- Samsung unveiled the Galaxy S26 lineup focusing on AI features and privacy, not design changes
- The Galaxy S26 Ultra introduces a Privacy Display that limits screen viewing angles for security
- All S26 models use the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip with improved AI-driven camera software
Samsung Electronics Co. unveiled its Galaxy S26 lineup of smartphones, with an emphasis on artificial intelligence features and real-world privacy over major design changes.
The new devices, announced Wednesday at an event in San Francisco, include the extra-large Galaxy S26 Ultra ($1,300), the Galaxy S26 Plus ($1,100) and the more standard-sized Galaxy S26 ($900) - with prices that put Samsung in direct competition with Apple Inc.'s iPhone 17 line. While the Ultra costs the same as its predecessor, the Plus and S26 are both $100 more expensive than last year's models, an increase that may partially be explained by the ongoing memory chip crunch.
The South Korean company also announced two pairs of earbuds, the $249 Galaxy Buds 4 Pro and the $179 Galaxy Buds 4. All of the new Galaxy products are available for pre-order immediately and will arrive in stores March 11.
With Samsung's new handsets, design and camera upgrades mostly take a backseat to AI software additions. That's a risky gambit when many consumers choose to hold off on trading in their phone until there's a new model with meaningfully different hardware. It's no coincidence, for example, that Apple's record sales last quarter coincided with the release of the iPhone 17 series, which brought a fresh look and new color options.
Still, with the new Galaxy S26 lineup, Samsung is making the case that it can persuade customers to upgrade without many significant exterior changes.
Galaxy S26 Ultra
The Galaxy S26 Ultra's cameras now let in more light, which should produce better shots in dim conditions. Photo Credit: Bloomberg
There is at least one exception to that: The high-end Galaxy S26 Ultra introduces what Samsung calls a "Privacy Display." When this mode is activated, the phone's 6.9-inch screen becomes much harder to view from the side, above or below.
The effect is similar to using a third-party screen protector, but Samsung has built the privacy measure directly into the Ultra by turning off the pixels that would normally make the device more visible off angle.
The Privacy Display can be left on at all times if a user wants. Alternatively, it can also be set to automatically engage if specific apps are opened - like banking software, Gmail, Slack or anything that might involve sensitive data. Another mode shields notifications only, and Privacy Display can also be configured to turn on whenever a user is prompted to enter a password or PIN.
Privacy Display, a new feature offered on the Galaxy S26 Ultra, makes the phone harder for people nearby to snoop on. In this image, the screen is fully illuminated. Photo Credit: Bloomberg
Removing the need for a privacy screen protector lets S26 Ultra buyers enjoy the phone's anti-reflective display, which did better at fending off glare in a hands-on demonstration this week when compared with the iPhone 17 series.
Like Apple did with its revamped Pro models, Samsung has moved away from using titanium side rails and switched back to aluminum. That allowed it to shave off some weight for the S26 Ultra, resulting in what the company hails as its lightest and thinnest version yet.
The phone's cameras offer the same resolution as before - 200 megapixels for the main sensor and 50 megapixels for the zoom lenses - but they're capable of letting in more light thanks to a wider aperture. This should be beneficial in dimly lit environments, and Samsung has also optimized its "Nightography" video mode to recognize the noise patterns from each lens and automatically remove it from clips taken in the dark.
The high-end Ultra model can charge the fastest of all three S26 phones: It supports 65-watt wired charging - which can take the battery from empty to 75% in 30 minutes - along with 25-watt wireless charging. The company has also upgraded the internal vapor chamber to dissipate heat faster and more efficiently for those who use the device to its fullest.
The Ultra's signature S Pen stylus remains built into the device, though it doesn't offer any new features this year.
Galaxy S26 Plus and S26
The Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus Photo Credit: Bloomberg
The 6.7-inch Galaxy S26 Plus and 6.2-inch S26 are tamer in comparison. Like the Ultra, they're powered by Qualcomm Inc.'s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip. Samsung hasn't made meaningful changes to the camera hardware, but it has added some fun new software tricks. Within the Super Steady stabilization video mode is a "Horizontal Lock" feature that will keep the horizon level while recording - similar to a gimbal - even when physically rotating the phone in your hand. This could appeal to those seeking creative perspectives for social media clips.
Much like Google's recent Pixel phones, Samsung is bringing natural-language image editing to the S26 lineup. You can capture a photo and describe in a few words what to change or add to the image, and the company's generative AI tools will make it so. Call screening and in-call scam detection are also now present.
AI Features Everywhere
The Gemini AI assistant on a Samsung S26 Ultra Photo Credit: Bloomberg
Samsung earlier this week said that the Galaxy S26 phones will include built-in support for Perplexity's AI technology, letting users quickly access its agent by saying "Hey Plex." The partnership runs deeper than that, with Perplexity also powering improvements to real-time web answers from Samsung's own Bixby assistant, a spokesperson for the AI company said.
In addition, Bixby has gotten better at helping users adjust settings or find lesser-known features through natural conversation, according to Samsung.
Perplexity is framing this as the first deal of its kind, with Samsung embracing a multi-agent philosophy that grants AI platforms deep system access and hooks into apps like Notes, Calendar, Gallery, Clock and Reminders. In the coming months, Perplexity will be deeply integrated within Samsung's mobile web browser app, Samsung Internet.
But Google Gemini is still strongly represented across the S26 line. It's already the default assistant, and with its new phones, Samsung will let users trigger automated app actions through voice commands - like "get me an Uber to SFO." Gemini will go through the steps of performing that request. Users can observe everything as it goes and intervene or cancel at any time. A final confirmation step is required from the user before Gemini actually hails any ride.
Uber Technologies Inc. is the only launch partner for this feature, but Samsung said it's hopeful that companies like Instacart and DoorDash Inc. will also sign on.
In an interview ahead of Samsung's press conference, Sameer Samat, a Google president overseeing the Android ecosystem, said that Gemini's automated actions will be a significant focus of Android 17 later this year. For now, the company is working with Samsung to offer an early preview in the US and South Korea.
Google's Circle to Search, which lets users circle anything on their phone's screen for more information (like shopping links), is also being updated to allow multiple selections at once. This feature will arrive first on the S26 series and roll out to Pixel phones in the near future.
Samsung has also tried to dial up the usefulness of Now Brief, its AI-powered feature that shows relevant reminders and other information throughout the day. The feature has been underwhelming since its debut, but now it can pull data from app notifications and tap into usage habits to provide a better snapshot of your day on the lock screen.
Galaxy Buds 4 Pro
The Galaxy Buds 4 Pro. Photo Credit: Bloomberg
The higher-end Galaxy Buds 4 Pro take aim at Apple's AirPods Pro 3, while the lower-priced Galaxy Buds 4 competes with the AirPods 4 and similarly priced earbuds from other brands. Both include active noise cancellation.
Samsung said the Buds 4 Pro deliver deeper bass response and continue to offer high-resolution wireless streaming that Apple hasn't yet matched. But the company is playing catchup with the AirPods in other ways, like adding speech detection and head gestures for answering or ignoring calls.
The Buds 4 Pro last a maximum of six hours on a single charge with active noise cancellation turned on, or seven hours with it off. The case brings that to a total of 26 hours or 30 hours, also depending on whether ANC is enabled. Playback time on the Buds 4 is slightly shorter since they have a smaller battery.
