Mark your calendars!
After months of speculation, Samsung has officially confirmed its first Galaxy Unpacked event of the year. The Galaxy S26 series will be unveiled TODAY, February 25, 2026, live from San Francisco at 1 pm ET / 10 am PT.
Here's how to watch the event and what to expect, but we've also linked the YouTube down below!
Android Central will be on the ground at the event, getting hands-on with the new devices, so stay tuned for live coverage and detailed impressions.
Pay attention to this live blog as we keep breaking down everything that is expected to be announced!
We want to make your life easy, so here's our Samsung Galaxy S26 ultimate guide, which we will update as often as possible!
What devices are we expecting?
We are expecting a slew of devices coming out of the event.
We know that we can expect at least three Samsung Galaxy S26 series devices, that would likely include the S26 base, S26 Plus, and S26 Ultra.
While the focus at Unpacked is usually the latest flagship phones, we're expecting to see Galaxy Buds 4 and Galaxy Buds 4 Pro at the show, both of which have been leaked in full ahead of Samsung’s event. Those buds are reported to feature a brand new design and improved audio quality
Where to watch
As noted you can watch the show below that links to the official Samsung YouTube page.
Before we get into what Samsung will actually unveil at Unpacked, have you noticed the event is happening later than usual? Over the past few years, Samsung has typically launched its flagship Galaxy S series in January, but that did not happen this time, reportedly due to a late internal change.
There were earlier rumors that Samsung might drop the base Galaxy S26 in favor of a Pro model or replace the Plus variant with an Edge version called the Galaxy S26 Edge. However, following the reportedly weak sales of last year's Galaxy S25 Edge, Samsung appears to have scrapped those plans and is sticking with the familiar trio: the Galaxy S26, S26 Plus, and S26 Ultra.
So we know that we can expect at least three Samsung Galaxy S26 series devices, but will anything else appear at the show? Traditionally, Samsung’s first Unpacked event of the year focuses on the latest flagship phones, but this year, we’re expecting to see Galaxy Buds 4 and Galaxy Buds 4 Pro at the show, both of which have been leaked in full ahead of Samsung’s event. Those buds are reported to feature a brand new design and improved audio quality.
Now that you know what to look forward to, you need to know how to watch it! We’ll be bringing you live updates as the action happens, so you can just stay put here at the time of the show if you’re unable to watch the video (or want special insights from us). Samsung will begin the first Unpacked of 2026 on February 25, 2026, at 1 pm ET/10 am PT in San Francisco, California. Here’s the YouTube link to the livestream, so if you’re interested, click that, then tap the “Notify Me” button to have YouTube remind you right as it’s beginning.
If you’re even thinking about grabbing any of the new Galaxy S26 models or the rumored Galaxy Buds 4, do yourself a favor and reserve a unit right now through this link. Despite what that sounds like, you’re not obligated to actually buy anything from Samsung. The reservation will give you $30 off the purchase of any of the new Galaxy devices, as well as guaranteed trade-in credit promos worth up to $900. Per the fine print in the page, you’ll get $30 towards the credit of a Galaxy Smartphone, and another $30 towards the purchase of a Galaxy Wearable. There’s quite literally no reason not to unless you don’t care at all about Samsung’s new gadgets…and in that case, why are you reading this at all?
We’ll begin taking a closer look at rumors for the Galaxy S26 Ultra, since the Ultra typically garners the most hype pre-launch. Samsung is apparently looking to revive variable aperture, a feature we haven’t seen since the Galaxy S9 series. If you’re unfamiliar with the trick, a variable aperture lens allows the camera to adjust the amount of light entering the sensor. This gives a camera more capabilities and tools to capture the perfect shot, especially when in extreme lighting conditions (either too dark or too light).
Variable aperture can also allow for a wide variety of focal depths. A lower aperture typically features a shallower depth of field, while a higher aperture does the opposite. Want a crisp focus on a single subject without using software portrait mode tricks? A low aperture might help. Likewise, sweeping scenes might benefit from higher aperture. The possibilities are endless.
