Samsung Galaxy S26 launch live: The Galaxy S26 series is here, plus Galaxy Buds 4 and tons of exciting new One UI features
February 27, 20260 Views
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(Image credit: Derrek Lee / Android Central)
T-Mobile isn’t the only carrier willing to give you a free Galaxy S26 without a trade-in. Verizon’s preorder deal will also land you a FREE Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus when you add a line with the Unlimited Plus or Unlimited Ultimate plan.
That’s $1,099.99 of promo credit over 36 months! No trade-in is required, just be prepared to pay that $40 activation fee when you go to preorder.
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(Image credit: Derrek Lee / Android Central)
(Image credit: Derrek Lee / Android Central)
The Galaxy S26 series comes with a new Ocean Mode, found under the camera’s Expert Raw section. We tested the new mode in an aquarium underwater and found that it substantially enhances photos taken underwater, making them feel less like a faded photo and more like what you’d expect out of a 2026 smartphone.
Of course, you’ll need to outfit your phone with a proper waterproof case like this $8 one on Amazon if you’re going to take it into salt water. That’s because the Galaxy S26’s IP68 water and dust resistance rating doesn’t protect against salt water (no phone does). In short, salt erodes the seals that keep the phone water-resistant, so be sure to protect your phone with the right watertight option, especially since it’s so darn inexpensive.
Assuming you’ll be getting an S26 and a waterproof case, do you think you’ll be using ocean mode? Let us know in the poll below!
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(Image credit: Derrek Lee / Android Central)
(Image credit: Derrek Lee / Android Central)
(Image credit: Derrek Lee / Android Central)
(Image credit: Derrek Lee / Android Central)
I’m at least mildly concerned about the new S Pen design, which features a very defined curve to the back end of the stylus. While this may be more aesthetically pleasing at times, it also means there’s a right way and a wrong way to dock it into the phone’s holster. Docking it incorrectly will result in the curve facing the opposite direction from the phone, leaving a very obvious protruding S Pen hanging out. Right now, it seems like this will be a minor annoyance rather than a problem, but time will tell in the hands of real users.
Over the years, Samsung has made a couple of mistakes with the S Pen design in similar ways, but it remains to be seen if this ends up being remembered as a Galaxy Note 5-level design error, or if it’s really no big deal in the end. You can see the S26 Ultra’s S Pen compared to the S25 Ultra’s S Pen in the third image in the gallery above.
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(Image credit: Derrek Lee / Android Central)
(Image credit: Derrek Lee / Android Central)
(Image credit: Derrek Lee / Android Central)
(Image credit: Derrek Lee / Android Central)
I don’t know about you, but I think this redesigned camera island looks a lot better than the past few generations of Samsung phones. I haven’t been the biggest fan of the isolated, raised lens design that Samsung has used on all of its phones over the past few years, as I feel it looks overly generic and boring.
The change is very simple, yet I think it lends immensely to a better-looking phone. The big, gaudy camera rings (that easily detached) from the S25 series are gone, replaced with a far more subtle, colored aluminum edge and placed on a raised, rounded island that gives shadow and depth to the design. I still wish Samsung would either center the lenses or use a wider camera island so the phone doesn’t rock when placed on a table, but I suppose that’s what a case is for.
(Image credit: Android Central)
One of the new features of the upgraded Galaxy AI on the Samsung Galaxy S26 series is that it can interact with your phone in new and exciting ways. Samsung is using Perplexity as a way to power its new Bixby assistant, and that means you have access to all of the world’s favorite LLMs without having to use a bunch of different apps.
We sat down virtually with Perplexity’s Chief Business Officer, Dmitry Shevelenko, and asked about the new assistant and what it can do. “The integration with Samsung’s Galaxy S26 is the deepest technology partnership we’ve done as a company,” he told me when I asked about Perplexity’s limitations on the phone. “There’s nothing Gemini can do for you that we can’t do,” he confidently added, backing that up with the deep system integration Samsung talked about on stage.
That extends to system level functions, app commands, and even using a specific wake word to use Perplexity instead of Gemini. It’s the first non-Google AI assistant that uses a wake word on a Samsung device, and that’s a really big deal for people looking to keep all the great LLM features Galaxy AI offers without relying entirely on Google.
