Samsung Unpacked 2026: everything announced at the February event – The Verge

AI deepfakes are a train wreck and Samsung’s selling tickets

2026-02-27T14:17:29-05:00

On Thursday morning, I attended a Q&A panel with four top Samsung smartphone executives. Until 2025, Samsung was the world's largest smartphone manufacturer, and by association, the world's largest maker of cameras. It's still the second largest after Apple.

Samsung handed me the microphone first. I asked:

We see a divide in society between people who want AI to do impressive things with their photos and videos, and those who don't want AI to do anything with photos and videos because it's eroding our ability to believe that what we have seen is real, destroying the concept of photographic evidence.

Metadata tools like C2PA have utterl …

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Why no magnets in Galaxy S26? Samsung R&D chief explains

2026-02-26T19:32:05-05:00

Magnet rings have changed my life. I grip and mount and satisfyingly snap awesome accessories on and off my phone all day. Even Samsung sells neat ones, like these folding magnetic mirrors. But unlike Apple and Google, Samsung refuses to put the magnets inside the phone.

Why? I asked Samsung's Won-Joon Choi, the executive in charge of both R&D and operations for Samsung's mobile business. He says the added thickness of magnets is a bad tradeoff to make, because you're just going to buy a case anyhow.

"About 80 or 90 percent of people are using a case, and cases with magnets are very popular these days," he tells me.

@verge
Double magn …

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Samsung exec confirms you can blame RAM — and other materials — for the Galaxy S26’s higher price tag

2026-02-26T18:05:06-05:00

The Samsung Galaxy S26 and S26 Plus are "more of the same for more money," my colleague Allison Johnson reported this week. Now, Samsung is confirming what we previously only suspected: RAMageddon is partly to blame.

Samsung's Won-Joon Choi, the COO of its mobile business, tells The Verge that the memory shortage alone made a "significant contribution" to the price. All the increasing material costs factored into the Galaxy S26 and S26 Plus costing $100 more than their predecessors this year, as did tariffs, but the memory was "significant," he tells me.

The S26 does come with double the storage this year at its higher price, with 256GB ra …

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How the new Galaxy S26 phones compare

2026-02-26T03:39:53-05:00

Samsung’s Galaxy S26 phones introduce a slate of new AI-powered features, including some new photography tools. | Image: Samsung

Samsung has just announced its new Galaxy S26 lineup, which includes the S26, S26 Plus, and S26 Ultra. While they aren't radical departures from last year's models, they bring a handful of notable upgrades. All three run on Qualcomm's Galaxy-centric Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, which delivers improved performance and powers a slew of new AI-based features. This includes the ability to screen unknown calls and edit photos by typing what you want changed, along with an update to Google Gemini that can carry out certain tasks in supported third-party apps, like Uber and DoorDash, on your behalf.

Starting at $899.99, the S26 is the smallest and mo …

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Here’s how the new Samsung Galaxy S26 compares with last year’s S25

2026-02-27T13:54:46-05:00

Samsung unveiled its Galaxy S26 lineup at its recent Unpacked event in San Francisco. As expected, the new series consists of the baseline S26, which starts at $899.99, and the bigger S26 Plus, which starts at $1,099.99. At the high end, there's also the $1,299.99 S26 Ultra, which is the largest in the lineup and comes with a bigger battery, better cameras, S Pen support, and expanded options for both storage and RAM. The price difference between Samsung's cheapest and most expensive S26 phones is $400 (last year, it was $500).

While some of its updated Galaxy AI software features are new, it's another year of minor hardware updates for Sam …

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Google and Samsung just launched the AI features Apple couldn’t with Siri

2026-02-25T16:40:50-05:00

Google just announced that Gemini will soon be able to take care of some multistep tasks on your phone, like ordering food or hailing a car, starting first with the Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, and the just-announced Samsung Galaxy S26 phones. It all sounds a bit like features Apple announced for Siri way back at the 2024 Worldwide Developers Conference - before Apple delayed those planned features in March 2025 and which still aren't released.