Last summer, we saw credible rumors that Samsung was testing a new 200MP telephoto sensor for upcoming Ultra-branded phones. We’re not sure if that’ll make it to the Galaxy S26 Ultra, but more than one of Samsung’s other competitors are using a similar sensor, so it wouldn’t be out of the question to see the company follow the likes of Honor and Vivo to integrate it. A higher resolution sensor behind a capable lens would allow the S26 Ultra to capture even better zoom detail, something the company has been good at for a while, and could help it remain atop the camera podium.
Last summer, we saw credible rumors that Samsung was testing a new 200MP telephoto sensor for upcoming Ultra-branded phones. We’re not sure if that’ll make it to the Galaxy S26 Ultra, but more than one of Samsung’s other competitors are using a similar sensor, so it wouldn’t be out of the question to see the company follow the likes of Honor and Vivo to integrate it. A higher resolution sensor behind a capable lens would allow the S26 Ultra to capture even better zoom detail, something the company has been good at for a while, and could help it remain atop the camera podium.
While we’re on the topic of Galaxy S26 Ultra camera upgrades, Samsung has been teasing the upcoming phone’s capabilities. The previous rumor about an enhanced telephoto camera experience seems to fit with the first teaser from the company, which shows someone zooming way in to a dog sitting inside a car from far away. But the hint here isn’t just that zoom is getting better, it’s that video zoom is also getting enhanced. Up until now, photo zoom has maintained the farthest distance, and while that likely won’t change this year, video zoom could be significantly enhanced beyond its current 25-30x limit on most Ultra-level phones.
The next two teasers seem to be for the entire S26 series rather than just the Ultra and focus on low-light capabilities. But this isn’t the usual “let’s turn night into day” kind of nonsense low-light photography. Samsung actually seems to be attempting to make low-light photos look like they were taken in dimly lit conditions, proper mood and all. That also will apparently extend to video capture, as this teaser suggests. That’s a huge improvement over the established method of making nighttime photos look way too bright.
And the last camera rumor I’ll cover for now is the new camera island design. Leaked photos and videos of every Galaxy S26 model show a raised camera island, marking a departure from the era of Samsung phones that feature flat backs with protruding camera lenses. The new camera island looks similar to the Galaxy S25 Edge and looks a bit more interesting than the rather plain look Samsung has kept over the past few years.
One major change for buyers this year is that Samsung is reportedly dropping the 128GB base storage option altogether. The standard Galaxy S26 is expected to start at 256GB and may also be available in a 512GB configuration. The Galaxy S26 Plus is rumored to offer 256GB and 512GB variants as well, while the top-tier Galaxy S26 Ultra is expected to come in 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB options.
This is a welcome move, especially since Apple has also shifted to 256GB as the base storage with its iPhone 17 lineup. However, it remains to be seen if this change will impact pricing.
One of the biggest questions every year is whether Samsung will stick exclusively with Qualcomm for the Galaxy S26 series or bring Exynos chips back. It has now been confirmed that the Galaxy S26 Ultra will use the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor globally. As in previous years, the chip will carry the "For Galaxy" branding, which could mean a slightly overclocked primary core reaching up to 4.74 GHz.
As for the base Galaxy S26 and the S26 Plus, Samsung is reportedly returning to a “dual-chip” strategy. Regions such as the U.S. and China are expected to get Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy variants, while markets like Europe, India, and the Middle East may receive Samsung's new 2nm Exynos 2600 processor.
That isn't entirely a bad thing, to be honest. The Exynos 2600 is turning out to be a genuinely strong chipset this time around. For starters, it’s built on a 2nm process, which is technically more advanced than the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5’s 3nm node. And as always, smaller usually means better efficiency and performance potential.
Samsung has also introduced a dedicated Heat Path Block to address its long-standing thermal concerns. The company claims up to 39% better CPU performance, and while it remains a deca-core design, Samsung has dropped low-power cores in favor of a mix of high-performance and higher-clocked mid-tier cores.
Another piece of good news this time is that Samsung is finally increasing charging speeds on its Ultra model. A recent leak from reliable tipster Roland Quandt claims the Galaxy S26 Ultra will support 60W fast charging when plugged in. This is a massive leap over the 45W limit we've been stuck with for years.
Unfortunately, those upgrades are not expected to extend to the rest of the lineup. The standard Galaxy S26 Plus is likely to stick with 45W wired charging, while the base Galaxy S26 is most likely to remain limited to 25W.
