Samsung’s next Ultra phone could make an unusual trade: fewer camera parts on the back, but more room inside the chassis. Reports point to the Galaxy S27 Ultra arriving with three rear cameras and no dedicated 3x telephoto lens, a move that would free up space for a bigger battery and, Samsung fans will hope, a lighter body.
That would be a tidy bit of packaging, and a quietly familiar one. Smartphone makers have spent years squeezing more battery, larger sensors, and thinner designs into the same slab of glass and metal; something has to give, and the 3x camera looks like the most obvious candidate here. Samsung already has form for using its Ultra models as an experimental playground, even if the company often prefers to call that ”refinement”.
Galaxy S27 Ultra camera layout
According to the tip, Samsung is preparing a redesigned rear camera layout for the Galaxy S27 Ultra. The key change is the omission of the dedicated 3x optical zoom module, which would leave the company more internal room for other hardware upgrades. That could help with battery capacity and layout efficiency, while also giving designers a chance to trim weight.
- Three rear-facing cameras
- No dedicated 3x telephoto camera
- Potential for a larger battery
- Potential for a lighter design
Galaxy S27 Pro joins the lineup
The same report says Samsung will also launch a Galaxy S27 Pro in 2027. It’s said to have a display of about 6.4 inches, a camera setup similar to the Galaxy S27 Ultra, and larger camera sensors, but without S Pen support. That sounds like Samsung’s usual playbook of spreading features across more price points, while keeping the most recognisable Ultra perks fenced off behind the top model.
There’s one more wrinkle: the Galaxy S27 series apparently won’t get major display upgrades versus the Galaxy S26 lineup, with cost being the reason given. In other words, Samsung may be choosing to spend its engineering budget on camera hardware and battery headroom rather than another round of screen spec bragging rights. The bigger question is whether buyers notice the missing 3x lens less than they notice a phone that lasts longer and feels less brick-like.