Just like that, Samsung’s first Galaxy Unpacked event of 2026 is over and done – and the first big smartphone launch of the year was a pretty substantial one for the classic candy-bar Galaxy S lineup. In fact, it’s arguably now ‘advantage, Samsung’ in its great battle with Apple and Google.
As rumors and reports had predicted, Samsung unveiled the Galaxy S26 Ultra, Galaxy S26 Plus, and Galaxy S26. The star, as many guessed, was the S26 Ultra, featuring a new and unique Privacy Display that can intelligently block sections of — or the entire — display from off-angle viewing. I have a feeling this will make folks with an iPhone, and really any other phone, pretty jealous.
There’s a new Qualcomm Snapdragon chip, specially designed for Galaxy devices across the board, promising fast, snappy performance and plenty of runway for complex AI tasks. Galaxy AI was a big topic, with Samsung taking a broad approach as it continues partnering with Google for many features – for example, Circle to Search and new Gemini integrations – while also working more closely with Perplexity.
So, to catch you up on all the major news from Samsung’s February 25, 2026, Galaxy Unpacked, here are the top headlines from the event.
1. Samsung’s Privacy Display is very neat, but exclusive to the S26 Ultra
Sure, you can add a privacy screen protector from the likes of Zagg, Belkin, or OtterBox to almost any popular smartphone, but Samsung has essentially eliminated the need for the accessory on the Galaxy S26 Ultra.
Baked into the AMOLED display is a new way to block off-angle viewing down to the individual pixel, effectively acting like an on-demand privacy screen when you need it — whether for the entire display or specific areas.
You can also set it to activate automatically for certain apps, like banking or messaging. What I really like, though, is how useful it is when you’re tightly packed on a train or in an elevator — you can get your privacy back in a really simple way.
2. Bixby is getting a bit smarter thanks to Perplexity AI
Now, Samsung has taken a not-walled-garden approach to Galaxy AI across its smartphones. There are some experiences built in-house, like Now Brief, but the company has also worked with behemoths like Google to integrate and launch features – at times even before Pixel devices got them – on Galaxy first. Circle to Search is a good example, and it has proven helpful for Galaxy owners.
For 2026 and the Galaxy S26 lineup, though, Samsung is working with Perplexity and has actually built its Sonar API into the framework level of the software powering these three smartphones. Bixby has been alright, but it should become far more useful beyond simply changing device settings, as Perplexity will power the topical question-answering portion.
Either way, this speaks to Samsung continuing to work with partners to offer a full suite of AI features for its Galaxy smartphones, while giving you the power of choice over which ones you want to enable.
3. Galaxy S26 Ultra — iterative but great
Roland Moore-Colyer went hands-on with the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, and while he felt it was probably the most iterative phone Samsung has made in some time, it’s still building on a winning formula.
There are slightly brighter cameras, a more rounded design, better AI integration, a smarter Bixby, a new, powerful chip, and the aforementioned Privacy Display. All this adds up to make a phone that’s kinda boring but will also probably be brilliant. We’ll need to put it to the test, but so far, the S26 Ultra looks like a class-leading phone.
4. Galaxy S26 phones — a suite of small upgrades
There’s not a huge amount to write home about with the Samsung Galaxy S26 and Galaxy S26 Plus. You’ll struggle to notice much difference in the look of the S26 from its predecessor, but there are some changes under the hood.
Specifically, both phones get new chips: an Exynos 2600 or Snapdragon 8 Elite 5 for the Galaxy chip if you’re in the US, China, or Japan. This promises to deliver a performance boost that might not be noticeable in everyday use, but should speed up AI features. Both the S26 and S26 Plus also get bigger batteries — 4,300mAh and 4,900mAh, respectively.
Storage now starts at 256GB, with a 512GB option for people who don’t like cloud storage. But this comes with a catch: the Galaxy S26 starts at $899 / £879 / AU$1,549 and the S26 Plus comes in at $1,099 / £1,099 / AU$1,849. That’s some punchy pricing for phones that aren’t all that much different than their predecessors.