Think of Perplexity as the hub to all your AI search requests. Shevelenko told me that when you pull up Bixby on the Galaxy S26 series and search for something, it’ll use any LLM engine you select. That includes ChatGPT, Claude, Grok, Gemini, and more. Either you can choose, or it’ll choose the best response for you. It’s essentially an AI search for AI searches.
Although the Galaxy S26 series stole most of the limelight during yesterday’s Unpacked event, the reveal of the Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 and Galaxy Buds 4 Pro has been turning a lot of heads. Unfortunately, the deals on the wireless earbuds (slated for release on March 11th) have been pretty lackluster so far, usually just giving shoppers a $20 or $30 gift card when they preorder. That said, if you’re planning on preordering a Galaxy S26 phone in addition to the earbuds, we have one hack that you should keep in mind.
Since several S26 preorder deals come with a free gift card worth up to $200 (depending on the model), you could technically preorder the phone first, wait for the gift card to land in your inbox, and use that cash towards the price of the Samsung earbuds.
Carving $200 off the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro, for example, would drop the price to only $49.99, which is way better than any Galaxy Buds 4 preorder deal we’ve seen so far.
(Image credit: Derrek Lee / Android Central)
We’ve seen a lot of great Galaxy S26 preorder deals since the phones were revealed yesterday, but no offer has impressed me more than the T-Mobile promotion that gets you a FREE Galaxy S26 Ultra when you add a line with the premium Experience Beyond plan. That’s $1,300 of promo credit, no trade-in required.
Of course, T-Mobile’s Experience Beyond tier isn’t exactly cheap, but you get a lot of premium extras to make the monthly cost worth it. It’s not for everyone, but if you want to grab one of the world’s best unlimited plans AND best Android phones in one fell swoop, this deal offers some outstanding value.
Need other accessories? Samsung has a ton of custom cases, and if you’re pre-ordering the Galaxy S26 series, you get plenty of great trade-in deals. Samsung is giving $900 if you’re upgrading to the S26 Ultra from the Galaxy Z Fold 7 or last year’s S25 Ultra, and $800 if you’re switching from the S24 Ultra — there are dozens of other upgrade options available.
Similarly, Samsung has up to $700 in trade-in deals if you’re buying the Galaxy S26 or S26+. Honestly, if you’ve decided to get the phones, pre-ordering the devices is the best bet to score decent discounts on the entire range — and you get additional credit towards buying earbuds or cases.
With the Galaxy S26 series not including magnets, you’ll need to buy a case if you want to take full advantage of Qi 2 charging tech. Thankfully, there’s no shortage of brands that sell cases and accessories, and UAG is a decent choice if you want rugged cases with standout protection that look good. The brand’s Civilian cases in particular look great, and they’re available in vibrant colors.
With the Galaxy S26, S26+, and S26 Ultra now official, it’s time to talk about what it’s like to actually use the devices. We went hands-on with the Galaxy S26 series, and what’s immediately evident is that the standard Galaxy S26 is a little bigger than last year — that’s down to the 6.3-inch panel. Thankfully, it gets a bigger battery as well, and that should allow the device to last a full day.
The other two models don’t quite have a new design, with Samsung instead making subtle changes to make it slightly easier to hold and use either phone.
(Image credit: Mous)
As you might expect, case manufacturers are all going crazy over today’s announcement. Tons of Samsung Galaxy devices are sold worldwide each year, making it a gold mine for companies that make accessories. There are an overwhelming number of cases to pick, so if you’re having trouble deciding on some, here are a few recommendations from us:
If you want one with your favorite movie, anime, or video game characters: CASETiFY
And if you want something that almost can’t be called a “case” at all: ARC
(Image credit: Derrek Lee / Android Central)
One of the most surprising aspects of today’s show was the lack of a price increase on the Galaxy S26 Ultra. This marks the second year that Samsung hasn’t increased the Ultra’s price, and that’s particularly surprising given the market conditions around storage and RAM right now.
The base models weren’t so fortunate, however, as both received a $100 price increase. Of course, the price hasn’t seen a jump since the Galaxy S22, so it’s been “a long time coming” considering everything that has happened in the tech industry over the past 12 months.
(Image credit: Android Central)
Samsung is finishing up the first Galaxy Unpacked 2026 now, and it seems that there were no new surprises at the end for this year. Last year, the company teased the Galaxy S25 Edge, but that product apparently didn’t do very well, so there’s no telling if Samsung will try again this year.
If you just hopped onto the live blog and missed everything, you can scroll down and head through the play-by-play, or just click here to see everything that was announced at today’s event.
