Samsung has officially unveiled its Galaxy S26 lineup, positioning the S26, S26+, and S26 Ultra as the world’s first “agentic” AI phones. At the core of this launch is a shift from simple chatbots to proactive AI agents that can perform multi-step tasks across apps, such as ordering food through delivery services or automatically surfacing trip photos for friends.
The Standout: Galaxy S26 Ultra’s Privacy Display
The most talked-about hardware innovation is the S26 Ultra’s built-in Privacy Display, a first for the mobile industry. Unlike software filters, this is integrated at the pixel level using Flex Magic Pixel technology, which narrows viewing angles to make the screen appear dark to anyone not looking at it head-on. Users can customize privacy levels and even set the feature to activate only for sensitive screens, such as banking apps or PIN entry.
A Multi-Agent AI Ecosystem
Samsung has moved beyond a single assistant by integrating a multi-agent ecosystem directly into the operating system. The S26 series features:
- Google Gemini: Provides agentic features like ordering groceries or dinner on your behalf.
- Perplexity AI: Deeply embedded at the system level, allowing users to summon it with the wake phrase “Hey Plex” to perform complex research and cross-app workflows.
- Revamped Bixby: Now supports natural language commands, enabling users to navigate phone settings conversationally, such as asking Bixby to dim the display.
- Gemini-powered Scam Detection: Analyzes calls and messages in real-time on-device to flag known scam behaviors without shipping data to the cloud.
Performance and Hardware Power
The entire lineup is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy. The S26 Ultra boasts a 19% CPU boost, 39% NPU boost, and 24% GPU improvement over the previous generation.
- S26 Ultra Camera: Retains the 200MP sensor but widens the aperture to f/1.4, capturing 47% more light for superior low-light performance.
- Charging: The Ultra introduces Super Fast Charging 3.0, reaching a 75% charge in approximately 30 minutes with 60W wired support.
- Quick Share: Now supports iPhone AirDrop sharing, allowing Galaxy users to exchange files directly with Apple devices.
Pricing and Sustainability
Samsung is doubling down on its Galaxy for the Planet initiative, aiming to incorporate at least one recycled material into every module of every mobile product by 2030. However, this generation sees a price shift for the base and plus models:
- Galaxy S26: Starts at $899.99.
- Galaxy S26+: Starts at $1,099.99.
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: Starts at $1,299.99 (the only model with no starting price increase).
Pre-orders for all models opened on February 25, with general availability starting March 11, 2026. Alongside the phones, Samsung also launched the Galaxy Buds4 and Buds4 Pro, featuring a new “blade” design and hands-free AI agent activation.
