Samsung makes some of the best smartphones on the market, but its oversized camera bumps are hard to ignore. Enthusiasts are no strangers to the “table wobble” issue caused by large camera sensors and lenses, but the vertical design language on Galaxy phones, while recognizable, is quickly becoming a problem.
The camera hump problem
Samsung’s flagship phones wobble more than ever
Samsung’s phones are slowly but surely getting thinner than ever, while still delivering powerful cameras, fast performance, and AI smarts. However, as our phones thin out and Samsung continues to push for higher megapixels and crazy zoom levels, those camera bumps are not just an eyesore and a small tradeoff—but something that actually needs fixing.
Show someone the back of a flagship Galaxy phone from the last 6+ years, and most people will know it’s a Samsung from the camera design and layout, especially on the Ultra line. With each new release, those camera lenses get bigger and taller, becoming an increasingly serious issue. The Galaxy Z Fold 7 is great, but it wobbles like crazy on a table.
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Earlier this year, I reviewed the Galaxy S26 Ultra, and while it’s an excellent phone, the wobble is hard to ignore. See, the phone is virtually impossible to use if it’s on a table or at your desk, and you want to quickly check a notification or respond to a message. Typing is a hassle, and swiping causes it to rock back and forth viciously.
And don’t even try using the S-Pen stylus without holding the phone in your other hand. It wobbles too much to be remotely usable. Tech YouTuber MKBHD briefly shows the problem in this video, but quickly dismisses it and suggests you buy a case.
Basically, Samsung’s little camera bump is now a huge island, with camera rings on top of that island, making it far worse than ever before.
Just put a case on it, right?
No, a case won’t fix your Galaxy S26 Ultra wobble
Most people use a case these days, and in previous generations, all you needed to do was put your Galaxy phone in one. Unfortunately, that’s not enough on the Galaxy S26 Ultra and Z Fold 7, and it’ll probably be even worse with the Galaxy S27 Ultra in 2027.
Every case I’ve tried (and I bought 5) hasn’t solved the S26 Ultra wobble. I’m not the only one, either, and you’ll find complaints and entire Reddit threads about which case might make this phone more usable. Spoiler: none. Owners have even resorted to buying the thickest cases or adding rubber pads to the back to get the phone to lie flat.
So far, my only solution is a small stick-on Spigen kickstand accessory that I attached to the back of my case. It allows the phone to sit mostly flat. It still wobbles, but just barely.
But after buying a $1,300 phone, I shouldn’t have to go out and get a case, some accessories, or throw an adhesive rubber bumper pad on the back to make it usable. It’s a problem, and I don’t think Samsung cares.
Samsung’s design language needs to change
Everyone else has it figured out, even Apple
At this point, Samsung really needs to take a good look at its “design identity” and realize it’s a huge problem. We need an iPhone 17 Pro Max-style camera plateau, or a Google Pixel camera visor, or something along those lines.
According to 9to5Google, in a recent interview, Samsung’s SVP Lee Ji-young said they would “give the Galaxy S26 product design a perfect score,” then added that its stylish curved design and vertically arranged triple-cameras are “the core identity of the Galaxy.”
Sure, I love that a Samsung Galaxy phone looks unique vs. most of the competition, but that “core identity” is flawed, especially in 2026. The vertical camera layout worked 10 years ago, or even with the Galaxy S21 Ultra, but with the huge camera sensors these days, it’s no longer ideal.
Google fully fixed this issue with its camera visor that stretches horizontally across the entire device, and Apple’s plateau does a good job of preventing wobble, too. But hey, if you want a phone that’s as wobbly as ever, but is “recognizable”, buy a Samsung.
The wobble is only half the issue
Vertical cameras cause problems with accessories
Arguably worse than the wobble is how those huge vertical cameras get in the way of functional accessories or excellent features like Qi2 charging. In the Galaxy S25 Ultra above, a magnetic wallet covers that third camera. Gross.
It’s no secret that YouTubers, bloggers, and customers all expected Qi2 support on the Galaxy S25 Ultra, and again with the S26 Ultra, but nope. You’ll have to buy a third-party case instead, and then hope it doesn’t have alignment issues. Wallets like the model above, Pop Sockets, and many charging docks or accessories have issues with Galaxy phones.
Swap the design for something new and better
At this point, Samsung’s overall design language, style, and format for the flagship Galaxy S series is played out and tired. We’ve seen the same look year in and year out, with no substantial changes. That’s why most Galaxy S26 Ultra reviews suggest keeping your S25 Ultra, or S24 Ultra, or even the S23 Ultra.
Samsung, it’s time for a change.