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(Image credit: Android Central)
(Image credit: Android Central)
Samsung spoke about sustainability and how it’s working to ensure that things like recycled materials are being used in its products, water is being sourced properly, and funding is being poured into projects that help bring coral reefs back to life.
I’m not sure how this all ties in with the new Ocean Mode on the Galaxy S26 series’ cameras, but it’s a cool new mode that removes that familiar blue hue of underwater photos and makes them look more lifelike.
(Image credit: Android Central)
The standard Galaxy Buds 4 model features an open type of design, while Pro uses a rubber tip to ensure the best seal. Buds 4 start at $179 and can be preordered now.
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(Image credit: Android Central)
(Image credit: Android Central)
(Image credit: Android Central)
The new Galaxy Buds 4 series features an upgraded, larger speaker thanks to a more efficient design that gives engineers more space to deliver higher quality audio. These also feature a new Samsung codec that’s exclusive to Galaxy phones, designed to bring hi-res audio to Samsung’s best earbuds yet.
You can also preorder the Galaxy S26 and Galaxy S26 Plus models right now, but these models come with a $100 price increase over last year’s phones. That’s a bit rough, but some great preorder deals should help offset that a bit.
(Image credit: Android Central)
The Galaxy S26 Ultra can be preordered right now and starts at the same $1,299 as last year. Ordering on Samsung.com will give you access to two exclusive colors, and Samsung always runs a bunch of great preorder and trade-in promotions ahead of flagship launches, too.
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(Image credit: Android Central)
(Image credit: Android Central)
Samsung’s new editing suite borders on uncomfortable for me, but I’m willing to bet it’s going to come in handy in tons of situations. The dog in the photo above wasn’t in the original photo. Samsung took a photo of two people and asked Bixby to add the dog, taken in another photo. The result is what you see, a moment that never existed but now has photographic evidence.
Samsung says all photos edited with Galaxy AI will feature a watermark, ensuring that people understand it was edited with AI.
(Image credit: Android Central)
Samsung is adopting one of our favorite Motorola video capture features: Horizon Lock. Samsung calls this Super Steady, and it uses AI to recognize the horizon line and keep it steady throughout the video. That means even videos you take while running will suddenly look ultra smooth and without all the bumps and shakes it normally would have.
(Image credit: Android Central)
Samsung is serious about its upgraded video recording capabilities on the Galaxy S26 Ultra. In fact, the entire livestream is being recorded with the Galaxy S26 Ultra. Of course, it’s in an expensive mount that most people will never buy, but it proves the point that these phones can do everything you need.
(Image credit: Android Central)
Samsung specifically showed the new lenses off as part of a Nightography showcase, proving that its phones capture better low light video than ever.
(Image credit: Android Central)
Samsung is upgrading the camera experience on the Galaxy S26 Ultra starting with better lenses that capture more light than ever.
(Image credit: Android Central)
Privacy Display is easily one of the coolest display enhancements we’ve ever seen, and Samsung didn’t waste a moment by bringing Miles Franklin (from YouTube channel Miles Above Tech) on stage to demo it in real time. Just as you would expect, when Privacy Display was turned on, the camera couldn’t see it from the side, but it looked just fine when the phone was held straight on.
He also showed off how you can customize it for different types of content on screen, giving you an impressive amount of control over the feature.
(Image credit: Android Central)
Samsung explains that the new Privacy Display on the Galaxy S26 Ultra uses a collection of narrow and wide pixels that can be controlled in real-time based on what’s happening on screen. This allows the screen to be easily viewed from the front but not from an angle.
You can turn this on or off with a quick toggles at any time, and can even customize it to only dim notifications, text, or the entire screen.
(Image credit: Android Central)
Samsung wants you to know that the new Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 CPU sports 19% faster performance to keep your AI queries and data on-device rather than offloading it to the cloud.
(Image credit: Android Central)
The President of the Android Ecosystem at Google, Sameer Samat, took the stage to talk about the next evolution of Android and how that ties into the latest Galaxy phones. He went over how Gemini 3 is able to navigate apps just like a person, allowing you to ask Gemini to do something and then watch it unfold in realtime.
We got to try this out in our Galaxy S26 hands-on, where Samsung showed off how an Uber can be quickly ordered by asking Gemini to do it for us. That eliminates the many steps that have to be taken to open the Uber app, type in the address, find the right car, etc. Now you can get it done with all your luggage in your hands.
