Privacy on demand, not a permanent barrier
At its San Francisco Unpacked event, Samsung unveiled the Galaxy S26 lineup and redesigned Galaxy Buds 4, advancing its flagship series with a mix of incremental refinements and one genuinely novel feature: a Privacy Display on the Ultra model that shields screens from prying eyes in public spaces. The base models carry a $100 price increase — partly attributed to RAM shortages — while the Ultra holds its $1,300 price point and introduces camera and charging improvements alongside expanded AI integrations. In an era when our most sensitive moments increasingly unfold on glass rectangles in crowded rooms, the question of who else can read your screen has quietly become a design problem worth solving.
- Samsung's flagship phones arrive with a $100 price hike on the base models, a sting softened only by rounder corners, modest display upgrades, and software-driven camera improvements on otherwise unchanged hardware.
- The S26 Ultra's Privacy Display — the first of its kind on a smartphone — directly confronts the quiet anxiety of handling sensitive information on public transit or in open offices, blocking sightlines from acute angles.
- The absence of Qi2 magnetic charging on the Ultra is a conspicuous gap Samsung has declined to explain, leaving wireless charging enthusiasts without answers heading into 2026.
- Galaxy Buds 4 receive their most significant redesign in years, shedding angular stems for a smoother form, adding siren detection and 24-bit audio on the Pro, and deepening hands-free AI integration with Bixby, Gemini, and Perplexity.
- Google's partnership brings Circle to Search outfit recognition, Gemini-powered scam call detection, and an AI agent beta for multi-step tasks — signaling that the S26 is as much a software platform as a hardware product.
- All devices are available for pre-order now, with a March 11 release date anchoring Samsung's position ahead of Mobile World Congress and the anticipated Pixel 10 launch.
Samsung opened 2026 with an Unpacked event in San Francisco, unveiling the Galaxy S26, S26+, and S26 Ultra alongside a redesigned Galaxy Buds 4 lineup — all available for pre-order with a March 11 ship date.
The S26 and S26+ are careful evolutions rather than reinventions. Both carry a $100 price increase over their predecessors, landing at $900 and $1,100 for 256GB models, with Samsung citing RAM shortages as a contributing factor. The design grows slightly rounder, nudging the smaller phones toward the Ultra's aesthetic. Display sizes and battery capacities tick upward, and in North America, China, and Japan, Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 powers both devices. Camera hardware is unchanged from the S25, but Samsung has layered in software tools — ProScaler upscaling, a new color-accuracy chip, and an Object Aware Engine for more natural skin and hair rendering — alongside a horizon-leveling video stabilization mode.
The S26 Ultra, holding at $1,300, earns its headline with the Privacy Display: a 6.9-inch QHD+ AMOLED panel that blocks viewing from sharp angles, configurable to activate automatically during password entry, notifications, or specific apps. It's a practical answer to a modern anxiety — sensitive data visible to strangers on a crowded train. The Ultra also brings wider apertures to its main and 5x telephoto cameras, 12 or 16GB of RAM, up to 1TB of storage, and Super Fast Charging 3.0. What it doesn't bring is Qi2 magnetic charging, an omission Samsung has left unexplained.
The Galaxy Buds 4 family received the most thorough refresh of the announcement. Both the standard and Pro models shed their angular stems for a smoother silhouette, with smaller earbud heads designed for longer comfort. The Pro adds siren detection, a woofer nearly 20 percent larger in speaker area, and 24-bit/96kHz audio support. Both models enable hands-free control of Bixby, Google Gemini, and Perplexity — the latter via a 'Hey Plex' wake phrase. Pricing lands at $180 for the standard Buds 4 and $250 for the Pro.
Software rounds out the picture. Perplexity joins Galaxy AI across the S26 series and Samsung Browser. Google brings Circle to Search outfit recognition, Gemini scam call detection in English for US users, and an AI agent beta capable of handling multi-step tasks like ride booking. Samsung also relaunched its Try Galaxy experience, letting anyone preview Galaxy UI and AI features by scanning a QR code — a low-friction invitation into its ecosystem before the March release.
Samsung held its latest Unpacked event in San Francisco on Wednesday, moving ahead of Mobile World Congress to unveil its newest flagship lineup. The company showed off three new phones—the Galaxy S26, S26+, and S26 Ultra—along with redesigned Galaxy Buds 4 earbuds, all available for pre-order immediately with a March 11 release date.
The base S26 and S26+ represent incremental updates with a notable price bump. Both phones now cost $100 more than their predecessors, starting at $900 and $1,100 respectively for 256GB storage variants. Samsung attributes some of the increase to ongoing RAM shortages. The design has been refined with rounder corners that bring the smaller models more in line with the Ultra's aesthetic. The S26 gets a slightly larger 6.3-inch display compared to last year's model, while the S26+ holds steady at 6.7 inches but with improved resolution. Battery capacity has grown too—the S26 now packs a 4,300mAh cell, up from the previous generation.
