After months of rumors suggesting a horizontal camera bar for the Galaxy S27 Ultra, a mysterious new sketch shared by well-known leaker Ice Universe may have offered the first glimpse of the flagship’s radically redesigned camera system.

However, Ice Universe did not explicitly confirm that the image depicts the Galaxy S27 Ultra. The sketch shows the back of a smartphone with a horizontal camera bar somewhat reminiscent of the iPhone 17 Pro. Two cameras are arranged vertically on the right, while an elongated section on the left could house a third camera and the flash.

Although no device was named, Ice Universe has built a reputation for leaks involving Samsung products. That makes it plausible that the sketch could represent the design of a future Galaxy model.

Could the Galaxy S27 Ultra get a horizontal camera bar?

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This Galaxy model could abandon Samsung’s current camera arrangement. Photo: @TheGalox

If the design does make it into production, it would mark a notable shift for Samsung after years of sticking with vertically arranged rear cameras.

The horizontal camera bar has long been associated with Google’s Pixel lineup. Apple also embraced a broader horizontal camera treatment last year, although it retained a relatively familiar arrangement for the individual lenses.

What makes the possibility particularly interesting is Samsung’s previous confidence in its current design language. Earlier this year, Lee Ji-young, vice president of design at Samsung’s Mobile eXperience division, described the Galaxy S26 design as “perfect,” while emphasizing that the vertically arranged cameras were an important part of the Galaxy brand identity.

Recent leaks, however, suggest Samsung could be preparing to move away from that approach.

A patent filing spotted by SammyGuru also indicates that Samsung has been exploring a future device featuring a horizontally arranged camera system.

If the change materializes, the Galaxy S27 Ultra could not only look substantially different but is also expected to feature a faster processor, new software capabilities and improved ergonomics.

Samsung would not exactly be “copying” its rivals

Although horizontal camera bars are becoming increasingly common, Samsung would not simply be following its competitors. The company previously used a horizontal camera arrangement on the Galaxy S10, released in 2019.

The new layout could even address some practical limitations of the current design. Large vertically arranged rear camera modules can sometimes complicate the positioning of accessories designed around the Qi2 wireless charging standard. Some users have also complained that protruding camera modules cause phones to wobble when placed flat on a table.

Moving to a horizontal camera bar, therefore, might be about more than simply giving the phone a fresh look. It could also deliver practical improvements to the overall user experience.

If Samsung does adopt the new design, the company may not introduce it across the entire Galaxy S27 lineup immediately. The Galaxy S27 Ultra appears to be the most likely candidate to debut the change.

Hai Phong