Cell World Congress is true across the nook, however Samsung acquired out forward of many rivals that might be exhibiting off new handsets at that occasion by working the newest version of Unpacked on Wednesday. At its occasion in San Francisco’s Palace of Tremendous Arts, the corporate revealed the Galaxy S26 lineup, which incorporates the bottom S26, the S26+ and the S26 Extremely. We've acquired some hands-on time with all three handsets as effectively, and you’ll examine our in-person expertise with the Galaxy S26 Extremely, in addition to our S26 and S26+ impressions in these articles.
Along with these, Samsung introduced the Galaxy Buds 4 together with (you guessed it) some AI updates. All of the gadgets unveiled as we speak are already obtainable for pre-order, do you have to already be dying to get your arms on them. Right here's a take a look at all the things Samsung introduced on the newest Unpacked:
Galaxy S26 and S26+
Sam Rutherford for EngadgetNew-ish yr, new Samsung telephones. Let's take care of the out-and-out dangerous information first. The S26 and S26+ are every $100 costlier than their predecessors (the RAM scarcity isn't precisely serving to to maintain costs down). They begin at $900 and $1,100, respectively, for variants with 256GB of storage.
Samsung has tweaked the design a bit this time by rounding the corners to align them extra with the S26 Extremely's look. The bottom mannequin has a barely bigger show than the S25 at 6.3 inches, although the S26+ nonetheless has a 6.7-inch display (albeit with the next decision than the S26 can deal with). The S26 has a bigger battery capability than the S25 too at 4,300mAh.
In North America, China and Japan, Samsung is sticking with Qualcomm chips slightly than utilizing its personal Exynos 2600. If you happen to choose up an S26 or S26+ in these markets, it should run on the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset.
The digital camera modules are the identical as final yr, however Samsung is aiming to supercharge them with upgrades elsewhere, corresponding to ProScaler picture upscaling and an MDNIe chip that's stated to enormously enhance shade precision. There's additionally a video stabilization characteristic that tries to maintain the horizon degree whilst you're following a transferring particular person or pet, which sounds helpful for motion pictures. The brand new Object Conscious Engine is alleged to higher render pores and skin tones and hair textures to make your selfies look higher. Samsung has reworked some AI options too, corresponding to making Now Temporary and Auto Eraser appropriate with extra apps.
Pre-orders for the S26 and S26+ are open as we speak, and so they'll be obtainable on March 11. The telephones might be obtainable in purple, blue, black, white, silver and rose gold, although the latter two are on-line exclusives.
Galaxy S26 Extremely
The Galaxy S26 Extremely might be obtainable in the identical colorways and on the identical date as its smaller siblings. It begins at $1,300, so there’s no worth enhance from the S25 Extremely. Preorders open as we speak.
The S26 Extremely has a 6.9-inch AMOLED show with a QHD+ decision of 3120 x 1440 and a 120Hz refresh fee. That's all effectively and good, however the show is hiding (that being the important thing phrase) what's maybe the Galaxy S26 Extremely's most fascinating characteristic.
The machine has a Privateness Show that’s stated to be the primary of its variety on a smartphone. The thought right here is to forestall individuals round from seeing what’s on the display from acute angles. There's a small lower in brightness when Privateness Show is lively, and there are many customization choices.
You possibly can arrange Privateness Show to activate once you're requested for a password or PIN, or once you get a notification or open sure apps. So if (as an illustration) you have a tendency to have a look at your banking apps once you’re on public transit and don’t need different passengers to see how a lot moolah you could have, Privateness Show looks like a really useful characteristic.
Elsewhere, the S26 Extremely runs on the identical chipset as its smaller siblings. It comes with 12 or 16GB of RAM and 256GB, 512GB or 1TB of storage. The battery is bigger than those within the different S26 fashions, because the Extremely has a 5,000 mAh capability. There's help for Tremendous Quick Charging 3.0 as effectively. Alas, Samsung nonetheless hasn't seen match to supply built-in Qi2 charging magnets within the S26 lineup, which looks like a wild oversight within the yr 2026.