In North America, China, and Japan, both phones run Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset rather than Samsung's own Exynos processor. The camera hardware remains unchanged from the S25, but Samsung has layered on software enhancements meant to squeeze more from the existing sensors. ProScaler upscaling, a new MDNIe chip for color accuracy, and an Object Aware Engine designed to render skin tones and hair more naturally are among the additions. A new video stabilization feature attempts to keep the horizon level while tracking moving subjects, useful for action footage. Samsung has also expanded compatibility for features like Now Brief and Auto Eraser across more applications.
The S26 Ultra, priced at $1,300 with no increase from last year, introduces what Samsung calls the first Privacy Display on a smartphone. The 6.9-inch AMOLED screen with QHD+ resolution and 120Hz refresh rate includes technology that prevents viewing from acute angles—useful for anyone checking banking apps on public transit or handling sensitive information in crowded spaces. Users can configure Privacy Display to activate automatically when entering passwords, receiving notifications, or opening specific apps. A slight brightness reduction occurs when the feature is active, but extensive customization options are available. The Ultra carries 12 or 16GB of RAM with storage up to 1TB, a 5,000mAh battery, and Super Fast Charging 3.0 support. The camera setup includes a 50MP ultrawide, 200MP main sensor, and dual telephoto lenses at 3x and 5x magnification. The main and 5x sensors now feature wider apertures to capture more light, though resolution remains consistent with the S25 Ultra. Notably absent: Qi2 charging magnets, an omission Samsung has yet to address in 2026.
The Galaxy Buds 4 and Buds 4 Pro received a more substantial overhaul. Samsung redesigned both models with a smoother aesthetic, removing the angular stems and indicator lights of previous generations. The company engineered smaller earbud heads for a more secure, comfortable fit during extended wear. The standard Buds 4 maintain an open-fit design, while the Pro version uses a canal-fit approach. Both offer improved audio quality and active noise cancellation, with adaptive EQ and ambient sound modes. The Buds 4 Pro add siren detection to alert users to emergency vehicles or alarms, a wider woofer that increases speaker area by nearly 20 percent, and support for 24-bit/96kHz audio. When paired with Galaxy devices, both models enable hands-free voice control for Bixby, Google Gemini, and Perplexity—the latter accessible via the "Hey Plex" wake phrase. The Buds 4 Pro also support head gestures for call and assistant management. Pricing sits at $180 for the standard Buds 4 and $250 for the Pro version, available in white and black with matte finishes, plus an online-exclusive pink option for the Pro model.
Software enhancements round out the announcement. Samsung confirmed Perplexity integration into Galaxy AI on the S26 series, with the search tool also embedded in Samsung Browser. Google announced new Android AI features coming to S26 devices and the Pixel 10 lineup, including a beta feature that offloads multi-step tasks like ride booking or grocery ordering to AI agents. Circle to Search gains the ability to identify multiple objects simultaneously—entire outfits rather than individual pieces. Gemini-powered Scam Detection for incoming calls will reach S26 devices in English across the US. Samsung also relaunched its Try Galaxy experience, allowing users to scan a QR code and preview Galaxy UI, apps, photo tools, and AI features on their own devices, even emulating foldable phone software.
Notable Quotes
Samsung claims the latest earbuds have smaller earbud heads that allow for a better, more secure fit and a more comfortable experience during all-day wear.— Samsung on Galaxy Buds 4 design
The Hearth Conversation Another angle on the story
Why does Samsung need a Privacy Display? Isn't that what screen protectors are for?
Screen protectors block light for everyone. Privacy Display is selective—it only restricts the viewing angle when you need it. You're checking your bank balance on the subway; you activate it. You're showing a friend a photo; you turn it off. It's privacy on demand.
The S26 and S26+ cost a hundred dollars more. What's the actual improvement?
Honestly, it's modest. The cameras are the same hardware. The real work is in software—better color processing, smarter upscaling, improved stabilization. And the battery's bigger. It's the kind of year where you're paying more for refinement, not revolution.
What about the Buds? Those seem like they got real attention.
They did. The design is completely rethought—no more angular stems, smaller fit, better seal. The Pro model's woofer is 20 percent larger. For people who wear earbuds all day, that matters. And the siren detection is genuinely useful if you're in a city.
Perplexity as a voice assistant? That's an odd choice.
It is. "Hey Plex" is confusing if you use Plex media server. But Samsung's betting that AI search agents are the next frontier. They're giving users options—Bixby, Gemini, Perplexity—and letting the market decide.
No Qi2 magnets on the Ultra in 2026. That's surprising.
It is. Every other flagship has moved that direction. Samsung's omission feels like a missed opportunity, especially at that price point. It's the kind of thing that'll frustrate people who've already invested in magnetic accessories.