Samsung is planning a fourth Galaxy S27 model that could reshape its entire flagship lineup, and it's already the most compelling phone the company hasn't announced yet.
Leakers and supply-chain reports point to a Galaxy S27 Pro: a smaller, stylus-free sibling to the Ultra that packs the same internals in a more pocketable body. If it ships, the S27 Pro would be the most consequential change to the Galaxy S lineup in years, expanding Samsung's roster to four phones and mirroring Apple's iPhone Pro and Pro Max two-tier strategy.
The pitch is straightforward. The Galaxy S27 Pro is expected to feature a 6.47-inch display, the same Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 processor as the Ultra, and the same main and ultrawide cameras as the Ultra (though the telephoto camera is expected to differ), but no S Pen and a lower price tag.
Multiple trackers describe it as a "Lite Ultra" aimed at buyers who want flagship silicon without the 6.9-inch footprint or the stylus.
Samsung's current lineup leaves a gap. The S26 Ultra starts at $1,300 and measures 6.9 inches, while the S26 Plus sits a tier below in specs. The Pro would slot between them: Ultra-tier power in a smaller body, targeting the same audience Apple captures with the iPhone Pro (as opposed to the Pro Max).
The rest of the S27 family is taking shape too. Tipster Debayan Roy posted specs for the Ultra including a 6.9-inch LTPO OLED M16 panel, a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 built on a 2nm process, LPDDR6 RAM, and a battery greater than 6,000mAh, which would break Samsung's seven-year streak of 5,000mAh cells dating back to the Galaxy S20 Ultra.
Qi2 charging is also reportedly on the table, a feature that was rumored for the S26 Ultra but never materialized.
Samsung is also exploring active cooling for the S27 series. Park Min, a senior researcher at Samsung, said at a seminar in Korea that the company is "focusing on liquid cooling and considering a direction to increase performance through a structure that connects directly to the AP." He added, "I believe commercialization is not far off." Samsung last used liquid cooling in the Galaxy Note 9, launched in 2018.
The S27 lineup is expected to debut at a Galaxy Unpacked event in January or February 2027, with Samsung aiming to return to its traditional early-year launch cadence after the S26 slipped to a February 2026 unveiling. Pricing rumors for the Ultra suggest roughly $1,300 for the 256GB variant and north of $1,800 for 1TB, though figures this far from launch are unreliable.
For now, the S27 Pro is the story worth watching. It addresses a real gap in Samsung's portfolio: a flagship for people who don't want a phablet, and it arrives at a moment when the Ultra's S Pen future is reportedly in question. That alone makes it the most interesting Samsung phone of 2027, even if it won't arrive for another seven months.
