Apple copycat or practical upgrade? Leaked Galaxy S27 Ultra camera design leaves some fans unimpressed.

The supposedly leaked design of the Galaxy S27 Ultra, featuring a new camera island, is drawing a largely negative response online, with many Galaxy users criticizing the new look as reminiscent of Apple or Chinese brands such as Honor and Huawei.

But the alleged new design, rumored since earlier this year, may have been intended to enhance compatibility with MagSafe-like wireless charging features, according to market observers.

The computer-aided design (CAD) renderings of the S27 Ultra, disclosed by tipster Ice Universe, feature two vertically aligned camera lenses instead of the traditional three, and now include a camera bump similar to those on other phone models from Apple, Honor, and Huawei.

Perhaps anticipating the backlash, the tipster warned Samsung’s smartphone division to brace for “the most intense wave of criticism in Galaxy history.”

Samsung has not confirmed if the leaked designs are real.

A sweeping design change is usually met with criticism, as consumers tend to gravitate toward familiarity. However, the backlash is especially strong this time because users were hoping for an innovative form factor, not a design similar to other phones.

"You can literally make the camera bump any shape, and you decide to make it the generic iPhone shape," wrote one commenter in a thread that has garnered over 300 replies. 

Another echoed the sentiment, saying Samsung has grown into a standalone smartphone manufacturer and that the company should feel "ashamed" now that it has "Apple chasing them on RAM and folds."

Some also complained that the Ultra variant's camera count is lower than that of the base model.

Leaks of the S27 lineup have circulated for a year, all pointing to similar camera bumps but differing in the number and placement of lenses. The latest version from Ice Universe drew added attention because the leaker has a strong track record, which cuts both ways – some users are hoping he's wrong this time.

"The collective hive mind here has already decided these CADs are the final launch product and that we should hate it," another poster wrote.

Others focused on the circular element on the back of the rendering, which resembles the MagSafe-style magnetic charging design that Galaxy users have gravitated toward since Apple introduced it in 2020.

A smaller group defended the new look, arguing that internal layout changes to cooling, battery and magnetic charging are driving the redesign more than any intent to mimic Apple.

"Finally centering the cameras," one poster wrote. "No more wobble" — referring to the way a phone rocks on a flat surface when tapped or typed on because of the raised camera module.

The camera plateau, introduced with the iPhone 17 Pro series, also drew backlash from users who preferred a sleek, smooth design. It remains to be seen whether the leaked renderings reflect the final version of the upcoming S27, which is expected to launch early next year.

BY LEE JAE-LIM [[email protected]]