5. Samsung Galaxy Buds4 and Buds4 Pro — great audio and design upgrades, but one huge issue remains
Samsung has updated both its entry-level and flagship earbuds, namely the Galaxy Buds4 and Galaxy Buds4 Pro. So what’s new, aside from the price difference of $179 / £159 / AU$299 for the Buds4 Pro, versus $249 / £199 / AU$399 for the Buds4?
Well, we got an early hands-on with the Buds4 Pro, and straight away, the new clamshell case is a winner, as is the updated ‘blade’ stem on the buds. Blade light? Gone. Color-coded buds so you can tell at a glance which side of the case to put ‘em back in? Gone. Proprietary eartip-locking system that prevents you from using third-party tips and makes them extremely hard to remove? Sadly, not gone…
Despite this fiddly system that caused so many problems in the Buds 3 Pro, the earbuds were delayed (many people need to switch the tips when they first fit their earbuds, and users quickly became fearful of doing so, given how easily they could break said tips). So has it been fixed, this time around? Sadly, not, and it’s hard to understand why Samsung has left this big problem unsolved.
6. Doubling down on Armor Aluminum
While a highlight of the Galaxy S25 Ultra was its titanium build – it was even in the color names – Samsung is pushing that material aside and doubling down on Armor Aluminum. That means the S26 Ultra is opting for aluminum instead of titanium, as are the S26 and S26 Plus. It’s a similar move to what Apple did with the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max, though the iPhone Air still uses titanium.
With the Galaxy S26 Ultra, Samsung notes that it uses a stronger, more rigid aluminum than the standard S26 or S26 Plus. The Ultra is also thinner and lighter year over year, while all three phones now boast a more unified look. We’re keen to see how Samsung’s switch back to aluminum feels in the hand as we test it, as well as how it holds up in the weeks, months, and years ahead.
7. RAM woes?
As mentioned earlier, Samsung has increased the prices of the Galaxy S26 and Galaxy S26 Plus over their predecessors. Senior Staff Writer Hamish Hector did a bit of digging, and while he couldn’t get Samsung to confirm that the RAM shortage driven by AI’s hungry appetite for speedy memory is the culprit, there’s a sneaking suspicion that the price hikes could have some link to this ‘crisis’.
Either way, it could mean the end for $799 flagship Android phones. That would be a sad situation given that some Android phones offered a nice balance of tech and specs for that price bracket. Hopefully, the RAM shortage will ease as 2026 pushes onward, but don’t hold your breath.
8. Gemini gets a new exclusive S26 feature
Akin to Google partnering with Samsung to bring Circle to Search to Galaxy devices before Pixels, Android’s Sameer Samat took to the stage to show off a new Gemini feature that’s exclusive to the S26 lineup — at least for now.
Essentially, it’s our first taste of Gemini running in an agentic form for select tasks – like ordering a pizza or calling an Uber – as the AI can open its own virtual window and use its multimodal tools to handle actions in the background for you.
It’s pretty neat, and definitely one we’re keen to put to the test — both to see how it expands to other Android devices (likely in beta form at Google I/O) and how it compares with whatever Apple eventually ships as its AI-infused Siri, expected at some point in 2026.
9. Is the Edge gone?
We learned that the Galaxy S25 Edge (and a potential S26 Edge) isn’t as central to Samsung’s future plans as previously thought. There was no mention of the product that joined the lineup less than a year ago, and while that might mean Samsung is waiting until May for a major update, a tease would certainly have been in order.
For now, the focus – at least from a design standpoint – is likely on the more unified look of the S26 lineup and the S26 Ultra, which is thinner and lighter year over year. This could suggest that Samsung is taking lessons from the Galaxy S25 Edge and once again applying them to its core flagship devices.
Remember, the S25 Edge came first, and the Galaxy Z Fold 7 followed with an ultra-thin design.
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jacob.krol@futurenet.com (Jacob Krol)