Despite earlier rumors, renowned tipster @UniverseIce on X claims with 100% accuracy that the Galaxy S26 Ultra won't include built-in Qi2 magnets. The phones will support faster wireless charging of up to 20W on the base Galaxy S26 and the Galaxy S26 Plus and up to 25W on the Galaxy S26 Ultra, but they will lack magnetic alignment hardware out of the box.
This means if you want to use MagSafe-like accessories, you will once again have to purchase magnetic cases for your device. Samsung's decision has disappointed many fans (including me) who were hoping for native support similar to the Google Pixel 10 or iPhone 17.
Now that we have a broad outline of what's coming with the Galaxy S26 series, let's delve into some of the hardware. The Exynos 2600 is particularly interesting, as it is made on Samsung's latest 2nm node. Samsung had plenty of issues with its 4nm and 3nm nodes in the past, but the brand is remedying that with the 2nm production line.
Samsung is touting better thermal efficiency — something that has plagued Exynos-powered Galaxy models in the last decade — and this alone makes the Exynos 2600 interesting. Samsung is also using the latest Arm C1 Ultra cores this time instead of trying to go the semi-custom route, and this is absolutely the right thing to do. Arm made heady gains this generation, and using its cores "as is" means Samsung doesn't really need to reinvent the wheel.
Then again, it remains to be seen how the Exynos 2600-based models of the Galaxy S26 will differ to the Qualcomm variants. Given what Samsung has showcased of the Exynos 2600 until now, it looks like the brand solved long-standing issues, and we'll see if the Galaxy S26 is better because of that.
Coming to the display, Samsung isn't set to deliver huge changes this year, but that's understandable. The standard Galaxy S26 is slated to feature a 6.3-inch panel, the S26 Plus may come with a 6.7-inch option, and the Galaxy S26 Ultra could retain a 6.9-inch display. Obviously, all three devices will get AMOLED tech with 120Hz refresh, but leaks indicate a new privacy feature that should give the upcoming phones a slender edge.
It's entirely likely that the S26 series will get brighter, but the underlying panel tech shouldn't be any different. Samsung still doesn't pay much attention to PWM dimming, and although all Chinese brands now have at least 2,160Hz dimming as standard on their phones to deal with flicker sensitivity, this isn't an area where Samsung made any meaningful strides.
If this leak around the Galaxy S26 cameras turns out to be legitimate, Samsung isn't changing much in this area. The Galaxy S26 and S26 Plus are slated to use the same 50MP main camera as last year, with a 10MP tele lens and 12MP wide-angle module. Samsung is said to be using the same sensors as well, but in the case of the S26 Ultra, we may see a new 200MP sensor.
That said, the hardware is just one part of it. Samsung showed over the last three years that it can leverage its tuning algorithms and better ISPs to deliver better photos, so although the physical sensors may not change, we may see better photos and videos out of the S26 models versus last year. Of course, AI is a big part of imaging now, and Samsung is relying heavily on machine learning to give its phones an advantage in low-light situations.
Then there's the battery; a new round of leaks indicate the Galaxy S26 will get a bigger 4,300mAh battery, with the S26 Plus set to retain the same 4,900mAh as last year, and the S26 Ultra the same 5,000mAh battery.
It's great to see the smaller S26 getting a bigger battery, and this should allow the phone to last longer in daily use. While it is a decent upgrade, what's annoying is that Samsung may not switch over to silicon-carbon battery tech with this generation. Most Chinese phones now use a mix of silicon in the anode to deliver denser batteries with better longevity, and this has transformed the category — there's even a phone with a 10,000mAh battery now.
In that context, Samsung's refusal to use silicon tech is hindering the progress of its phones. It's good to see that the S26 may end up with a 4,300mAh battery, but it would have been nice to see silicon batteries being used this generation to boost the batteries on all three models — maybe next year.
It's officially Galaxy Unpacked week! Expect plenty of coverage around Samsung devices as we go hands-on and report live. But that’s not all, because things are about to get busy elsewhere too, with MWC 2026 kicking off later this week.
Beyond Samsung, brands like Xiaomi and Honor are expected to unveil new flagship and foldable devices, and Nothing has already confirmed new phone launches for next week. It’s shaping up to be a busy stretch, so make sure you stick with Android Central as we cover it all in real-time.