The selfie digital camera is identical as on the S26 and S26+. The S26 Extremely has 50MP ultrawide and 200MP large lenses, together with twin 10MP 3x and 50MP 5x telephoto sensors. The resolutions of these cameras are the identical as on the S25 Extremely, however the primary 200M and 5x telephoto sensors now have wider apertures to let in additional gentle. The S26 Extremely in fact has the digital camera software program options (and different AI options) discovered within the S26 and S26+.
We'll have a evaluate of the gadgets quickly. Within the meantime, head on by means of to our hands-on story for our preliminary impressions of the S26 Extremely.
Galaxy Buds 4 and Buds 4 Professional
Sam Rutherford for EngadgetWhereas the S26 telephones are extra iterative updates this yr, Samsung has given its Galaxy Buds a correct refresh. It revamped the design and form of the Galaxy Buds 4 and Galaxy Buds 4 Professional to dispose of the angular look of the stems and take away the lights from them.
The earbuds have a "extra refined, computationally designed match" too, in line with Samsung. The corporate claims the newest earbuds have smaller earbud heads that permit for a greater, safer match and a extra "comfy expertise throughout all-day put on." The Galaxy Buds 4 stay in an open-fit format whereas the Buds Professional 4 have a canal-fit design.
The newest earbuds are stated to supply improved audio high quality and lively noise cancellation (ANC), with an ambient sound mode, adaptive EQ and adaptive ANC. On Buds 4 Professional, there's a siren detection characteristic that allows ambient sound to allow you to hear issues like alarms or emergency automobile warnings.
The Buds 4 Professional have a large woofer that will increase the efficient speaker space by almost 20 p.c in contrast with the earlier gen earbuds, Samsung stated. They help 24-bit/96kHz audio.
If you happen to're utilizing Galaxy Buds 4 or Buds 4 Professional with a Galaxy machine, you'll have the ability to use Bixby, Google Gemini and Perplexity with hands-free voice controls (although the "hey, Plex" command for the latter may be a tad complicated for folk who use a sure media server app). The Buds 4 Professional help head gesture controls for managing calls and Bixby interactions as effectively.
As with the S26 telephones, pre-orders for the earbuds open as we speak and so they'll hit cabinets on March 11. The Galaxy Buds 4 value $180 and Galaxy Buds 4 Professional will run you $250. Each fashions can be found in white and black with a matte end. There's an online-exclusive pink choice for Buds 4 Professional as effectively.
Android AI options
Forward of Unpacked, Samsung confirmed that it will supply Perplexity as an AI agent choice in Galaxy AI on the S26 lineup. As a part of that replace, it shared that the S26 collection would reply to the “Hey Plex” wake phrase, and that Perplexity’s options would even be embedded within the Samsung Browser app. The corporate additionally lately up to date Bixby to make its personal digital assistant extra conversational.
On high of that information, Google had bulletins of its personal to make at Unpacked concerning new Android AI options, which is able to in fact be obtainable on S26 gadgets. On these handsets and the Pixel 10 lineup, the Gemini app will quickly have a characteristic (in beta) that lets you offload multi-step duties, corresponding to reserving a experience or placing a grocery order collectively, to AI. It positive appears like an try to construct out agentic AI options on cell gadgets.
Launching quickly as a beta characteristic within the Gemini app for #Pixel10, Pixel 10 Professional, and Samsung Galaxy S26 collection, you may offload multi-step duties on to Gemini.
Merely long-press the facility button and ask Gemini to assist e-book you a experience residence or reorder your final meal. Gemini… https://t.co/GjfXTnGg0k pic.twitter.com/YGIvqBkbu3— Google Gemini (@GeminiApp) February 25, 2026
Beginning this week on Pixel 10 gadgets (and shortly on S26 telephones), Circle to Search will supply the flexibility to search out particulars about a number of objects directly, corresponding to total outfits as a substitute of single items. Furthermore, Gemini-powered, on-device Rip-off Detection for cellphone calls might be obtainable for S26 gadgets in English within the US.
Replace, February 25 2026, 4:35PM ET: This story has been up to date to incorporate extra particulars on the Perplexity AI integration, in addition to embody mentions within the intro of our hands-on and pre-order articles.
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