The Motorola Edge (2026) steals the Samsung Galaxy S26's thunder, and the S27 is going to have to learn a thing or two

If you want to buy an Android phone that isn't too big, there's traditionally been one option for you: Samsung's smaller flagship.

The Samsung Galaxy S26 is a solid compact flagship, with its 6.3-inch display dwarfed by most other options out there, and other reasonably-sized mobiles generally having weaker specs.

Or so things used to be, but Moto has just laid down a gauntlet. It's just announced its thin, light flagship for the year: the Motorola Edge 2026. And Samsung should be worried.

Like the Samsung Galaxy S26, the Moto has a 6.3-inch screen, marking a big size drop from the Edge 2025's 6.7-inch panel.

It retains a premium edge with three rear cameras, a bright AMOLED screen, and a stylish olive color, yet at $599, it costs $200 less than the Samsung.

I'm a big Motorola fan. I agree with other Android Police writers that the brand has reinvented itself as a top Android maker, and by releasing a phone with similar specs to the S26, Moto is laying down a challenge to Samsung.

And the Galaxy S27 is going to have to learn a few things if it's going to survive.

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By  Ben Khalesi

The Galaxy S27 needs to look more interesting

Take a leaf out of Moto's book — or an olive

One of the most recognizable traits of post-glow-up Motorola phones is their design.

They look unlike anything else on the market. In a world of bland, boring flagship phone colors, it's doing something a little different.

In part, this is due to the ongoing Pantone partnership, which sees Moto phones clad in unique colors.

The Edge 2026 gets Martini Olive — this is ostensibly British-inspired, but as a Brit myself, I don't quite understand the link.

It's always fun when a new Moto phone brings a new hue for us to gawp at (although it backfires when there's no color to speak of).

That's not all, though. Modern Moto phones usually have textured backs, which make them feel great to hold in the hand, even if it's only matted plastic.

They also take a more thought-out approach to the camera bump, letting it rise out gently from the rear of the phone instead of breaking up the back like a rude shock.

Moto uses this design language for most of its phones, whether they're budget ones, flagships, or even foldables.

Admittedly, it means they can be hard to tell apart, but it makes them all feel premium, no matter how much money you've spent on a device.

At the exact opposite side of the spectrum is Samsung. It's used the same design language on its flagships for years, and they're arguably the most generic-looking mobiles out there.

You get a nondescript chocolate-bar-style phone, with a few buttons on the side and a blocky camera bump. No frills, no thrills.

The color options are pretty dull. The Galaxy S26 comes in violet, blue, black, or white, with a pale pink and silver exclusively via Samsung. They're all pretty pale and washed-out, and none are particularly exciting.

But that's got to change, because I'd never consider buying a boring-looking phone if an exciting Moto is out there.

Samsung can't rock out the same tried-and-true design with the Galaxy S27 that it's been using for generations now. We've seen it all before, and it's boring. And most importantly, it needs to offer some more interesting colors.

Take a leaf from Apple's book and bring out a vibrant orange, or perhaps a bright red, or something totally different. Just please, no more lifeless blues and violets.

Serious fast charging

I mean fast

Samsung's phones can do many things, but charging quickly isn't in their repertoire. Case in point, the Galaxy S26 is powered at just 25W, which is achingly slow.

Fast charging was introduced to phones half a decade ago, and there are no excuses for offering slow charging in a phone. Even Moto's pumped up the speed, with 68W powering.

That's despite the Motorola Edge, which is lighter than the Galaxy S26 and just as thin, having a bigger battery capacity at 5,000mAh.

The Edge 2026 will last longer and power up quicker than its Samsung alternative.

No one has ever accused Motorola of having the best hardware on the block, so its lapping Samsung in this way is embarrassing for the brand.

The S27 had better pick up the pace and introduce at least 45W powering like the S26 Ultra, or there's no reason to pick it up.

A protected phone

Withstand a beating like the Moto

Samsung phones are not very durable. Take it from me. I gave the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra a drop test it couldn't withstand, and so I know from experience that they can break.

However, I've just as much experience with Motorola phones to know they're a lot more hardy. I've dropped them from great heights, knocked them on any kind of surface, and dropped them in baths. Yet they always survive.

This isn't a fluke or gentle treatment. Many Motorola phones, including the new Edge 2026, are MIL-STD-810H compliant.

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This means they've passed a battery of military tests to prove they're durable against great shocks and work in adverse conditions.

When I pick up a Moto, I know it'll keep Moto-ing no matter how badly I treat it.

I'm not expecting Samsung to follow Motorola's example and get military accreditation. But at the moment, its handsets just aren't durable enough. Their glass bodies will shatter from shocks that other phones would shrug off.

This is a problem with premium phones in general, not just Samsung's, but I'd really love to see an improved level of protection from the brand's phones.

Maybe that way, I wouldn't totally destroy a Galaxy S26 Ultra in just a few months.

Learning from mistakes

The Moto isn't perfect

I think the Motorola Edge 2026 looks great, but not perfect, and Samsung would do well to look into its missteps for some pointers on the S27.

Take, for example, the storage space. You can only pick it up with 128GB. For a flagship phone, that's really not enough, and I'm surprised it's decided 8GB RAM is sufficient too.

The phone is only set to get three years of OS updates, too, unlike the Galaxy S26's seven. I don't think regular buyers care about update span as much as tech fans, but it's still not an amazing figure.

And while I complimented the color, I would have loved to see a few more options beyond olive.

It looks like we could enjoy some changes in design, so this might be feasible, according to rumors which suggest the Galaxy S27 series could get a camera layout reshuffle.

Motorola Edge 2026

SoC
MediaTek Dimensity 7450
RAM
8GB
Front camera
50MP
Display type
Extreme AMOLED
IP Rating
IP69
Main Camera
50MP Sony LTYIA

$599 at Motorola
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