The Samsung Galaxy S Plus problem may be way more serious

Every Samsung Galaxy S Plus model sells in the millions, yet year after year, it remains the weakest seller in the flagship trio. All signs suggest Samsung wants to fix that, but so far, nothing has changed.

As a Galaxy S Plus fan myself, I think the most exciting outcome would be for Samsung to borrow a page from Apple’s playbook and seriously beef up the Plus model. I’m just not convinced it’s doable. Here’s why.

Apple’s best phones, the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max, come with 6.3 and 6.9-inch displays. They share the same internal hardware, including Apple’s best mobile cameras.

The only real differences are battery size and screen size. Even then, the 6.9-inch Max costs just $100 more than the 6.3-inch Pro at $1,199 versus $1,099.

By the way, that kind of parity never happens in Samsung’s world, where the top-tier cameras are locked behind the Ultra. Moving on.

I’d love to see Samsung replace the current Plus with a smaller Ultra-style phone, but I’m not sure it can happen without shrinking the Plus too much or pushing the price too high.

Realistically, Samsung can’t give the Plus full Ultra specs and still sell it for $999 without making meaningful compromises on size.

Alternatively, could a 6.2 or 6.3-inch Ultra-style phone really replace the Plus at around $999? Could Samsung even pack the Ultra's camera inside a 6.2/6.3-inch phone?

Suppose it can, I’m not even convinced Galaxy S Plus fans would accept a size downgrade without any kind of pushback. I’d personally love to try a compact Ultra-Plus hybrid, but that comes with the territory. Most buyers don’t get phones to experiment.

It sure feels like it sometimes. One change here could have serious knock-on effects. Messing with the Plus risks destabilizing the base model, too. Not wanting to gamble with two phones at once might be exactly what’s holding Samsung back from reworking the lineup.

Then again, if the Galaxy S series, and particularly the base and Plus models are in a deadlock, then risking both might be the only way to move forward.

For what it’s worth, I still think the Galaxy S22+ nailed the ideal size at 6.6 inches. It was comfortable without feeling small. But this is the real world, and hardware costs money. A theoretical 6.6-inch Ultra would cost more than a relatively boring 6.7-inch S Plus. Besides, Samsung likely needs that $999 slot covered.

Either way, current rumors suggest nothing will change with the Galaxy S26 series. If Samsung is still weighing a broader strategy shift, it looks like that conversation is slipping to next year.