, far below Samsung's expectations.​

According to South Korean publication NewsPim, Samsung has not only cancelled the Galaxy S26 Edge but has also ceased production of the Galaxy S25 Edge entirely. The company plans to discontinue the Edge lineup permanently once existing inventory sells out. An anonymous Samsung official confirmed: "I'm not sure if the slim line will ever return, but as of now, it seems unlikely. It's practically gone".​

Why the Galaxy S25 Edge Failed

Too Expensive for What It Offered: At $1,100 for the base 256GB model, the Galaxy S25 Edge cost $300 more than the standard Galaxy S25 ($800) and $100 more than the Galaxy S25 Plus ($1,000), despite offering fewer features than both devices.​

Battery Life Was a Dealbreaker: The pursuit of extreme thinness forced Samsung to use a modest 3,900mAh battery—actually smaller than the 4,000mAh in the base Galaxy S25. Reviews consistently highlighted battery anxiety as a critical issue, with the device struggling to last a full day under moderate usage. In comprehensive battery tests, it managed only 6 hours and 22 minutes of screen time.​

Missing Features Customers Expect: To achieve its slim 5.8mm profile, Samsung eliminated several premium features. The S25 Edge lacked a telephoto camera, offered only 25W wired charging (versus 45W on the S25 Plus), and initially omitted wireless charging capabilities. Customers felt they were "paying more for less".​

Galaxy S26 Lineup Returns to Familiar Format

With the Edge's cancellation, Samsung's January 2026 Unpacked event will showcase a familiar three-device structure: the Galaxy S26, Galaxy S26 Plus, and Galaxy S26 Ultra. This represents a complete reversal from earlier plans to replace the Plus model with the Edge variant.​

Samsung had initially developed four models for the S26 series but pivoted after evaluating the S25 Edge's poor market reception. The company has now restarted development of the Galaxy S26 Plus to fill the mid-tier position in the 2026 flagship lineup.​

The upcoming Galaxy S26 series is expected to feature the Exynos 2600 chip in the base S26 and S26 Plus models for most markets, while the S26 Ultra will use Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor. US and Chinese markets will continue receiving Snapdragon variants across all models.​

Early specifications suggest Samsung is prioritizing practical improvements over design experiments. The Galaxy S26 is rumored to feature a larger 4,300mAh battery compared to the S25's 4,000mAh, while maintaining reasonable device dimensions. This approach directly addresses the battery weakness that doomed the Edge series.​

What This Means for Smartphone Buyers

Samsung's quick decision to discontinue the Edge line shows the company listened to customer feedback. Modern smartphone users prioritize battery life, camera versatility, and charging speed over device thinness. The Galaxy S26 series will reflect these priorities when it launches in early 2026.​

The Edge experiment also raises questions about ultra-thin smartphones in general. Apple's competing iPhone Air, announced in September 2025 at 5.64mm thick, faces similar skepticism despite initial media buzz. While these slim phones generate excitement at launch, practical daily usage reveals the compromises as unacceptable for most buyers.​

For anyone considering purchasing a Galaxy S25 Edge at discounted prices, the discontinuation means limited long-term software support and no future accessories. Your money is better invested in the standard S25 or S25 Plus models, which offer superior battery life and features at lower prices.

The Galaxy S26 series launch is expected in January 2026, returning Samsung's flagship lineup to the proven format that customers prefer.

Related Articles

• Samsung's S26, Edge & Ultra Details Leak: 200MP Camera, New 50MP Sensors & Why the S26+ Was Dropped

• Samsung Galaxy S26 Edge Battery Upgrade Disappoints: New Leak Reveals 4200mAh Specs

• Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge Specs Leak Again: Full Details Revealed

• Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge Appears on Geekbench

• Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge's Battery Capacity Confirmed

• Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge's Camera Specs