Samsung is about to do something that would have seemed unthinkable a few years ago: copy Apple’s camera design. New renders of the Galaxy S27 Ultra show a horizontal rectangular camera bar on the back, and yes, it looks a lot like the iPhone 17 Pro Max. Whether that’s bold or just lazy depends on your perspective, but either way, this is the biggest visual shakeup the Ultra line has seen in years.
According to SamMobile, Android Headlines published renders based on 3D CAD models sourced from well-known leakster OnLeaks. The renders show three cameras sitting inside a wide, horizontal bar across the back of the phone. That’s a sharp break from the vertical camera layout Samsung has stuck with through multiple generations of Galaxy S flagships.
So why does this matter? Because Samsung and Apple have spent years pushing very different design philosophies, and the S Ultra line has always had its own distinct identity. A rectangular camera bar this close in style to what Apple shipped on the iPhone 17 Pro Max will invite comparisons the moment anyone spots it across a coffee shop. Samsung is essentially walking into that conversation on purpose.
On the size front, the S27 Ultra reportedly measures 163.76 x 78.25 x 7.97mm, which puts it almost exactly in line with the Galaxy S26 Ultra. So if you were hoping Samsung would slim things down or shrink the footprint, that’s not happening here. The changes are mostly on the surface.
The charging specs are also worth noting. The phone is expected to support:
- 60W fast wired charging
- 25W Qi2 fast wireless charging via built-in magnets
The wireless charging number is a real step up, and Qi2 support with magnets is something Android fans have been asking about for a while. But 60W wired is still behind what Chinese rivals like Xiaomi offer, so Samsung still isn’t swinging for the fences on charging speed.
These are early renders, not final hardware, so details could shift before any official reveal. But with multiple reports now pointing in the same direction, the horizontal camera bar is looking less like a rumor and more like a done deal. Love it or hate it, the S27 Ultra is shaping up to be a phone that starts arguments.