The biggest question around the 2026 edition of Samsung's start-of-year Galaxy Unpacked event is why it hasn't happened yet. And that's followed by a follow-up query: So when will Galaxy Unpacked 2026 actually take place?
In recent years, we'd already be counting down the hours to Galaxy Unpacked. The last two editions have been held in January — January 22 for last year's event and January 17 for the one in 2024. The 2023 version just missed January, taking place on February 1.
Yet, here we just about halfway through the month of January 2026 as of this writing with no official word from Samsung as to when it's holding its next product event. Clearly, rumors that Samsung planned to push things back from the recent timeline weren't kidding around.
There's a lot of speculation on when Galaxy Unpacked will take place because there's not that much mystery surrounding what Samsung plans to unveil. This event always introduces us to the latest Galaxy S flagships, and with rumors mounting about the Galaxy S26 lineup, this year will likely be no exception.
Here's what we know so far about Galaxy Unpacked 2026, including rumored dates and possible product announcements.
Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2026 cheat sheet
- The latest rumor tips the event to take place on February 25
- Samsung is expected to introduced a new Galaxy S26 lineup, featuring a standard model alongside Plus and Ultra versions
- The Galaxy S26 Ultra is tipped to get the biggest improvements, including a display with privacy features, improved cameras and potentially exclusive Galaxy AI features.
- Samsung may announce higher prices on the Galaxy S26 models.
- We could find out about a U.S. launch date and price for the Galaxy Z TriFold.
Galaxy Unpacked 2026: When will it happen
The later we get into January, the less likely it becomes that Samsung will keep up its streak of Galaxy Unpacked events in the first month of the year. That squares with a rumor that surfaced back in 2025 claiming Samsung would push back the 2026 edition of Unpacked as it made changes to the models included in the Galaxy S26 lineup.
The latest word is that Samsung is planning a February 25 event. And the source of the rumor is pretty reliable — Evan Blass, who has a very strong track record when it comes to inside info on Samsung, says rumors of the February 25 date for Galaxy Unpacked are "100% correct. You can take it to the bank."
If that is the case, it means that anything announced at Galaxy Unpacked 2026 likely won't go on sale into March. That hasn't happened since the Galaxy S20 release six years ago.
For what it's worth, the rumor mill expects this year's Unpacked to take place in San Francisco. The last two events have been held in San Jose.
Galaxy Unpacked 2026: Rumored product announcements
We're expecting phones and lots of them at Galaxy Unpacked 2026. The big questions, though, are which phones Samsung will show off and what improvements they'll have over the current lineup of best Samsung phones.
Galaxy S26
After reportedly flirting with the idea of renaming its entry-level flagship device as the Galaxy S26 Pro, Samsung will reportedly launch the new model with the traditional S26 moniker. Leaked specs hint at only modest changes for the Galaxy S26 — the screen is supposed to increase slightly to 6.3 inches, and Samsung could include a larger battery, too.
You'd expect the Galaxy S26 to feature the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset introduced last fall by Qualcomm, as the S25 models all used the latest Snapdragon silicon. However, one rumor claims Samsung will include the Exynos 2600 in some S26 models depending on the region where the phones are released.
We've heard dueling reports on Galaxy S26 prices, with some leakers claiming Samsung will keep the starting price at $799 as it was for the Galaxy S25. Other reports, though, have indicated that prices could go up in some markets.
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
Samsung's premium model is expected to see the biggest changes. For instance, while the camera setup will reportedly be unchanged on other S26 models, the Galaxy S26 Ultra is expected to offer a wider aperture on its 200MP main camera to let in more light. The 3x zoom lens on the Ultra could also get a higher-resolution sensor.
While the new model is expected to feature the same 6.9-inch screen as before, the S26 Ultra could adopt a Privacy Display feature that makes it difficult for bystanders to get a sideways view of what's on your phone. There's also talk of the Ultra gaining exclusive Galaxy AI features, though that approach would be at odds with how Samsung has handled AI tools the last couple years. Up until now, if a Galaxy AI feature worked on one model, it worked on all of them regardless of how much that model cost.
Speaking of cost, the Galaxy S25 Ultra is Samsung's most expensive phone outside of its foldables, so we're very interested to see if rising RAM costs will push the price of the S26 Ultra beyond $1,299.
Galaxy S26 Edge
A follow-up to last year's Galaxy S25 Edge was thought to be joining the Galaxy S26 lineup, allegedly as a replacement for the Plus model. However, subsequent rumors claim that Samsung is dropping plans to release a new Edge alongside its other Galaxy S26 phones, as the current model apparently hasn't sold all that well.
It's unclear if Samsung plans to continue producing an Edge model, releasing the S26 version at a later time. After all, the Galaxy S25 Edge made its debut at the end of May, nearly five months after the rest of the S25 lineup. Samsung did tease the phone during the 2025 Galaxy Unpacked, so perhaps it can use this year's event to clarify its plans for future Edge offerings.
Galaxy S26 Plus
The Edge's apparent departure from Samsung's launch plans is good news for the Plus model, which figures to be included in the devices Samsung announces at the next Unpacked. Don't expect a big revamp, though — the same leaked specs that showed little changing with the standard model have the Galaxy S26 Plus receiving a chipset upgrade and that's about it.
That's fueled speculation that Samsung focus with this round of phone updates will fall on Galaxy AI features. We don't have a lot of rumors to go on there, but boosting AI capabilities has been a major focus for Samsung's mobile division for a couple years running.
Galaxy Z TriFold
The Galaxy Z TriFold — Samsung's triple-folding phone — is hardly a new device, as it's been available in countries like South Korea since last year. We even had a chance to go hands-on with the phone during CES 2026 this month.
But while Samsung has said it plans to release the phone in the U.S. at some point in the first three months of this year, we don't yet have an official date nor do we know how much the phone will cost. The closest indication is the Galaxy Z TriFold's Korean price of 3.59 million won, which converts to between $2,400 to $2,500 USD.
With all the tech press gathered in one place to hear about the Galaxy S26 lineup, Samsung may take the opportunity to clue us in on its Galaxy Z TriFold plans in the U.S. — assuming that information doesn't come out ahead of the rumored late February event.
Other potential announcements
New phones and Galaxy AI features would make for a full agenda, but Samsung isn't above teasing other products even when the focus is one phones. And there are a couple of products that Samsung might want to show off at the next Unpacked.
During the January 2024 Galaxy Unpacked, Samsung teased its Galaxy Ring, a smart ring that would officially launch later on that year. We've heard rumors about a follow-up product that would incorporate the health-tracking features included with the Galaxy Watch 8 along with design improvements to the ring itself. So far, the Galaxy Ring 2 has yet to surface, though Galaxy Unpacked would provide a venue to update us on the progress.
After releasing the Galaxy XR headset last year, Samsung has indicated that it plans to introduce more products built on Google's Android XR platform. That includes a pair of Galaxy Glasses, with rumors pointing to a 2026 launch. We've already seen demos involving a prototype of Google's smart glasses, which are set to arrive this year, and you'd imagine Samsung wouldn't want to lag behind the competition.
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