Coming back to the Galaxy S26 series, let's kick off today's coverage with the batteries. While there were initial rumors that Samsung would increase the Galaxy S26 Ultra's capacity to 5,500 mAh, that no longer appears to be happening. Recent leaked specs suggest the S26 Ultra will stick with the same 5,000 mAh battery we've seen for years.
It’s not all bad news, though. The base model is rumored to feature a larger 4,300 mAh battery, which will be a noticeable jump from the 4,000 mAh cell in the base Galaxy S25. That could finally make the standard model good enough for a full day of heavy use, but we will know more once we get hands-on time.
As for the Galaxy S26 Plus, recent leaks indicate it will retain its 4,900 mAh battery, so there are no changes there.
Thankfully, the Galaxy S26 Ultra is rumored to get upgraded 60W fast charging, which should at least help cut down charging times. Even so, the Galaxy S26 lineup overall is shaping up to be more of an incremental update than a major overhaul.
With that in mind, what are you hoping to see from Samsung at this week's Unpacked beyond the Galaxy S26 series? Is there anything else you expect Samsung to unveil alongside the new phones?
If you were hoping for a new Galaxy Ring, it might be best to temper your expectations. It’s been over a year since the original Galaxy Ring launched, so it would make sense to expect a Galaxy Ring 2, but all signs suggest it is not arriving anytime soon, and definitely not during this Galaxy Unpacked.
Last year, at least one Galaxy Ring user reported a battery swelling issue, so it’s possible Samsung still has a few things to iron out before introducing a successor.
That said, Samsung is rumored to debut a few accessories alongside the Galaxy S26 series this week, so let's take a look at them below.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: the leaked renders for the Galaxy Buds 4 series don’t have me that excited. While there was a little controversy surrounding the Buds 3 series’ design, what’s proposed for the next wave is a little… tame. Rumors say no silicone tips for the Buds 4 (again), though.
Aside from my (slightly) scrunched face for the Galaxy Buds 4 series’ design, other rumors say the case is going to look, too. Instead of having your buds standing straight up, they might lie down in the case. A glass top is still rumored, so you can make sure everything’s good. Leaked renders make it seem like the buds’ stems will almost “clip” over a border within the case. Changes, changes, and more changes.
Colors! The right color for your device can make a huge difference, as we often try to get something that matches our tastes. The Galaxy Buds 4 series is rumored to get three: black, white, and an interesting metallic rose gold colorway. It’s fancy to say the least. My only concern is whether or not we’ll have a Galaxy S26 to match.
There’s another rumor that has us sitting up a little. The rumor suggest Samsung’s Galaxy Buds 4 Pro could feature a “Find Your Phone” button on its charging case. This was a feature that we were curious as to why Samsung didn’t bring it for the 3 series. Nevertheless, rumors add that this feature would leverage your device’s Bluetooth connection to ping your phone.
Did you know the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro’s charging case could have its own speaker? Now, I know what you’re thinking (I wanted it, too), but it might not be there to act as a tiny music speaker. No; what’s been rumored is that this could let users utilize their “Find my device” in reverse, using their phone to relocate their lost charging case, and maybe your earbuds, if they’re in there.
Whenever we get down to a new product launch, prices always creep back into our minds. I’ve got to not unnecessarily splurge on devices, you know? Lest my wallet scream at me. These Galaxy Buds 4 rumors might help put our minds at ease, as they purport a price pretty close to what the Buds 3 series debuted with.
Looking to upgrade your Galaxy S26 Ultra’s privacy? Well, Samsung might have you covered with a built-in “privacy display.” While these started off as rumors, the company has recently started teasing this feature itself. Users can set how private they want their display to be, so users sitting on either side of you can’t see what’s going on.
Did you know that the Exynos 2600 might help Samsung keep its Galaxy S26 at a lower price? I don’t know how true this is, as you’ve probably seen the rumors that only one region—Korea—might get this chip. We’re in a weird time when prices are unknown due to RAM and other memory. Hopefully, we’re not burned too badly this year by all that’s changing.
Maybe we’re all wrong about Samsung’s Exynos 2600. Maybe it’s going to be the snappiest chip of all time, at least, that’s what word on the street’s saying. While this chip may only impact one of Samsung’s many markets, there’s massive speculation going around, claiming that the Exynos 2600 could be “faster” and “graphically stronger” than the competition.
