Samsung unveiled its Galaxy S26 series and the Buds4 at an Unpacked event Wednesday, emphasizing novel privacy display technology and advanced artificial intelligence capabilities. The launch, held in London and San Francisco, signals a continued refinement of Samsung’s flagship smartphone line rather than a radical overhaul, according to early reviews.
The Galaxy S26 lineup consists of three models: the S26, S26+, and S26 Ultra. The S26 Ultra distinguishes itself with a new privacy display, designed to protect visual data from prying eyes. TechRadar’s hands-on impressions noted that discerning visual differences between the S26 Ultra and previous models may be difficult, but the privacy display represents a key upgrade.
The devices feature the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy chipset and will ship with Android 16. RAM options include 12GB and 16GB, with storage capacities ranging from 256GB to 1TB. The S26 Ultra boasts a 6.9-inch AMOLED 2X display with a resolution of 3120 x 1440 pixels and a refresh rate of 1-120Hz. The phone weighs 214g and measures 163.6 mm (height) x 78.1 mm (width) x 7.9 mm (depth).
Beyond hardware, Samsung is heavily promoting the “agentic AI” features integrated into the S26 series. Details regarding the specific functionality of this AI remain limited, but the company highlighted its potential to enhance user experience, and productivity. The new phones also include a 200MP main camera.
Pricing and pre-order details were announced at the Unpacked event, though specific figures vary by model and region. TechRepublic reported that the event spotlighted both pricing and pre-order deals, suggesting a competitive launch strategy.
The launch of the Galaxy S26 series follows what some observers describe as a period of iterative updates from Samsung. TechRadar characterized the S26 series as “as iterative as Galaxy phones can be,” suggesting a focus on refinement rather than groundbreaking innovation. Despite this, the S26 Ultra is positioned as a contender for one of the most refined flagship phones of the year.