(Image credit: Android Central)
Samsung says that the new, upgraded Galaxy AI is designed to “remove the barriers between intent and action,” delivering a phone that actually feels smart rather than a collection of apps that you manually jump between. We’ve definitely heard this one before, but it’ll be interesting to see if Samsung can actually deliver on that.
(Image credit: Android Central)
Samsung is delivering one of our favorite Pixel 10 features (Magic Cue) onto the Galaxy S26 series. It calls this Now Nudge, a somewhat odd name for a service you’re going to love. Like Google’s Magic Cue, Now Nudge delivers context-sensitive buttons and actions based on what’s happening on screen.
In the example on stage, the person received a text asking about going out for Korean BBQ. Now Nudge then automatically surfaced a button to open the calendar, letting you quickly jump to the app you need at the moment you need it.
(Image credit: Android Central)
I’m not sure who asked for it, but Bixby is back and apparently better than ever. It’s powered by Perplexity and can deliver responses from nearly any LLM you prefer to use. Think of it a bit like a super-powered search that gives you access to ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, and more, all with a single search.
(Image credit: Android Central)
Galaxy phones can now screen calls just like a Pixel, ensuring spam and even scam callers never reach your phone in the first place. Not only that, but automatic call summaries can give you a quick list of what transpired on a call or what someone is calling for, so you can spend less time hearing “blah blah blah” and more time doing the things you want.
(Image credit: Android Central)
Samsung is evolving the smartphone and now calling the Galaxy S26 series “the first agentic AI phones.” This starts with upgraded features like Now Brief (which might finally be useful this year), as well as new features like Now Nudge that can deliver context-sensitive information and actions for everyday needs.
(Image credit: Android Central)
According to TM Roh, privacy is central to Samsung’s Galaxy AI infrastructure and is powered by Samsung Knox, a security platform that’s evolved significantly over the years to meet the needs of modern apps and services. That includes pillars like on-device processing and tough encryption to keep your data safe.
(Image credit: Android Central)
TM Roh, Head of Device eXperience Division at Samsung, has taken the stage first, talking up Galaxy AI and all the new technologies that it’s making possible.
It’s that time — if you’ve been waiting for the Samsung Galaxy S26 series, One UI 8.5, or the Galaxy Buds 4 series, the wait is over. Samsung’s Galaxy Unpacked video event is happening now in San Francisco, California.
Don’t worry, if you’re following along at home, you can tune in via a YouTube livestream. We’re still bringing you live updates as Samsung reveals its announcements, so stay tuned!
Show is nearly about to start and Managing Editor Derrek Lee is on the ground !
(Image credit: Android Central)
What I really want to know is if Samsung and third-party retailers will throw in a free gift card with a Galaxy S26 pre-order. The credits, trade-in promotions, and storage upgrades are all nice, but an extra gift card is the icing on the cake.
When I pre-ordered the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge at launch, Best Buy threw in a $50 gift card, and I hope the retailer does the same for Galaxy S26 pre-orders. An extra $50 or $100 gift card goes a long way when buying a new phone. You can use the extra cash toward cases, screen protectors, and charging accessories.
If you’re planning to buy the Galaxy Buds 4 or Galaxy Buds 4 Pro along with the Galaxy S26, the trick is to order the phone first and wait to get the earbuds with the free gift card. Here’s to hoping early Galaxy S26 buyers get rewarded with some sweet freebies.
Best Buy’s offer is also intriguing for another reason. Sure, the $30 reservation credit and the maximum $1,100 trade-in credit are major selling points.
What caught my eye, though, is the subtle confirmation that Best Buy will give buyers “double the storage with pre-order.” If you’ve followed Samsung launches before, you know that free storage upgrades are the norm during the pre-order window. However, something’s different this year.
Samsung is rumored to upgrade the Galaxy S26 and Galaxy S26 Plus to 256GB of base storage. If that turns out to be the case, Best Buy’s free storage upgrades would be massive. Instead of upgrading you from 128GB to 256GB, they would upgrade you from 256GB to 512GB. Talk about future-proofing.
However, if you plan to purchase a pair of Galaxy Buds 4 or Galaxy Buds 4 Pro, you really should own a Samsung phone. Historically speaking, Samsung usually reserves certain earbud features for exclusive use with its smartphones. Features like the Samsung Seamless Codec (SSC), game mode for low-latency audio, and spatial audio with head tracking require a Galaxy phone. Keep that in mind when considering a new pair of Galaxy earbuds.