Putting the chips away (get it?), there have also been rumors discussing the upcoming series’ price. While online speculations were initially unaware about the direction Samsung could go due to rising RAM costs, more recent reports claim to have figured it out. There’s a chance that the base Galaxy S26 could see $799 price tag. The Galaxy S26 Plus and S26 Ultra are rumored to remain the same, at around $999 and $1,200, respectively.
The Galaxy S25 series colors were kept pretty tame, with options that might go with a multitude of clothing options. And it looks like Samsung might do the same thing in 2026. It looks like we’re skipping out on big and bold this year again, as the series could receive black, white, silver shadow, and sky blue. There’s more, as Samsung could pull out a “cobalt violet” and a “pink gold.” Not exactly “bold,” but it at least sounds like it’s trying to be a little more extra.
Officially, Samsung’s been teasing camera upgrades. Unofficially, I’m looking at these nighttime rumors for the Galaxy S26 Ultra and getting excited. A new leak suggests the Galaxy S26 Ultra might stop leaning on software to fake nighttime shots and instead use camera hardware that can actually get it done. To do this, it might sport a lens with an f/1.4 aperture (200MP), to truly capture as much light as possible. If so, it should make things highly interesting.
AI is obviously a key selling point for Samsung and other Android device makers, and ahead of the Galaxy S26 launch, Samsung confirmed that it is bringing agentic AI to its devices. In addition, it is bringing Perplexity integration to S26 models, including the ability to invoke the agent by using the "Hey Plex" keyword. This is alongside what Samsung already has on its devices, including Bixby.
With the move, you'll be able to use Perplexity's AI agent within Samsung utilities like Notes, Reminders, Messages, Calendar, and so on, and the system-level integration is intriguing to say the least. Samsung indicated that the agent may come to other Galaxy devices, but it's debuting with the Galaxy S26 series.
Talking about AI, Samsung is bringing contextual awareness to Bixby, and it should make the AI assistant that much more useful. Of course, Google Gemini will also be available on the Galaxy S26 models — like all other Android phones — so you have a choice of AI agents on the device. It's clear that this is a strategy that most brands will follow in 2026; with just how fast AI agents are growing, it's understandable that device makers don't want to limit their products to one service.
While agentic AI sounds cool, where Galaxy AI truly shines right now is AI-assisted image editing and creation tools. The ability to draw a rough doodle and turn it into a professional image is just plain cool, and Samsung is likely to showcase new features in this area with Galaxy S26 models.
Coming to image editing, Samsung's object eraser is powerful in its own right, and Generative Edit lets you move things around in an image. Samsung has decent video editing tools as well, and while Google has its own suite of utilities in this area, it's clear that manufacturers are looking to differentiate their products by having distinct features; after all, Samsung is positioning Galaxy AI as a key reason for buying its phones.
We haven't talked much about the design of the Galaxy S26, and this is an area where Samsung is looking to create a cohesive look across all three models. We should get four color models this time, and although Samsung isn't making radical design changes, the S26 series should have a cleaner look thanks to a new camera module that looks a little more minimalist.
A hands-on video of the Galaxy S26 shows these changes, and it's clear that Samsung managed to differentiate its upcoming phones to some extent while still retaining its design ethos. The rounded edges should make these devices comfortable to hold, and the smaller camera housing may lead to less wobble when using the likes of the S26 Ultra on a table — we'll need to test it out ourselves.
Now, with a global memory shortage underway, it's entirely likely that the Galaxy S26 series will get a price hike. Samsung did a decent job retaining the same pricing over the last three years, with the Galaxy S23, S24, and S25 all debuting at $799. Similarly, the S23+, S24+, and S25+ retailed for $999 at launch, but the S24 Ultra, and S25 Ultra cost $1,299 when these devices launched in the market, $100 more than the S23 Ultra's retail price.
Considering most other phones this year had modest price hikes, it's almost a given that Samsung will do the same. There hasn't been much in the way of leaks around this, and thankfully, the little we've gotten seems to suggest the S26 will slot in at $799, with the S26+ at $999 and the S26 Ultra at $1,299 — same as last year. However, we'll need to wait and see until Samsung shares these details officially.
