Samsung’s live Galaxy S26 Unpacked launch event starts. The company introduces its latest flagship lineup with a clear focus on refinement and integration. Samsung emphasizes a lighter Ultra design, expanded AI capabilities, a new hardware-based privacy display, and more. Here is what Samsung is bringing to the Galaxy S26, S26+, and S26 Ultra.
Attractive, Slimmer, Lighter
Samsung has aligned the design language across the Galaxy S26, S26+, and S26 Ultra. All three share the same corner curvature and a camera module design that visually emphasizes the camera system without dramatically altering the silhouette.
The Ultra is described as “the slimmest and lightest Ultra to date”. In hand, it immediately feels surprisingly light for its class. Samsung replaced last year’s titanium frame with an upgraded Armor Aluminum. The company says this is its strongest aluminum formulation so far.
Gorilla Armor 2 protects the Ultra’s front display, while the base and Plus models use Gorilla Glass Victus 2. Samsung also increased the number of recycled materials used in construction.
Immediately feels surprisingly light for its class
One notable design decision is the absence of built-in magnets. Samsung chose to preserve thinness and weight, integrating magnets into many of its official cases instead. For users who rely on magnetic accessories, this shifts functionality to the accessory layer rather than the phone itself.
Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy and Thermal Update
All models are powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 “for Galaxy”. The Ultra uses Snapdragon globally, while the base and Plus models use it in “select regions”.
This platform features Qualcomm’s 3rd Gen Oryon CPU, Adreno GPU, and Hexagon NPU. Samsung emphasizes that this is a deeper collaboration with Qualcomm than in previous generations, hence the “for Galaxy” in some official language. I interpret it as Qualcomm spending more engineering resources to tune things for Samsung.
The customization extends to camera processing and AI workloads, with a clear focus on responsiveness and efficiency. Connectivity is handled by Qualcomm FastConnect 7900. Ultra and Plus models also include integrated Ultra-Wideband.
To support sustained performance, Samsung redesigned the Ultra’s vapor chamber. Despite the thinner chassis, the cooling system now covers a larger surface area. This matters because many of the S26 features, including AI processing and video stabilization, rely on sustained computational performance.
Camera
Samsung describes the S26 as its best Galaxy camera yet. This is represented by the Ultra. Its main wide-angle lens features a brighter f/1.4 aperture and a 200MP sensor. Samsung worked closely with Qualcomm to optimize the image signal processing pipeline.
For video creators, the Ultra introduces support for the Samsung APV professional codec. Samsung says this enables high-quality, near-lossless workflows up to 8K at 30 frames per second. This is the first time the codec appears on a Galaxy device.
Brighter f/1.4 aperture and a 200MP sensor
Real-time horizon lock video stabilization is the real surprise
One of the most interesting additions is real-time horizon lock stabilization. Using gyro and accelerometer data, the phone can maintain a level horizon even if you rotate the device around its depth axis. The effect resembles a built-in gimbal. It is a thoughtful UX feature because it improves perceived production quality without requiring user expertise or extra hardware.
Editing tools in the Gallery app also expand. Photo Assist now supports natural language prompts for editing, including multimodal inputs. You can combine elements from different images through simple instructions.
Creative Studio centralizes sticker and content creation tools. Audio Eraser, introduced previously, now works in select third-party apps. Samsung also added a screenshot organizer that automatically categorizes screenshots into practical groups such as receipts or QR codes.
Display: 1 Billion Colors and TV-Derived Processing
All three Galaxy S26 models support 10-bit video and 10-bit display, enabling up to 1 billion color shades. Samsung’s MDNIe display processing improves color gradation and consistency.
The Plus and Ultra models include ProScaler, a technology derived from Samsung’s TV division. It enhances lower-resolution content for sharper viewing. This cross-division reuse of display expertise reflects Samsung’s broader ecosystem strategy.
Pixel-Level Privacy Display
The Galaxy S26 Ultra introduces a hardware privacy display. It limits viewing angles to roughly 15 degrees on each side by selectively controlling pixel illumination. The feature works in both portrait and landscape orientations and is technically very impressive, exclusive to Samsung, which developed it over multiple years.
Users can configure it to activate automatically for specific apps or when entering passwords. It can also be toggled manually or integrated into routines. Samsung says it does not increase battery consumption, since fewer pixels are actively illuminated when privacy mode is engaged.
This is one of the few genuinely new hardware-level privacy features introduced in the whole industry.
AI Features That Aim to Be Practical
Samsung continues expanding Galaxy AI but avoids presenting it as a standalone novelty. The focus is on everyday utility, which is an objective I can endorse. Samsung explicitly measures success by gauging how much time users save. For example, whether complex actions could come down to a single tap.
Nudge integrates into the Samsung Keyboard and suggests contextual actions while messaging. It can pull calendar events, contacts, or photos based on conversation context. Uber integration allows users to book a ride through voice commands, with steps executed in the background.
The focus is on everyday utility
Brief aggregates relevant information from notifications, not just calendar entries. Now, Bar surfaces contextual live notifications before unlocking the device.
Bixby also receives an upgrade with an on-device large language model. It knows and understands the device and can suggest or trigger adjustments. For example, if you mention eye strain, it may suggest activating eye comfort settings.
Call Screening uses AI to voice-answer incoming calls first, transcribing the caller’s reason before you decide to pick up. Transcripts are searchable later. Scam Detection analyzes conversations and known blacklisted numbers to warn users about suspicious calls. This is a spot-on use of AI to drain scammers’ time and save yours.
Charging Speeds Increase
Charging speeds vary by model. The Ultra supports 60W wired charging for the first time, which Samsung says can reach 75 percent in about 30 minutes. The Plus supports 45W, and the base model supports 25W. Wireless charging speeds also increase across the lineup.
It remains to be seen which chargers are required to reach full charging speed. It’s certain that Samsung will supply some options, but what about USB-PD support, for example? We’ll have to test it.
Various OEMs have demonstrated very high charging speeds before, even exceeding 100W. However, I see that broader compatibility with fast-charging is generally more important in practice.
Availability
Preorders begin February 25, with general availability starting in March.
As Samsung’s new tip of the spear, the Galaxy S26 series obviously refines the hardware, strengthens the silicon foundation, and introduces a few distinctive features, such as pixel-level privacy and real-time horizon lock video.
The full impact of these changes will depend on real-world testing -we’ll see- but Samsung’s direction is clear: tighter integration across hardware, software, and AI rather than isolated spec escalation.
The S26 Series is visually appealing, powered by robust hardware, equipped with high-performance cameras, and focused on usability. Is it as good as it sounds? There’s only one way to know – stay tuned for our Ubergizmo Review.
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