Samsung today unveiled the Galaxy S26 series, marking the company’s third generation of AI-powered smartphones. The new lineup – consisting of the Galaxy S26, S26+, and S26 Ultra – focuses on integrating artificial intelligence more deeply into everyday mobile experiences, aiming to simplify tasks and improve performance.
According to Samsung, the Galaxy S26 series is engineered around three core capabilities: powerful performance, an industry-leading camera system, and Galaxy AI. TM Roh, CEO and Head of Device eXperience (DX) Division at Samsung Electronics, stated the company’s goal is to make AI “effortless, working quietly in the background so people can focus on what matters.”
The Galaxy S26 Ultra, the flagship model, introduces several key innovations. Notably, it features the world’s first built-in Privacy Display for mobile phones. This technology, developed over more than five years, limits side-angle viewing without requiring a separate screen protector, enhancing privacy in public spaces. The display remains clear when viewed directly but restricts visibility from the sides.
Performance across the S26 series is driven by a customized chipset. The Galaxy S26 Ultra specifically utilizes the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy, offering significant improvements in CPU, GPU, and NPU performance. Samsung reports a CPU performance increase of up to 19%, a 39% improvement in NPU performance, and a 24% boost in GPU performance. These gains are intended to support demanding tasks like gaming, multitasking, and AI-powered features.
To manage the increased processing power, the Galaxy S26 Ultra incorporates a redesigned Vapor Chamber with improved thermal interface material. This design aims to dissipate heat more efficiently, maintaining consistent performance during prolonged use. The device also supports Super Fast Charging 3.0, capable of reaching up to 75% charge in 30 minutes.
Samsung has also focused on visual performance enhancements. The S26 Ultra incorporates ProScaler, which improves image scaling for sharper text and smoother textures, and a mobile Digital Natural Image engine (mDNIe) that delivers more lifelike colors with increased precision.
The camera system across the Galaxy S26 series has also been upgraded. Wider camera apertures allow more light to reach the sensor, improving low-light photography. Enhanced Nightography Video aims to deliver clearer and more vibrant footage in dim conditions. Super Steady video stabilization has been improved with a horizontal lock option for greater stability. The S26 Ultra also supports APV, a professional-grade video codec designed for efficient compression and high-quality production workflows.
AI-powered tools extend to the selfie camera, capturing more natural skin tones and finer detail. Photo editing is also streamlined with AI assistance. Users can now describe desired changes in natural language – for example, changing a daytime scene to nighttime – or restore missing parts of images. A new continuous editing feature allows for step-by-step adjustments and easy undoing of changes.
Creative Studio, a new integrated space, simplifies visual creation. Users can turn sketches, photos, or prompts into polished visuals like stickers or wallpapers without switching between apps. The Document Scan feature uses AI to remove distortions and distractions from scanned documents, automatically organizing multiple images into a single PDF.
Beyond camera and editing, Galaxy AI is integrated into several other areas. Now Nudge provides timely suggestions based on user context, such as suggesting photos from a recent trip when a friend asks for them. Now Brief delivers proactive reminders for events and travel updates. Circle to Search with Google has been upgraded with multi-object recognition, allowing users to explore multiple parts of an image simultaneously.
Bixby, Samsung’s voice assistant, has been upgraded to be more conversational and intuitive. The Galaxy S26 series also integrates Gemini and Perplexity, allowing users to complete tasks with a single button press or voice prompt. These agents can handle multi-step tasks in the background, such as booking a taxi.
Samsung is placing a strong emphasis on privacy and security with the Galaxy S26 series. In addition to the Privacy Display, the devices feature AI-powered Call Screening, which identifies unknown callers and summarizes their intent. Privacy Alerts notify users when apps attempt to access sensitive data unnecessarily. Private Album provides a secure space to hide selected photos and videos.
The Galaxy S26 series also incorporates post-quantum cryptography (PQC) to critical system processes, strengthening device integrity against future threats. Updates to Knox Matrix add PQC-enabled end-to-end encryption for services like eSIM transfers and provide clearer visibility into firmware update status.
The Galaxy S26 series will be available for pre-order starting February 25th. The lineup will be offered in Cobalt Violet, White, Black, and Sky Blue, with Samsung.com exclusives including Pink Gold and Silver Shadow. Samsung Care+ provides comprehensive coverage for accidental damage, extended warranty, and expert support.
The Galaxy S26 Ultra features a 6.9-inch QHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X display, 16GB of RAM, and up to 1TB of storage. The Galaxy S26 and S26+ offer 6.3-inch and 6.7-inch FHD+ and QHD+ displays respectively, with up to 12GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. All models run Android 16 with One UI 8.5 and support 5G connectivity.
