What you need to know
- Samsung launched its Galaxy S26 series today during Unpacked, which sees the Galaxy S26 Ultra taking center stage with a 6.9-inch display and “Privacy Display.”
- All three models feature Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 “For Galaxy” and loads of Agentic AI, upgraded Bixby assistance, Gemini, and more.
- The Galaxy S26 Ultra starts at $1,299, the Plus starts at $1,099, while the base model begins at $899 (pre-orders begin today, too).
Today is the day; Samsung’s Galaxy Unpacked is here, and so is the Galaxy S26 series with everything it has to offer consumers.
As we start to unravel Samsung’s Galaxy Unpacked event, the Galaxy S26 series is the main highlight of that keynote. It was reported that Samsung had started thinking about the S26 during the S24’s time in the sun. More specifically, the company was mulling over its collection of apps with AI, which it first started with the Galaxy S25 series. Agentic AI was another aspect of its ambitions. We’ll get into that in a moment.
First and foremost, the Galaxy S26 Ultra took the stage as the “slimmest ever Ultra” with a revamped, light Amor Aluminum body. The S26 Ultra features a 6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2x display, equipped with Gorilla Armor 2. Aside from this, Samsung announced the S26 Ultra’s display headliner: the Privacy Display.
Samsung touts this as the “world’s first privacy display on mobile,” as it’s built into the phone itself. Privacy Display works by “turning off pixels that project light to angled views.” Users can customize this privacy feature for the following areas: apps, passwords/credentials, and notifications. Users can also enable the Privacy Display with the Ultra’s side-key and with routines.
The Galaxy S26 Ultra is equipped with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy. Samsung states it has infused a deeper integration with Qualcomm’s latest SoC to improve the Ultra’s AI and cameras.
Those cameras are next, as the Galaxy S26 Ultra features four rear lenses: a 50MP ultra-wide lens with an f/1.9 aperture, a 200MP wide (main) lens at f/1.4, a 10MP telephoto, and then a second telephoto lens at 50MP. It’s the second telephoto and the main 200MP camera that Samsung draws attention to, as it states these are its “brightest ever” with a much wider aperture.
The selfie camera features a 12MP sensor. Nightography has been outfitted with an improved algorithm to “remove” noise from videos. The selfie camera grabs an upgrade: 85-degree FOV.
The latest Ultra model from Samsung strives for greater AI, as Samsung returns with more details on Agentic AI. “Now Nudge” is said to “pull up contextual information for you, organize certain photos for you to send.” Now Brief goes up a notch, as Samsung states it can now be “more personalized,” alongside the ability to pull information from your notifications or info based on your routines. The Now Bar becomes “more adaptive” with recommendations.
The Galaxy S26 Ultra stands tall
Similar to the S25 Ultra, the S26 Ultra offers a 5,000mAh battery with Super Fast Charging 3.0 technology. Samsung states this enables the Ultra to charge from 0% to 75% in 30 minutes. This is paired with 25W wireless charging. This has been a hot topic with users, as Samsung confirms it will not feature built-in Qi2 magnets. It adds that this was done to achieve a thin design for its devices; however, all of its accessories have magnets for wireless charging.
The S26 Ultra is available with 12 or 16GB of RAM, alongside 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB of storage. The device is also being made available in Cobalt Violet (flagship color), Sky Blue, Black, and White. Online exclusives include Silver Shadow and Pink Gold.
Users can begin pre-ordering the Galaxy S26 Ultra today (Feb 25) for $1,299. The device will launch officially on the market on March 11.
The Galaxy S26 Plus
As you’d expect, the Galaxy S26 Plus is here once again, and Samsung announced the model with a 6.7-inch display and the same Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy SoC. Consumers eager for this phone should not expect the Privacy Display, as that is an S26 Ultra exclusive feature.
A triple camera array awaits consumers on the Plus version. The S26 Plus delivers a 12MP ultra-wide, a 50MP wide-angle, and a 10MP telephoto lens. Similar to the Galaxy S26 Ultra, the S26 Plus offers AI tools for “creation.” Specifically, Users will find Photos Assist, which lets you use natural speech for your prompts for editing images. Creative Studio brings sticker creation, greeting cards, and wallpapers with ready-made templates, too.
For the generation that loves taking screenshots (like me), Samsung will now automatically organize them into eight categories. Other AI features include Circle to Search, Bixby’s recent updates, and Perplexity integration.
The S26 Plus isn’t missing out on any privacy upgrades. Samsung details Call Screening, stating the “AI will answer unknown numbers and gain information, alongside a viewable transcript.” This is joined by Scam Detection to help protect users from unknowingly submitting their data to malicious individuals.
The Galaxy S26 Plus offers 12GB of RAM paired with 256GB or 512GB of storage. A 4,900mAh battery with 45W wired and 20W wireless charging is included. Consumers can find the S26 Plus in the same colors as the S26 Ultra. The device is available for pre-orders today (Feb 25) for $1,099 ahead of its official market launch on March 11.
The Galaxy S26
Rounding out the main Galaxy Unpacked event announcements is the Galaxy S26. Users will find a 6.3-inch display and the same triple camera array as the Plus: a 12MP ultra-wide, a 50MP wide-angle, and a 10MP telephoto lens. Qualcomm’s “For Galaxy” Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 provides noteworthy boosts beyond a simple clock speed increase.
The Agentic AI and features for sticker generation, AI image editing, and more are all included on the base Galaxy S26. Call Screening and Scam Detection help to protect Galaxy S26 users. When it comes to its battery, the S26 packs a 4,300mAh battery with 25W wired and 15W wireless charging capabilities.
Internally, the device features 12GB of RAM, alongside 256GB and 512GB of storage. Cobalt Violet (flagship color), Sky Blue, Black, and White colorways are what users will typically find, while Silver Shadow and Pink Gold are online exclusives. The Galaxy S26 can be pre-ordered today for $899 before its March 11 arrival on the market.
Android Central’s Take
I’m an Ultra guy, and what Samsung presented during the Galaxy Unpacked event is intriguing. Of course, one of the main highlights is the Privacy Display for the phone. Now, consumers won’t need to purchase a separate accessory (a privacy cover) for their phone. It’s integrated on the device at a hardware level. It’s not like I want anyone around me to see what I’m doing at all times. It’s a matter of privacy, as the name implies. However, what I will say I’m disappointed in is the lack of integrated Qi2 magnets. I was expecting them for this model, yet Samsung disappointed on that front.
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