This event isn't just about the Galaxy S26, with Samsung slated to roll out the Galaxy Buds 4 and Buds 4 Pro as well. Samsung tends to do a decent job with its buds, and the Buds 4 should get considerable upgrades this time around, including head gestures. Basically, you'll be able to shake your head or nod to trigger actions, such as taking calls, dismissing alarms, notifications, and reminders.
That sounds pretty cool, and the buds are set to double as a remote shutter button when you use the Galaxy S26. Leaks also point to the ability to find your phone with the charging case, and general audio tweaks.
I’m a sucker for some good photography goodies, and these One UI 8.5 rumors are saying we might get something nice. It’s been alleged that Samsung may add in additional photography presets through One UI 8.5 for its “Pro” camera.I can only imagine what those might look like, but here’s another tip: they might be shareable, too.
There were reports late last year that said Samsung ran into some “issues” regarding its One UI 8.5 software, so testing was delayed. Now, imagine our surprise when we went from that to word that Samsung might vastly overhaul Bixby. You read that correctly: Bixby might look like a whole new digital… person? AI? It’s an assistant, yeah? But Samsung’s version.
Not only are rumors saying we’re in for a sleek new Bixby, but its chat bar could look a little like Gemini. I’ll be honest, Gemini’s colors are fancy and bright and colorful. It looks like Samsung wants to get in on that, as it moves to position Bixby as a worthy alternative for its Galaxy users.
Samsung has been testing One UI 8.5 on the Galaxy S25 series for the past few months, so beyond the new Bixby, what else can we expect? For starters, One UI 8.5 is shaping up to be a substantial update. While the "0.5" might sound minor, Samsung appears to be packing in plenty of new features.
You can expect UI refinements such as a more customizable Quick Settings panel, similar to what we have seen in recent Android 16 builds on Pixel devices, allowing you to freely resize and rearrange toggles. The lock screen is also becoming smarter, with the clock and date automatically adjusting their position to avoid covering important parts of your wallpaper.
What I'm personally most excited about is the new Storage Share feature. With Storage Share, you'll be able to access files from your other Galaxy devices, including tablets and PCs, directly within the My Files app on your phone.
It seems like this will turn your Galaxy ecosystem into a shared local cloud at home without depending on third-party cloud storage — how cool is this!
While we’re all wrapped up in AI with Bixby and everything else, did you know Samsung Internet could get some love, too? Well, it’s true, or might be true—whatever. Rumor has it that Samsung Internet could receive “significant” UI changes in One UI 8.5. Its address bar and a new grid layout could debut with this update for better accessibility and user experience. Privacy features were also mentioned and, yes, you guessed it, AI.
The one thing that I’d look forward to with the rumored “For Galaxy” Qualcomm chip for the S26 series is its gaming potential. Samsung’s phones (its flagships) can typically handle more graphically intensive games like Honkai: Star Rail, Zenless Zone Zero, and Wuthering Waves. However, there are times when the games can hitch or even crash, even when the settings are more optimal. That’s not to say that there could be something wrong, like a bug, with the game or if the chip’s just freaked out. But gaming smoothly on the Galaxy S26 Ultra would be absolutely divine.
I don’t want to just leave out Samsung’s Exynos chip, so I’m going to talk about it. While, yes, rumors say only Korea could see this in the S26, Samsung has allegedly improved its efficiency. Its Exynos chips have historically suffered in that regard, especially its heating issues. But those issues could be behind them once the Galaxy S26 debuts. I guess we’ll have to wait and see what the overseas reception is like.
The coveted S Pen. It’s a Galaxy S Ultra classic, after the Note series. The Galaxy S26 Ultra is expected to still rock a useful stylus; however, it might not look so rigid and boxy. Samsung might alter its upcoming S Pen’s design with softer corners to match its work with the S26 Ultra. One speculated change is that the S Pen clickable cap could swoop down a little, as it’s positioned closer to the phone’s bottom left corner.
Now, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Just because there are some people saying the Galaxy S26 Ultra’s S Pen could look curvier and less “boxy,” doesn’t mean we’re getting any new features. In fact, those same people spreading these rumors are pretty much denying any new goodies (can you hear my disappointment?). It looks like we’ll have another S Pen that’s just a writing tool.
