Samsung unveils new Galaxy S26 phones

Samsung has officially unveiled the Galaxy S26 series, marking the third generation of its AI-driven mobile ecosystem. Samsung has officially entered its “agentic” era with the global launch of the Galaxy S26 series. Unveiled on February 25, 2026, at the Galaxy Unpacked event in San Francisco, the new lineup—comprising the Galaxy S26, S26+, and S26 Ultra the lineup is characterized by a shift toward “agentic” AI—technology that moves beyond reactive commands to proactively manage tasks in the background. By integrating advanced hardware with a more intuitive software layer, Samsung aims to reduce the manual friction of daily digital life.

Privacy Display

The flagship S26 Ultra introduces the Privacy Display, a “Flex Magic Pixel” technology, by which the screen narrows light emission to prevent side-angle viewing without requiring external films. When enabled, the screen remains clear from the front but appears dark to onlookers from side angles. Unlike temporary privacy films, this is integrated directly into the panel and can be customized to activate only for specific apps or sensitive tasks, such as entering a PIN.

Performance

Powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy, the Ultra delivers a 19% boost in CPU, 39% in NPU (AI processing), and 24% in GPU performance. To manage this power, Samsung redesigned the thermal system with a larger vapor chamber and improved interface materials. In the U.S., the S26 and S26+ also utilize this Snapdragon platform, while other markets may feature the Exynos 2600. The Ultra supports Super Fast Charging 3.0, reaching a 75% charge in 30 minutes via a 60W adapter.

Proactive AI

Samsung is shifting from reactive tools to proactive agents. The S26 series integrates Bixby, Google Gemini, and Perplexity to handle multi-step tasks.

Now Nudge: Anticipates your needs by suggesting actions, such as finding specific photos when a friend asks for them or checking your calendar for conflicts when a meeting invite arrives.
Now Brief: A smarter morning dashboard that pulls relevant travel updates, reservations, and reminders based on your specific daily context.
Advanced Circle to Search: Now identifies multiple objects at once. You can circle an entire outfit, and it will find the jacket, pants, and shoes in one go.

Camera

While the camera hardware remains familiar, the processing has been overhauled. The S26 Ultra features wider apertures to capture more light, significantly improving low-light “Nightography” for both photos and video. For creators, the series introduces APV (Advanced Professional Video), a professional-grade codec that maintains high quality throughout the editing process. Through the Photo Assist suite, users can describe changes using natural language and the AI will execute the edit with high precision.

Security

Samsung continues to prioritize user privacy through the integration of Samsung Knox and advanced post-quantum cryptography (PQC). Key updates include:

PQC Integration: To ensure long-term data integrity, post-quantum encryption now secures system firmware and eSIM transfers against future cyber threats.
Private Album: Users can now safeguard sensitive media directly within their gallery, eliminating the need for separate folders or accounts.
Privacy Alerts: This feature provides instant notifications if an application tries to access sensitive data without permission.

Core Specifications & Display

S26: 6.3-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X (FHD+), 4,300mAh battery, 25W charging.
S26+: 6.7-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X (QHD+), 4,900mAh battery, 45W charging.
S26 Ultra: 6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X (QHD+), 5,000mAh battery, 60W charging.
Common Features: 120Hz refresh rate, Gorilla Armor 2 protection, and IP68 water/dust resistance.

Colors

Standard Colors: Cobalt Violet, White, Black, and Sky Blue.
Samsung.com Exclusives: Pink Gold and Silver Shadow.

Pricing and Availability

US Pricing: The Galaxy S26 starts at $899, the S26+ at $1,099, and the S26 Ultra at $1,299
Release Date: Pre-orders opened on February 25, with the devices hitting shelves in the US and globally on March 11, 2026.