Galaxy S26 Ultra and iPhone 17 Pro Max May Take Opposite Design Paths

The two biggest competitors in the smartphone world, Samsung and Apple, are reportedly moving in different directions in terms of design philosophy. While the Korean firm is shifting focus toward a sleeker and thinner profile, the Cupertino giant is leaning toward a bulkier build. If true, consumers will have distinct choices when picking up their next phone.

Samsung and Apple may choose opposite routes in the flagship smartphone design

In recent years, Samsung has been prioritizing a slimmer build for Galaxy flagships. The latest Galaxy S25 Ultra is just 8.2mm thick — slimmer than its predecessor, the S24 Ultra, which measures 8.6mm thick. This trend will continue next year, as Samsung appears to have reduced the thickness to below 8mm with the Galaxy S26 Ultra. This will result in a noticeably slimmer and more lightweight device.

On the other hand, the iPhone 17 Pro Max, scheduled for release this September, is expected to come with a thickness of 8.76 mm. This would make it thicker than last year’s iPhone 16 Pro Max, which measured 8.3 mm — almost the same as the latest Galaxy Ultra flagship. Tipster @UniverseIce wrote on X, “iPhone 17 Pro Max and Galaxy S26 Ultra will be the beginning of two completely different designs”.

This difference isn’t just about thickness — weight will also play a major role. A thinner Galaxy S26 Ultra could end up being much lighter than the iPhone 17 Pro Max. However, the added thickness on Apple’s premium model will make room for a larger battery. It will reportedly pack a 5000mAh battery — a 315mAh increase from the 4,685mAh unit in the iPhone 16 Pro Max.

Meanwhile, to further reduce the thickness of its Ultra flagships, Samsung is reportedly planning to remove the S Pen digitizer from the display in the Galaxy S26 Ultra and introduce a new S Pen that can function without a built-in digitizer. Eventually, the company may ditch the built-in stylus slot entirely with the Galaxy S27 Ultra in 2027, making the S Pen an optional accessory instead.