Here’s the thing: the Galaxy S26 Ultra with a stylus might be the last of its kind. The stylus has its uses, and it fits easily inside the bottom port. That is where the issue is: the S Pen is housed inside the Ultra model. There’s a chance that Samsung could move away from that, as the stylus “eats up” hardware space. Hardware space that Samsung could use to, oh, I don’t know, pop in a bigger battery and maybe some other cool things we’ve been wanting?
This next S Pen for the Galaxy S26 Ultra might also try and vibe with its colors. Some alleged renderings were discovered, suggesting the S Pen could adopt your S26 Ultra’s color of choice, but only for its cap. I, for one, find this more than just a little disappointing. Lets say I got the rumored “cobalt violet” S26 Ultra. Going by these rumors, the cap of the pen will look like my phone, but when I remove the stylus, the rest is black. Pretty sure I didn’t order Samsung’s black colorway, I got “cobalt violet.”
If you forgot Bixby existed, I wouldn’t blame you. I did, too. There’s been nothing really attention grabbing about the assistant in a while. There was one major update for it, which, looking back, seems like the start of Samsung paying attention. Now, where we’re at are reports that the company could empower the AI with Perplexity. This won’t be something for all of Bixby’s services, as Perplexity’s intelligence might only impact its real-time searches online. Nothing’s been confirmed by Samsung yet. But, hey, Unpacked is almost here.
Near instant image generation on the Galaxy S26, you say? Samsung’s next series might boast some extreme AI prowess to be able to generate images in “under a second.” It’s been said that these phones won’t reach for the cloud for these services, and that everything would be completed entirely on-device. The feature’s name? EdgeFusion (allegedly).
The Now Bar was an interesting addition to Samsung’s Galaxy S25 series. If you’re familiar with Google’s Pixels, it’s kind of like At a Glance. Samsung might look to separate itself by offering more with the Now Bar in One UI 8.5. Some leaks claim that the Now Bar could provide information on missed calls. If you’ve missed one or several calls, the Now Bar would display the appropriate icon alongside the number of calls missed.
Do you know what’s an aspect of Samsung’s One UI software we don’t give enough credit to? Good Lock. Specifically, I’m talking about the Home Up module, which gives users full control over their device’s home UI. This module received a huge One UI 8.5 update, as Samsung prepares for its full release alongside the Galaxy S26. I’m loving the fixes to many of its misalignment issues and more. Makes sense, right? Samsung doesn’t want its newest series coming out with weird UI issues.
With the event just a few hours away, let's talk about all the devices that Samsung is set to unveil today. Obviously, phones are the main showcase, with the Galaxy S26, S26+, and S26 Ultra making their debut. We talked extensively about the three phones, and while the leaks indicate Samsung isn't making any bold changes this year, we should still get subtle new design tweaks aimed at usability, better charging tech, better cameras, and new features.
Samsung is also going to introduce the Galaxy Buds 4 and Buds 4 Pro at the event. In addition, we will be able to see the brand's plans for its Galaxy AI suite, and its collaboration with various partners that should allow Samsung devices to integrate several AI agents. It is interesting to say the least, and we'll be bringing you updates the whole way.
Samsung always does a great job with pre-order bonuses on its latest devices, and that's no different this time as well. The Galaxy S26, S26+, and S26 Ultra are available on pre-order, with Samsung touting savings of up to $900. All you need to do is enter your name and email, and you get $30 credit towards any accessories, including phone cases, buds like the Galaxy Buds 4, and so on.
The trade-in bonus of $900 should make it enticing to get your hands on the S26 series if you're using an older Samsung phone, and carriers are set to have similar deals available. Even if the devices end up being costlier than last year, the pre-order bonuses should go a long way in making these phones easily obtainable.
One point of contention with the Galaxy S26 series is that the phones may not get magnets integrated into the body, so you'll ideally need to buy a case or accessory to enable Qi 2. Samsung used the same "Qi 2 Ready" strategy last year, but with Google going ahead and adding magnets into Pixel 10 devices, I wanted to see if Samsung would follow suit. That doesn't look to be the case, so you will need to buy an accessory to use Qi 2 chargers with your Galaxy S26.
Samsung talks a lot about its ecosystem, and to its credit, the brand is doing a good job building out an interconnected portfolio of devices. The brand makes earbuds, smartwatches, tablets, notebooks, and TVs, and while today's event is focused on phones, we will be getting the Galaxy Buds 4 and Buds 4 Pro, and they're interesting to say the least.
