Samsung Galaxy S26 Series: AI, Privacy, and Performance Upgrades

Samsung has officially announced the Galaxy S26 series, with pre-orders beginning February 25th and devices available for purchase from March 11th. The lineup includes the Galaxy S26, S26+, and S26 Ultra, with starting prices of €1,019, €1,289, and €1,499 respectively.

The Hardware Rundown

The Galaxy S26 and S26+ will utilize Samsung’s Exynos 2600 chip, while the S26 Ultra will be powered by a customized Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy. Samsung claims the Ultra’s processor delivers a 19% CPU improvement, a 39% NPU (Neural Processing Unit) boost, and a 24% GPU gain compared to the S25 Ultra Qualcomm. The Ultra also features a redesigned vapor chamber for improved heat management.

Battery capacities are 4,300 mAh for the S26, 4,900 mAh for the S26+, and 5,000 mAh for the Ultra. Charging speeds vary: the Ultra supports 60W wired charging (reaching 75% charge in approximately 30 minutes), the S26+ supports up to 45W, and the base S26 is limited to 25W. Charging adapters are sold separately.

All three models ship with Android 16 and Samsung’s One UI 8.5, and Samsung is committing to seven years of security updates.

Camera Enhancements

The S26 Ultra’s main camera boasts wider apertures across all lenses; the 200MP wide sensor now allows 47% more light compared to the S25 Ultra, and the 50MP 5x telephoto lens gains 37% more light. The camera system also includes a 10MP 3x telephoto and a 12MP ultra-wide lens. The S26 and S26+ maintain a triple-camera setup with a 50MP main sensor.

The Ultra is the first Galaxy device to support APV (Apple ProRes Video), a professional-grade codec designed for high-quality video production workflows. The Super Steady mode now includes a horizontal lock option for stable framing during movement.

A Novel Dimension of Privacy: The Hardware Privacy Display

The Galaxy S26 Ultra introduces a first-of-its-kind hardware privacy display, integrated directly into the screen. When activated, this feature limits the viewing angle, protecting sensitive information from onlookers while maintaining display clarity for the user. It functions in both portrait and landscape modes.

This feature is particularly useful in public settings, allowing users to check banking apps, read messages, or enter PINs without fear of visual eavesdropping. The privacy display can be set to activate automatically for specific apps or when entering passwords, with adjustable obscuring levels. Unlike aftermarket privacy screen protectors, the integrated version aims to preserve normal display quality when privacy mode is off. The feature requires manual activation in settings.

AI Integration with Galaxy AI

Samsung is heavily integrating Galaxy AI across the S26 series, including proactive suggestions (Now Nudge), a personalized daily summary (Now Brief), an upgraded Circle to Search with multi-object recognition, and enhanced Bixby integration alongside Gemini and Perplexity. The Photo Assist suite allows users to describe edits in natural language, enabling scene changes and outfit swaps in photos. These AI features generally require a Samsung account and a network connection.

Galaxy Buds4 Series Launch

Alongside the S26 range, Samsung is releasing the Galaxy Buds4 series, comprising the Buds4 Pro and standard Buds4. Samsung states the design was informed by analyzing hundreds of millions of ear data points and over 10,000 fit simulations. The Buds4 Pro features improved active noise cancellation and an enhanced adaptive equalizer. Both models pair with the S26 to enable hands-free AI agent access, and the Pro version offers head gesture controls for call management.

The Buds4 series is available in White and Black with a matte finish, with a Pink Gold option exclusive to online purchases for the Buds4 Pro.

Pricing and Current Offers

While the pre-order double storage offer has ended, trade-in options remain available on samsung.com/ie, offering up to €600 off depending on the current device. Purchasing the Buds4 or Buds4 Pro alongside an S26 receives a 15% discount. Samsung and select Irish retailers also provide a 100-day return window on the Buds4 range.