The Samsung Galaxy S27 Ultra could eliminate the 3x telephoto lens and points to a major redesign of its rear camera

The leaks about the Samsung Galaxy S27 Ultra have come with a detail that does not go unnoticed: The 3x telephoto lens that has accompanied Ultra models for several generations could disappear in the next model. The information comes from the leaker known as UniverseIce, which has a solid track record of success in the mobile sector.

The launch of the Galaxy S27 Ultra is not expected until early 2027, so there is room for plans to change, but the news has already generated debate among users of the range.

A camera that no one will cry

The community’s reaction to this leak has been striking because of how little it has protested. The Galaxy S26 Ultra’s 3x telephoto lens has frequently been pointed out as the weak link in the phone’s camera systemand the reasons are easy to understand: while the main sensor reaches 200 megapixels and the 5x telephoto lens has 50 megapixels, the 3x lens remains at just 10 megapixels. Such a large difference in resolution significantly penalizes the image quality of that third lens compared to the rest of the system.

There is also a practical argument that complicates the usefulness of 3x in practice: the 200 megapixel main sensor of the Galaxy S26 Ultra is capable of taking 2x captures with optical quality without the need for a dedicated module, which makes the jump from 2x to 3x not as necessary as in phones with more modest main sensors. The 3x ends up being a poorly differentiated intermediate step between the 2x mode of the main sensor and the 5x telephoto lens, which does offer a clear advantage.

A redesign of Apple’s island-style camera module

The removal of the 3x telephoto lens does not come in a vacuum. It fits with previous rumors that Samsung is studying a significant redesign of the rear camera block of its next Galaxy models, a change motivated in part by the intention of add magnetic wireless charging support MagSafe style. To implement this type of charging with magnets integrated into the rear, the available space in the camera area becomes much more important, and reducing the number of optical modules would facilitate this design work.

The result would be a visually more compact camera block than that of the S26 Ultra, possibly grouped in a round island similar to the one used by the iPhone 17 Pro. This aesthetic turn is significant because Samsung’s Ultra range has historically opted for a camera design distributed with individual modules that gives it its own and recognizable visual identity. If the change is confirmed, the S27 Ultra would take a step towards a look closer to that of the main high-end competitor.

What remains if the 3x disappears

If the filtration is correct and there are no additional changes to the camera system, The Galaxy S27 Ultra would have three rear cameras instead of four: the main wide-angle sensor, a secondary wide-angle and a single 5x telephoto lens. That would still be a capable and versatile system for most photography situations, but it would represent a technical reduction on paper compared to the previous generation, something that Samsung will have to justify with improvements in some other aspect of the system.

The key is whether Samsung chooses to compensate for the loss with an improved 5x telephoto lenswhether in resolution, aperture or optical capabilities, or if you take advantage of the freed up space to improve the main sensor or add other functions. Without this data, the assessment of whether this is a positive or negative change is suspended.

Release expected in 2027

The Galaxy S27 Ultra will not arrive until early 2027following the usual calendar of the Samsung S series, which presents its new models in January or February of each year. That means there are several months ahead for more leaks to accumulate and the phone’s image to be defined more precisely.

What is clear with this leak is that Samsung has major changes on the table for its next Ultra model, both in the photographic part and possibly in the exterior design, and that the final result may be quite different from that of recent generations.