If a recent leak is to be believed, Samsung is adding head gestures to the Galaxy Buds 4, but what's even better is that the buds may get a remote shutter button to use with the Galaxy S26 models. Now, this is what I used the stylus for in the past, but with that not being quite as useful this generation, it's good to see Samsung delivering an alternative.
The global memory crisis may lead to a price hike in the Galaxy S26 series after three years, but at least the hardware doesn't look to be affected. The Galaxy S26, S26+, and S26 Ultra should all get 12GB of RAM with the base models, and Samsung is likely to continue with a 16GB/1TB model on the Galaxy S26 Ultra, similar to what it did in previous years.
While Samsung's memory unit has been a big beneficiary of the memory crises — with the business posting record profits — it doesn't mean the phone business can get the RAM modules for less than its rivals. At the end of the day, Samsung Electronics — the business unit that makes the phone — is just another buyer of Samsung Semiconductor products.
The big day has arrived, and in just a few hours, Samsung's first Galaxy Unpacked event of 2026 will begin. The Galaxy S26 series is set to be unveiled in San Francisco, and we couldn't be more excited to see if Samsung has any late surprises.
Last year, Samsung teased the Galaxy S25 Edge at Unpacked, so what could it have planned this time? My bet is on the smart glasses Samsung recently confirmed are arriving in 2026. Let us know what you're expecting to see!
Don't forget to tune in at 1 pm ET / 10 am PT.
The stakes are incredibly high for the Galaxy S26 series this year. Apple has been leading sales and shipment charts almost everywhere since the iPhone 17 lineup launched, while Google also saw meaningful growth in 2025. The Pixel 10 series also impressed us, so Samsung must be clearly betting big on the Galaxy S26 lineup to deliver.
To recap, we're expecting three models today: the base Galaxy S26 with a 6.3-inch display, the mid-tier Galaxy S26 Plus with a 6.7-inch display, and the massive 6.9-inch Galaxy S26 Ultra. There were earlier rumors about Samsung launching the Galaxy S26 Edge, but the company reportedly shelved those plans after the Galaxy S25 Edge failed to perform well, sticking instead with the standard Plus variant.
That said, Samsung may not have completely given up on the Edge branding. Some reports suggest the Galaxy S26 Edge could still launch later this year, similar to how the Galaxy S25 Edge was introduced, though it is not expected today. That is something our senior contributor Brady Snyder would probably be happy to hear!
Let's talk pricing. With Apple keeping prices steady for the iPhone 17 lineup, will Samsung feel pressure to do the same with the Galaxy S26 series? Component costs, especially memory and chipsets, have been rising, so Samsung is walking a tightrope between margins and staying competitive.
We will find out about U.S. pricing in just a few hours, but early indications suggest the Galaxy S26 Ultra could even see a slight price adjustment in some European markets.
Pricing is going to be one of the biggest talking points today. Will Samsung address rising costs on stage?
Read what IDC's Nabila Popal predicts!
Regardless of whether prices go up or stay the same, you still have a few hours to reserve your Galaxy S26 before the event begins. This does not mean paying for the device right away. You're simply reserving your spot to place an order later, and Samsung is offering a $30 discount along with improved trade-in offers for doing so.
It’s essentially just filling out a form with your name and email address, and you don’t need to enter any card details. If you are even slightly interested, or know someone who is, I would strongly recommend reserving the Galaxy S26 now before the launch kicks off.
Software is a major part of a device. You could argue it’s the entire phone itself. We’ve known that One UI 8.5 is expected to play a massive part in today’s launch, but did you know Samsung’s been fueling it with more speed? Supposedly, that’s what early Galaxy S26 users are going to witness. A “smoother,” more “responsive” Galaxy S26 might await you with One UI 8.5. So, I’d reserve right now, before the event.
Ever heard of “dual aperture?” It’s okay if you haven’t. What matters is that rumors aren’t clear about when we could see this. Whether it be with the S26 or the S27, dual aperture lets your device utilize a wider or narrow form for low-light or bright scenarios. It’s almost like manually changing your aperture on a proper camera. In short, this next series (or the series after) could display some impressive photography capabilities.
