Samsung has announced the Galaxy S26 series, featuring the Galaxy S26 Ultra, Galaxy S26+, and Galaxy S26 at its Galaxy Unpacked event, as it had promised.
Hardware and Design: The Galaxy S26 Ultra
The flagship Galaxy S26 Ultra introduces several notable changes to the device’s physical and internal architecture.
- Slimmer Profile: The device measures 7.9 mm in thickness, making it the slimmest Ultra model Samsung has released to date.
- Privacy Display: The S26 Ultra is the first mobile phone to feature a built-in Privacy Display. Utilizing a combination of hardware and software, the screen is designed to restrict viewing angles, protecting on-screen information from onlookers in public spaces like cafés or public transit.
- Processor: The device is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 Mobile Platform for Galaxy.
- Charging: Samsung has introduced Super Fast Charging 3.0, which is reported to charge the battery to 75% capacity in 30 minutes with new 60W charger.
Camera Specifications
The S26 Ultra incorporates several hardware and software updates aimed at mobile photography and videography:
- Low-Light Capabilities: The camera system features wider apertures to facilitate better low-light photography, alongside enhanced “Nightography Video” for clearer footage in dim environments.
- Video Stabilization and Formatting: The device utilizes upgraded Super Steady technology for stabilized video capture. Furthermore, it is the first Galaxy smartphone to support the Advanced Professional Video (APV) standard, which provides more efficient compression for high-quality video files.
- Front-Facing Camera: The selfie camera benefits from AI Image Signal Processor (ISP) improvements, designed to render natural skin tones and capture finer details in mixed lighting conditions.
Software and “Agentic AI” Features
The Galaxy S26 series emphasizes what Samsung categorizes as “Agentic AI,” shifting toward software that actively manages tasks rather than waiting for direct user inputs.
- Now Nudge & Now Brief: The series introduces “Now Nudge” to provide contextual, timely suggestions, alongside real-time features like “Now Brief.”
- Conversational Bixby: Bixby has been upgraded to act as a conversational device agent. Users can navigate the phone and adjust settings using natural language, eliminating the need to memorize exact command phrasing.
- Third-Party Integrations: The devices feature an enhanced “Circle to Search” tool and deeper integration with established AI platforms, including Gemini and Perplexity. Additionally, the native AI photo editing tools have received updates.
Security and Longevity
To address device security and software lifespan, Samsung has included Private Album features and its proprietary Knox Matrix protection. Committing to long-term support, the company stated that the Galaxy S26 series will receive seven generations of operating system upgrades and seven years of security updates, similar to older S series phones.
Samsung Galaxy S26 and Galaxy S26+ specifications
- 6.3-inch (2340 x 1080 pixels) FHD+ (S26) / 6.7-inch (3120 x 1440 pixels) QHD+ (S26+) Infinity-O Dynamic AMOLED 2X Display, 1-120Hz adaptive refresh rate, Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 protection
- Up to 3.9 GHz Deca-Core Samsung Exynos 2600 processor with Xclipse 960 GPU / Up to 4.74 GHz Octa-Core Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy 3nm Mobile Platform with Adreno 840 GPU
- 12GB RAM with 256GB / 512GB storage
- Android 16 with One UI 8.5
- Dual SIM (nano + nano / eSIM)
- 50MP rear camera with 1/1.56″ sensor, f/1.8 aperture, OIS, 12MP 120° 1/2.55″ Ultra Wide camera with f/2.2 aperture, 10MP Telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom, f/2.4 aperture, OIS, 4K 60 fps, 8K 30fps, LED Flash
- 12MP front camera with f/2.2 aperture, 4K 60 fps
- Dust and Water resistant (IP68)
- S26 Dimensions: 149.6 x 71.7 x 7.2mm; Weight: 167g
- S26+ Dimensions: 158.4 x 75.8 x 7.3mm; Weight: 190g
- 5G SA/NSA, 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 7 802.11be (2.4/5GHz), Bluetooth 5.4, GPS + GLONASS, USB-C, NFC
- 4300mAh (S26) / 4900mAh (S26+) battery with support for 25W (S26) / 45W (S26+) fast charging, 20W Qi2 wireless charging, Wireless PowerShare
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra specifications
- 6.9-inch (3120 x 1440 pixels) Quad HD+ Infinity-O-Edge Dynamic AMOLED Display, 1-120Hz refresh rate, Corning Gorilla Armor 2 protection
- Up to 4.74 GHz Octa-Core Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy 3nm Mobile Platform with Adreno 840 GPU
- 12GB / 16GB RAM with 256GB / 512GB/ 1TB storage
- Android 15 with One UI 8.5
- Dual SIM (nano + nano / eSIM)
- 200MP rear camera with 1/1.3″ sensor, f/1.6 aperture, OIS, 50MP 120° Ultra Wide sensor with f/1.9 aperture, 10MP Telephoto lens for 3x optical zoom, f/2.4 aperture, OIS, 50MP Periscope telephoto lens for 5x optical zoom, 100x Space Zoom, f/2.9 aperture, Laser autofocus, 4K 60 fps, 8K 30fps, LED Flash
- 12MP front camera with f/2.2 aperture, 4K 60 fps
- Dust and Water resistant (IP68)
- Dimensions:163.6 x 78.1 x 7.9mm; Weight: 214g
- 5G SA/NSA, 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 7 802.11be (2.4/5GHz), Bluetooth 6.0, UWB, GPS + GLONASS, USB-C, NFC
- 5000mAh battery with 60W fast charging, 25W Qi2 wireless charging
Pricing and availability
The Samsung Galaxy S26 series phones come in Cobalt Violet, White, Black and Sky Blue colours
- Samsung Galaxy S26 12GB + 256GB – USD 899.99 (INR 81,815 approx.) / GBP 879 / Euros 999
- Samsung Galaxy S26 12GB + 512GB – USD 1099.99 (INR 99,995 approx.) / GBP 1049 / Euros 1199
- Samsung Galaxy S26+ 12GB + 256GB – USD 1099.99 (INR 99,995 approx.) / GBP 1099 / Euros 1269
- Samsung Galaxy S26+ 12GB + 512GB – USD 1299.99 (INR 1,18,180 approx.) / GBP 1269 / Euros 1469
- Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra 12GB + 256GB – USD 1299.99 (INR 1,18,180 approx.) / GBP 1279 / EUR 1469
- Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra 5G 12GB + 512GB – USD 1499.99 (INR 1,36,360 approx.) / GBP 1449 / EUR 1699
- Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra 5G 16GB + 1TB – USD 1799.99 (INR 1,63,635 approx.) / GBP 1529 / EUR 1969
The phones will be available to pre-order from today, February 25th, and will start shipping from March 11th in several countries.