Those that are planning a pre-order immediately following the Samsung Galaxy S26 launch probably don’t want to go into their purchase without all the details. Luckily, we know a fair bit about the preorder deals and promotions Samsung might offer for the Galaxy S26.
Samsung is teasing up to $900 enhanced trade-in credit when you take advantage of the reservation offer, but that’s not even the best Galaxy S26 deal. Best Buy might have given us an early look at the true Galaxy S26 preorder promotions, as the big box store is advertising up to $1,100 in trade-in credit for the upcoming smartphones.
The major retailers typically offer the same or similar promotions, so keep an eye out for Samsung, Amazon, and others to match what Best Buy is teasing ahead of the big reveal.
Last Call for the $30 Credit!
If you already know you’re going to pre-order today, do not wait for the stream to begin. We’re in the final hour of Samsung’s Galaxy Reserve program.
P.S.: This does not commit you to buying the phone, but it ensures you get the best possible deal if you decide to place an order.
As a reminder, the Galaxy Buds 3 and Galaxy Buds 3 Pro were released in July 2024, but the launch was anything but smooth. Samsung took criticism for the Buds 3 series design, which felt quite similar to AirPods. More importantly, early buyers encountered worrying quality control issues, prompting Samsung to suspend deliveries of the earbuds while it sorted out the problems.
With that history in mind, Samsung needs to get the Galaxy Buds 4 and Galaxy Buds 4 Pro launch right. While not everyone may like the rumored redesign, Samsung might finally beat the Apple lookalike allegations. The simpler Galaxy Buds 4 Pro design rumored to remove the LEDs from the prior generation might result in fewer QC problems. That’s the hope, at least.
Samsung is already gearing up for the Galaxy Unpacked event by updating some of its apps in advance of the expected One UI 8.5 launch. Galaxy Wearable app version 2.2.68.26010761 is rolling out now in Korea, with more regions likely to follow, according to a post on Samsung’s community forums.
The upgrade is a big one — Samsung’s release notes state this app version adds support for the Galaxy Buds 4 and Galaxy Buds 4 Pro while updating the design to meet One UI 8.5 user experience styles. It’s an early combination that yes, we’re getting new Samsung earbuds, if there was any doubt.
It all comes back to the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 expected to power the Samsung Galaxy S26 in select regions. Qualcomm’s latest mobile platform is even faster than the groundbreaking Snapdragon 8 Elite in the Galaxy S25 series, but it also runs hotter.
In our testing of the OnePlus 15, which uses the same Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip, we noticed the phone overheating during stress tests. Since aluminum is a better thermal conductor than titanium, Samsung might actually be improving the thermal profile of the Galaxy S26 with this material switch.
Titanium traps heat, while aluminum releases it. That could be just one reason we think the Galaxy S26 will feature an aluminum frame once again.
If you’ve been paying attention to Samsung’s leaked color names from this morning, you might have noticed something missing. The word “Titanium” is nowhere to be found.
That’s because Samsung is rumored to be switching to a new “Armor Aluminum 2.0” frame for the Galaxy S26 series. Some reports from Korea suggest the move back to aluminum is driven by better thermal management and lighter weight compared to the titanium used in the S25 Ultra.
And yes, this comes shortly after Apple reportedly moved back to aluminum for the iPhone 17 lineup. Make of that what you will.
Samsung is clearly banking on the Exynos 2600 delivering for the Galaxy S26 series. It’s not just about reducing reliance on Qualcomm, but also because the company is rumored to use the same chip in this year’s flip-style foldable, the Galaxy Z Flip 8. A strong showing here could give Samsung the confidence to move more of its premium devices to in-house silicon.
Here in Chicago, when the White Sox were on their way to win the 2005 World Series, there was a “Blackout” night. Basically, everyone wore black to the game. It was harrowing for the enemy team (Houston Astros). Samsung might have a blackout version of the Galaxy S26 Ultra coming this year. I’m not sure if it’ll be for launch or sometime after. To be honest, I’m not even sure this is happening—but it should. The blackout version would see the dark colorway wrap over the typically silver metal sides.
With Samsung, we’re almost certain to see new Galaxy AI features alongside One UI 8.5. The company has already shown an updated version of Photo Assist that lets you perform multiple generative AI edits without saving each step, but there is likely much more coming.
