Samsung Galaxy S26 Series Officially Launched: Full Specs, Prices, and Features

Following months of industry speculation, Samsung has officially launched its next generation of flagship smartphones: the Galaxy S26 series. While many details had previously leaked, the official unveiling confirms the tech giant’s new direction.

The lineup features three distinct models—the Galaxy S26, S26+, and the premium S26 Ultra. According to the manufacturer, this year’s series is fundamentally built around a deeper integration of “Galaxy AI,” designed to quietly automate background processes and streamline daily user tasks.

Under the Hood: Processing Power and Thermal Management

The internal architecture of the new series has been heavily optimized to meet the high demands of continuous artificial intelligence processing and thermal control.

The top-tier Galaxy S26 Ultra is powered by a custom-tuned processor, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 Mobile Platform for Galaxy. Samsung claims this chip delivers significant year-over-year improvements: CPU performance is up by 19%, GPU by 24%, and Neural Processing Unit (NPU) capabilities—crucial for on-device AI—have seen a massive 39% boost. Meanwhile, the standard Galaxy S26 and S26+ models are equipped with Samsung’s own Exynos 2600 chipset.

To manage the heat generated by these powerful processors, the Ultra model features a redesigned vapor chamber cooling system. By utilizing highly thermally conductive materials placed strategically along the edges of the processor, the device achieves much more efficient heat dissipation across a larger surface area.

The new hardware also integrates “ProScaler” technology for enhanced image upscaling, alongside a mobile Digital Natural Image engine (mDNIe) that promises color processing four times more accurate than the previous generation. For power, the Ultra supports Super Fast Charging 3.0, capable of replenishing the 5,000 mAh battery to 75% in just 30 minutes.

Advanced Optics and the New APV Codec

In the camera department, the Galaxy S26 Ultra introduces a wider aperture (F1.4) on its massive 200MP primary sensor, allowing for superior light intake in low-light environments. Samsung’s “Nightography Video” feature has been upgraded for darker scenes, while “Super Steady” video stabilization now includes a hardware-level horizontal lock to maintain a perfectly level frame during rapid movement.

Notably, the Galaxy S26 Ultra is the first Samsung smartphone to support the APV professional video codec. Targeted at advanced content creators, this codec allows for highly efficient video compression with virtually no loss in visual quality, drastically simplifying post-production workflows.

Galaxy AI: The Everyday Assistant

Samsung has significantly expanded its suite of operating system-level AI tools:

• Image and Document Editing: The Photo Assist tool now allows users to modify photos (like removing objects or changing the time of day) using simple text prompts. Creative Studio lets users generate personalized wallpapers and stickers, while Document Scan automatically flattens scanned pages, removes shadows, and stitches multiple images into a single PDF.
• Proactive Assistants: Features dubbed Now Nudge and Now Brief actively analyze user context. The device can automatically suggest sending specific trip photos to a contact, warn about scheduling conflicts in the calendar, or push timely travel reminders.
• Circle to Search: Google’s popular visual lookup tool has been upgraded to recognize multiple objects simultaneously, allowing users to analyze several elements in a single query.
• Advanced Voice Commands: Bixby has been overhauled for better natural language processing. Users can now integrate third-party AI assistants, such as Google Gemini and Perplexity, directly into the OS to execute complex multi-step tasks like ordering a ride.

A New Era of Privacy and Knox Security

One of the most notable hardware innovations—exclusive to the Galaxy S26 Ultra—is the integrated Privacy Display. This technology controls light scattering at the pixel level to physically limit the screen’s viewing angle. When activated via modes like Partial Screen Privacy or Maximum Privacy Protection, the content remains perfectly clear to the user looking head-on, but appears heavily darkened to anyone attempting to view it from the side.

On the software side, the series introduces AI-driven Call Screening and Privacy Alerts that notify users when applications attempt to access sensitive data.

Security is anchored by the Samsung Knox platform, which now utilizes post-quantum cryptography (PQC) to protect device firmware and data transfers. The architecture includes the isolated Knox Vault and KEEP data encryption. Promising long-term reliability, Samsung has committed to seven years of security updates for the entire series.

Ecosystem Additions and Availability

Alongside the phones, Samsung introduced the new Galaxy Buds4 wireless earbuds. When paired with the Galaxy S26 series, the premium Buds4 Pro model supports “Head Gestures” for hands-free call management and AI assistant activation.

The Galaxy S26 series is available for pre-order in Croatia starting February 25, offered in Purple, Sky Blue, Black, and White. Early buyers can take advantage of a launch promotion, receiving double the base storage (512GB) for the price of the 256GB models.

Galaxy S26 series Official Technical Specifications

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra

Samsung Galaxy S26 and Galaxy S26+