Samsung Drops Galaxy S27 Ultra's 3x Camera as 200MP S27 Pro Gains 12MP Telephoto

3 articles · Updated · Android Police · Aug 11

Samsung is reportedly splitting the Galaxy S27 lineup more sharply by giving the S27 Pro a 12MP 3x telephoto while removing the S27 Ultra’s 3x lens entirely.
The move appears driven less by pure camera upgrades than by product separation, BOM pressure and chip shortages, after an earlier S27 Pro prototype with a 50MP 3.5x ALoP telephoto was apparently shelved.
On current leaks, both phones would share a 200MP main camera and 50MP ultrawide, while the Ultra keeps a 50MP 5x periscope to anchor its premium positioning.
That leaves the Ultra with a gap between 1x and 5x zoom, where Samsung would likely rely on cropping from the 200MP sensor and AI processing rather than dedicated hardware.
The strategy could make each model easier to market on its own terms, but it also raises questions about whether the Ultra’s real-world intermediate zoom will match rivals with fuller telephoto setups.