Although Mobile World Congress approaches soon, Samsung jumped ahead of competitors unveiling fresh smartphones by hosting its most recent Unpacked gathering on Wednesday. Held at the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco, the presentation introduced the Galaxy S26 range, encompassing the standard S26, the enhanced S26+, and the premium S26 Ultra. Our team spent time testing each model firsthand, with detailed accounts of the S26 Ultra encounter and initial thoughts on the S26 and S26+ available in separate reports.
Beyond the smartphones, Samsung introduced the Galaxy Buds 4 earphones alongside various artificial intelligence enhancements. All products debuted at the event are now open for pre-orders for eager buyers. Below is a comprehensive overview of the revelations from this Unpacked session.
Samsung has launched its annual smartphone refresh with the Galaxy S26 models. Addressing the downside first, the S26 and S26+ carry a $100 price hike over prior versions, influenced partly by ongoing RAM supply issues. The entry-level S26 begins at $900 for the 256GB version, while the S26+ starts at $1,100 for similar storage.
This year's design adjustments include softer, rounded edges to better match the S26 Ultra's aesthetic. The standard S26 features a 6.3-inch screen, up from the S25's size, and the S26+ retains its 6.7-inch panel but with improved resolution surpassing the base model's capabilities. Additionally, the S26's battery has grown to 4,300mAh compared to the S25.
In regions like North America, China, and Japan, the devices will use Qualcomm processors instead of Samsung's Exynos 2600. Buyers in these areas will find the S26 and S26+ powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor.
The rear camera setups mirror those from the previous generation, yet Samsung plans to elevate their performance through other advancements, including ProScaler for image enhancement and an MDNIe processor promising superior color accuracy. A new stabilization tool maintains a steady horizon during footage of moving subjects like people or animals, ideal for dynamic captures. The Object Aware Engine enhances rendering of skin and hair for superior selfie results. Certain AI tools have been refined, extending Now Brief and Auto Eraser support to additional applications.
Pre-orders for the S26 and S26+ begin immediately, with shipping set for March 11. Options include purple, blue, black, white, silver, and rose gold finishes, the last two limited to online purchases.
Matching the timeline and shades of its counterparts, the Galaxy S26 Ultra launches on March 11 with pre-orders available now. It maintains the S25 Ultra's starting price of $1,300.
The S26 Ultra sports a 6.9-inch AMOLED screen at QHD+ resolution of 3120 by 1440 pixels and a 120Hz refresh rate. Beyond these specs, the panel conceals what may be the phone's standout innovation.
This model introduces a smartphone-first Privacy Display function, designed to obscure screen content from side views. Activating it slightly dims the brightness, and users can tailor it extensively.
Customization allows the Privacy Display to engage during PIN or password prompts, incoming alerts, or specific app launches. For example, it could shield financial app views from prying eyes on crowded public transport, proving practical for sensitive scenarios.
Like the other models, the S26 Ultra employs the identical processor. It offers 12GB or 16GB RAM configurations and storage choices of 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB. The battery capacity reaches 5,000mAh, exceeding the rest of the lineup, and includes Super Fast Charging 3.0 compatibility. Notably, the series lacks integrated Qi2 magnets for wireless charging, an unexpected omission in 2026.
The front-facing camera matches the S26 and S26+ specs. On the back, it includes a 50MP ultrawide, 200MP main sensor, dual 10MP 3x telephoto lenses, and a 50MP 5x telephoto. While resolutions align with the S25 Ultra, the primary 200MP and 5x sensors now feature broader apertures for enhanced light capture. The S26 Ultra inherits all camera and AI software from the base models.
Full reviews of these devices are forthcoming. For now, check our hands-on coverage for early insights into the S26 Ultra.
In contrast to the incremental smartphone updates, the Galaxy Buds 4 lineup receives a thorough redesign. Samsung eliminated the sharp stem angles and integrated lights from the Buds 4 and Buds 4 Pro.
The company describes the new form as a computationally optimized fit with compact earbud tips for enhanced stability and prolonged comfort. The standard Buds 4 adopt an open-ear style, whereas the Buds 4 Pro use in-ear canal sealing.
These earbuds deliver upgraded sound performance and active noise cancellation, plus transparency mode, adaptive sound equalization, and dynamic noise reduction. The Pro version adds siren awareness, which boosts ambient audio to detect alerts like sirens or emergency signals.
Samsung notes the Buds 4 Pro incorporate a broader woofer, expanding the speaker surface by almost 20% over the last generation, and support high-resolution 24-bit/96kHz playback.
Pairing the Buds 4 or Buds 4 Pro with compatible Galaxy phones enables voice-activated control for Bixby, Google Gemini, and Perplexity—using the 'Hey Plex' activation for the latter, which might puzzle users of similar-named media software. The Pro model further includes head-tracking gestures for handling calls and Bixby commands.
Echoing the phones, earbud pre-orders start today, with availability from March 11. Pricing sets the Galaxy Buds 4 at $180 and the Buds 4 Pro at $250. Both come in matte white or black, with pink as an online-only choice for the Pro.
Prior to the event, Samsung disclosed Perplexity integration as a Galaxy AI agent for the S26 series, including the 'Hey Plex' trigger and embedding its tools within the Samsung Browser. Bixby received a recent upgrade for more natural dialogue.
Google also shared Android AI developments at Unpacked, tailored for S26 and Pixel 10 devices. The Gemini application will introduce a beta mode for delegating complex actions, like arranging transportation or compiling shopping lists, to artificial intelligence—advancing toward autonomous mobile agents.
From this week on Pixel 10 units and shortly after on S26 phones, Circle to Search expands to analyze several items simultaneously, such as complete attire rather than individual components. Furthermore, Gemini-enabled, local Scam Detection for calls rolls out to S26 devices in English across the United States.