Every Samsung Galaxy Unpacked announcement, including S26

Samsung just wrapped Galaxy Unpacked 2026, and if there was one word the company wanted you to remember, it was “agentic.”

With the unveiling of the new S26 line of phones, Samsung wants to make clear that its smartphones will do the work for you. There were several neat breakout features for the S26 lineup that stood out during the AI-focused showcase.

Between agentic AI integrations, gamer-grade performance, and a genuinely novel Privacy Display, Samsung clearly wants the Galaxy S26 Ultra in particular to feel like more than just an iterative upgrade.

So, from the Galaxy S26 lineup to new Galaxy Buds4 earbuds, here’s everything Samsung unveiled at its Feb. 25 event.

Galaxy S26, S26+, and S26 Ultra: Samsung’s ‘most intuitive’ AI phone yet

At the center of Unpacked was the new Galaxy S26 series — the Galaxy S26, Galaxy S26+, and Galaxy S26 Ultra — which Samsung calls its “most intuitive, proactive, and adaptive Galaxy AI” experience yet.

All three phones run Android 16 with One UI 8.5 and are powered (in North America, China, and Japan) by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy chip. On the Ultra, Samsung says users can expect up to a 19% CPU boost, 39% NPU boost, and 24% GPU improvement compared to the previous generation — performance gains clearly designed to keep up with always-on AI.

Preorders open Feb. 25, with general availability starting March 11. Pricing starts at:

• $899.99 for Galaxy S26

• $1,099.99 for Galaxy S26+

• $1,299.99 for Galaxy S26 Ultra

Agentic AI takes center stage

Samsung’s pitch this year is an AI phone that takes action for you.

The Galaxy S26 series integrates multiple AI agents, including Bixby, Google Gemini, and Perplexity. Once configured, tasks can be completed with a button press or voice prompt, and multi-step actions can run in the background. Samsung demostrated several “practical” uses of agentic AI on the S26 like having it order a pizza for you on GrubHub or Galaxy AI surfacing trip photos automatically when a friend asks for them (via the Now Nudge feature). Samsung also expanded Circle to Search with multi-object recognition, allowing users to identify multiple items in an image at once

Samsung frames these agentic AI features as a way to stop unnecessary app-hopping so users can focus on what’s more important (usually something like spending more time with the family instead of fussing around with the delivery app).

Galaxy S26 Ultra debuts first-of-its-kind Privacy Display

While AI dominated the keynote, the Galaxy S26 Ultra may be remembered for something else entirely: privacy.

Samsung says the S26 Ultra introduces the mobile industry’s first built-in Privacy Display: a hardware-level feature that narrows viewing angles to make it harder for bystanders to see your screen. In Mashable’s hands-on, Amanda Yeo described it as “the coolest innovation by far,” noting how activating Privacy Display significantly darkens the screen from side angles.

A “Maximum privacy protection” mode makes the display appear almost off to anyone not looking straight at it. Unlike traditional privacy screen protectors, Samsung’s solution is integrated into the panel itself. When off, full viewing quality is restored; when on, users can customize privacy levels and even limit protection to specific apps or PIN entry screens.

Samsung describes it as privacy “at the pixel level,” and in a year obsessed with AI data security, that framing feels deliberate.

Galaxy S26 Ultra: Built for performance (and gamers)

Samsung is also positioning the Ultra as a performance powerhouse.

The S26 Ultra features:

• A 6.9-inch QHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with 120Hz adaptive refresh rate and up to 2600 nits peak brightness

• A redesigned vapor chamber for improved thermal management during gaming and multitasking

• A 5,000mAh battery

It also supports Super Fast Charging 3.0, reaching up to 75% charge in around 30 minutes. On the camera front, the Ultra sports:

• 200MP wide camera

• 50MP ultra-wide

• 10MP 3x telephoto

• 50MP 5x telephoto

• 100x digital zoom

• 8K video at 30fps

Samsung also introduced APV, a new professional-grade video codec for high-quality workflows.

Galaxy S26 and S26+: Slimmer, lighter, still AI-first

The standard Galaxy S26 and S26+ share much of the Ultra’s AI foundation, but with more compact builds. Both support 120Hz adaptive refresh rates and the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy. The camera systems are led by a 50MP wide lens, with 3x optical zoom and up to 30x digital zoom

• Galaxy S26: 6.3-inch FHD+ display, 4,300mAh battery

• Galaxy S26+: 6.7-inch QHD+ display, 4,900mAh battery

Galaxy AI tools: Editing, scanning, and call screening

Samsung expanded its AI editing toolkit across the lineup.

The upgraded Photo Assist suite allows users to describe edits in natural language — including changing time of day, restoring missing elements, or even altering outfits in photos. Creative Studio consolidates generation and customization tools into one workspace for stickers, wallpapers, and invitations.

Document Scan automatically removes distortions (such as creases or fingerprints) and can bundle multiple images into a single PDF. On the security front, there’s AI-powered Call Screening that summarizes unknown callers’ intent along with Privacy Alerts that notify users if apps with device admin privileges attempt sensitive access.

Galaxy Buds4 and Buds4 Pro: Hi-fi sound meets AI

Credit: Mashable / Joseph Maldonado

The new Galaxy Buds4 and Buds4 Pro launch alongside the S26 series, with general availability starting March 11. The Buds4 series supports hands-free activation of AI agents, including Bixby, Gemini, and Perplexity, reinforcing Samsung’s “agentic” ecosystem story.

Buds4 Pro highlights:

• Wider woofer with ~19.8% larger effective speaker area

• 24-bit/96kHz hi-fi audio support

• Enhanced ANC and Adaptive EQ

• Head Gesture controls for calls and Bixby interaction

Design-wise, Samsung introduced a new “blade” aesthetic, developed using ear-shape simulation data.