We’re also hearing about a new AI-powered notification summary feature. Samsung has reportedly been working on this for some time, and it is expected to function similarly to Pixel’s notification summaries, giving you a quick overview without opening each alert.
Beyond that, there are rumors of additional Galaxy AI tools set to debut. What would you like to see added?
Our senior content producer, Nick Sutrich, found that the Galaxy S25 Ultra’s sensor was not as reliable as the one on the OnePlus 15 or even the Pixel 10 series. It got so bad that he eventually disabled it altogether on his Galaxy S25 Ultra unit. The big question now is whether Samsung has addressed it this time.
(Image credit: Andrew Myrick / Android Central)
One area where Samsung may have improved this year is camera post-processing. A recent leak from reliable tipster @UniverseIce on X claims Samsung has adopted a new noise reduction algorithm for its cameras.
According to the leaker, photos with skies no longer show visible banding or “fault lines,” instead producing a smoother blue gradient. It’s still too early to judge, but if true, this suggests Samsung has refined its image processing.
We’ll have to test this properly, but camera performance today is as much about software as hardware, so I’m at least curious to see whether this makes any noticeable real-world difference.
It wouldn’t be a Samsung launch without a little Exynos drama. Samsung is once again using the Exynos 2600 in the base Galaxy S26 and Galaxy S26 Plus across many global markets. The company is making bold claims about the new chip, highlighting its 2nm architecture and significant CPU performance gains.
That said, early leaked Geekbench scores suggest the Exynos 2600 may still trail the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 slightly. If that ends up being true, would you be okay with it this time, or would it still sting a bit?
Chips debate aside, one thing I’m genuinely looking forward to on the Galaxy S26 Ultra is the upgraded primary camera. The 200 MP main sensor is rumored to get a wider f/1.4 aperture, which should let in significantly more light and result in better low-light shots and more natural bokeh. The big question is whether Samsung can finally match the Chinese competition this time?
If you’re considering the standard S26 or S26 Plus, though, do not expect major camera hardware changes. Both are rumored to retain the same 50 MP main, 12 MP ultrawide, and 10 MP 3x telephoto setup from the S25.
That is honestly a bit disappointing, so we’ll have to see if updated ISPs and processing make any noticeable difference.
(Image credit: Andrew Myrick / Android Central)
Speaking of cases, you don’t even have to wait for Samsung to officially launch the devices. Dbrand is already taking orders for its skins, cases, and screen protectors for the entire Galaxy S26 series. Not only does this confirm the design of the smartphone series, but if you’re planning to pick one up, you might as well secure your accessories now.
It’d be unfair not to bring up the Qi2 situation. Samsung is reportedly increasing wireless charging speeds to 25W on the Galaxy S26 Ultra, while the base S26 and S26 Plus are said to go up to 20W. It’s clear that Samsung is doing everything it can to make the S26 series “Qi2 Ready,” but we are still missing built-in magnets across the lineup.
The company will continue to rely on users to purchase magnetic cases for Qi2 chargers and MagSafe accessories. That decision honestly baffles me. Google added built-in magnets to the Pixel 10 last year, and Apple has included them for years, yet Samsung still expects customers to depend on cases. Even if most of us already use cases, it’s not truly a native solution.
Makes you wonder how much longer we will have to wait.
We’re now just a couple of hours away from Unpacked, so it feels like the right time to share some editorial thoughts. First up is the rumored charging speed bump on the Galaxy S26 Ultra. Is 60W fast charging really going to be enough? While it’s a clear upgrade over the 45W we’ve been stuck with for years, it still trails the 80W to 100W speeds that have become standard on many Chinese flagship phones.
That said, 60W would make the Galaxy S26 Ultra the fastest charging flagship among the major players, including Apple, Samsung, and Google. So yes, we’re glad to see Samsung finally taking a step forward here. Pair that with the expected 5,000 mAh battery, and we could be looking at noticeably shorter charging times.
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.
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.
(Image credit: Source: Android Central)
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.
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.
(Image credit: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)
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.
(Image credit: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)
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?
(Image credit: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)
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!
(Image credit: Brady Snyder / Android Central)
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!
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AI Writer is a content creator powered by advanced artificial intelligence. Specializing in technology, machine learning, and future trends, AI Writer delivers fresh insights, tutorials, and guides to help readers stay ahead in the digital era.
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