January is coming to an end, which means we're looking forward to Samsung's next flagship launch. The Galaxy S26 is expected to be unveiled soon, and we're looking forward to new flagship experiences.
This year, we were expecting a possible shuffle in the Galaxy S26 lineup, with rumors that Samsung would give up the S26 Plus variant in favor of a more premium Edge model. That may not pan out, but we expect to see some software and AI upgrades, new Galaxy earbuds, and possibly a look at more Android XR/Galaxy XR experiences.
Here's everything we may see at Unpacked.
When and where is Samsung Galaxy Unpacked?
Samsung revealed on February 10 that Galaxy Unpacked will take place on February 25 at 10 a.m. PT / 1 p.m. ET. The event is being held in San Francisco, California.
How to watch the 2026 Galaxy Unpacked
Plenty of press will be present at Samsung's Galaxy Unpacked, watching the event live in San Francisco. However, if you want to watch the event as it unfolds, you can do so on Samsung's website or the official YouTube account.
Ahead of the event, you'll want to ensure you click the "Notify me" button so you don't miss out on Unpacked as everything gets... unpacked. You can find the video below for your convenience.
Samsung Galaxy S26
There were early suggestions that Samsung would change the S series lineup this year, swapping the Galaxy S26 Plus for the Galaxy S26 Edge. However, the most recent rumors and leaks suggest that Samsung has halted production of the S26 Edge while holding onto its basic trio — the Galaxy S26, S26 Plus, and S26 Ultra — and ditching the once-rumored "Pro" moniker on the base model.
As for the main trio's design, Samsung doesn't seem to be making drastic changes to it, at least according to the latest leaks. The devices appear to resemble their predecessors, although with a more pronounced camera island housing the sensors.
Samsung has already begun teasing its new privacy display, which is supposed to work like a privacy screen protector that hides your screen's content from prying eyes on either side. Samsung also teased updated camera sensors with better low-light capture.
Rumors also indicate that the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip could power phones in some regions, while others could get the Exynos 2600 processor. All models are rumored to feature a base of at least 12GB of RAM, with a 16GB option. The series will launch with Android 16 and Samsung's One UI 8.5.
As for the battery, the base version could feature a larger 4,300mAh battery, the Plus variant might have the same 4,900mAh battery, and the Ultra is expected to retain a 5,000mAh battery. S Pen fans can also breathe a sigh of relief as the Ultra will likely keep the S Pen, adopt a slightly slimmer build, and support faster 60W charging.
But it's important to note that these are still preliminary leaks, and not all of these features may make it onto the actual device. We'll know more about these flagship models in the coming months.
One UI 8.5
One UI 8.5 has been in testing for some time, giving us a look at what to expect from the next big update for Galaxy phones. The update promises to bring a bevy of new software improvements, such as the ability to easily view files from other Galaxy devices and a streamlined photo-editing experience.
On the UI front, users can expect an expanded dark theme, a forced icon theming option, lock screen widget support, and a universal cursor when using external displays. For media, Samsung is introducing improvements such as new Audio APIs, an HDR/SDR brightness slider, enhanced media router privacy, and personal audio sharing via the output switcher.
One UI 8.5 is also expected to heavily leverage AI, such as a "Notification Summaries" feature that provides quick recaps of lengthy messages and group conversations, which can be toggled on or off.
Samsung also revealed an updated Bixby, which should bring it closer to a Gemini-like experience, allowing for more natural communication with the AI assistant. Bixby will be able to use context to better control settings on your device or perform live web searches for up-to-date information.
One UI 8.5 could also bring a game-changing feature, offering presets for Pro camera controls. This would allow users to quickly save and swap between preferred settings for ISO, aperture, white balance, shutter speed, etc., eliminating the need to manually adjust them every time. You will also be able to share these presets for collaborative projects or with family and friends.
Galaxy Buds 4 Pro
As for the next-gen Galaxy Buds, early leaks hinted at their existence, with one suggesting that the Korean OEM has started naming its next buds, the Galaxy Buds 4 and Galaxy Buds 4 Pro, using what appear to be internal code names. The test server build supposedly holds clues in its code about the alleged earbuds, with hints to base and Pro model numbers SM-R540 and SM-R640, respectively.
There have been some leaks revealing what the earbuds might look like, and Samsung has also accidentally leaked its own earbuds via the Samsung Members app.
Samsung Turkey Galaxy Buds 4 and Buds 4 Pro leaked on Samsung Members feedback support line ‼️Both models have been confirmed to arrive on February 25‼️ pic.twitter.com/d3P57IBYPJJanuary 26, 2026
The Buds 4 appear to have an updated design compared to the Buds 3, although Samsung may also include new features such as Head Gestures that activate different functions based on the movement of your head and an upgraded Interpreter mode. There also may be a new case design for the earbuds.
Samsung Android XR glasses
Samsung has already launched its Galaxy XR headset, but the company is expected to launch smart AI glasses sometime in 2026. These will compete with other smart glasses, such as the Ray-Ban Meta Gen 2, with a built-in camera and hands-free access to Google AI.
The company is partnering with Gentle Monster and Warby Parker to create stylish and accessible glasses. These are expected to come in non-display and display variants, similar to the Meta Ray-Ban Display glasses.
Google has shown off prototype smart glasses at I/O, which feature a built-in monocular display, so we have an idea of how these will work. However, we don't know exactly when they will show up, or even if Samsung plans to unveil them at the upcoming Unpacked event. However, we will keep our eyes peeled.