Onstage, Sameer Samat, Google's president of Android, showed off a demo of how Gemini's new agentic features would work to help wrangle a pizza dinner order from his busy family group chat. Samat asks Gem …

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Preorders for Samsung’s S26 phones come with up to $200 in gift cards

2026-02-27T14:58:58-05:00

As expected, Samsung has taken the wraps off its flagship lineup for 2026. Introduced during the company’s recent Unpacked event, the new Galaxy devices — which include the standard S26, the larger S26 Plus, and the high-end S26 Ultra — will be available on March 11th. Preorders are now open ahead of launch, with pricing starting at $899.99 for the base-model S26, $1,099.99 for the Plus, and $1,299.99 for the Ultra.

Overall, the forthcoming S26 lineup looks largely similar to last year’s S25 series, only with a handful of notable upgrades. The biggest changes this year are on the software side, with Samsung introducing a privacy display in the S26 Ultra that hides what you’re looking at from others. You also get new AI-powered features enabled by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy processor, including a call screening tool and generative photo editing tools that allow you to type what you want changed. Samsung is also rolling out early support for a more advanced version of Gemini, which can handle certain tasks in supported apps without you having to do everything manually.

We’ve published our hands-on impressions of the Galaxy S26, S26 Plus, and S26 Ultra, and full reviews are on the way. In the meantime, if you’re ready to reserve your preorder, here’s where you can secure an S26, S26 Plus, or S26 Ultra ahead of their release next month.

Where to preorder the Samsung Galaxy S26

At $899.99, the Galaxy S26 is the most affordable option in Samsung’s 2026 lineup. It comes with 12GB of RAM and your choice of either 128GB or 256GB of storage (the latter costs $200 more). The phone is available for preorder from Amazon, Best Buy, and Samsung, the latter of which is offering it in several exclusive colors.

The S26 remains the smallest phone in the lineup, though its display has expanded slightly to 6.3 inches, up from 6.2 inches on the S25. Like the other phones in the S26 lineup, it runs on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor. It also features a slightly larger  battery than its predecessor (4,300mAh  vs. 4,000mAh ), but is otherwise similar, with a 120Hz refresh rate and the same camera setup: a 50-megapixel main sensor, a 12-megapixel ultrawide, a 10-megapixel telephoto, and a 12-megapixel front-facing camera.

If you’re looking for a deal, Amazon is currently offering a $100 gift card when you preorder either the 256GB or 512GB models for $899.99. Best Buy, meanwhile, is offering a $200 discount on the 512GB model, sans gift card.

Samsung Galaxy S26

Where to Buy:

Where to preorder the Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus

As of right now, you can preorder the Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus starting at $1,099.99 directly from Samsung, Amazon, and Best Buy (the 512GB model is available from the same retailers for $200 extra). Like the S26, it’s available in a range of colors, with Samsung offering several exclusive shades online.

The S26 Plus is the middle child of the S26 lineup. It offers all the same features as the S26 — including the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy processor and 12GB of RAM — but with a larger, sharper 6.7-inch display. It also features a larger 4,900mAh battery to power its bigger display, making it a good choice for those who want a large screen without splurging on the step-up S26 Ultra.

In terms of deals, Amazon is offering a $100 gift card when you preorder either the 256GB or 512GB model for $1,099.99, which is a $200 discount. Samsung is also offering $150 in credit with each preorder, while Best Buy is offering a free storage upgrade, allowing you to purchase the 512GB model for $1,099.99 ($200 off).

Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus

Where to Buy:

Where to preorder the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra

The base Galaxy S26 Ultra comes with 12GB of RAM and starts at $1,299.99 for 256GB of storage, $1,499.99 for the 512GB, and $1,799.99 for 1TB. The S26 Ultra is currently available for preorder from Amazon, Best Buy, and Samsung, with the silver and pinkish gold colorways exclusive to Samsung’s online store.

The 6.9-inch S26 Ultra is the largest and most capable phone in the S26 lineup. It’s also the only phone in the lineup to offer the new privacy display feature, which makes it harder for people nearby to see what’s on your screen. The Ultra also includes Samsung’s S Pen stylus and a more advanced camera system with two telephoto lenses and a 200-megapixel wide-angle camera. You also get a 5,000mAh battery, the largest in the lineup.

If you’re looking to save, Amazon is throwing in a $200 gift card when you preorder the 256GB model for $1,299.99 or the 512GB variant for the same price, which is a $200 discount. Samsung is also offering $150 in credit when you preorder the phone, while Best Buy is offering a $200 discount on the 512GB model.

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra

Where to Buy:

Carrier offers and promotions

Verizon is offering a 256GB Galaxy S26 Ultra — or any Galaxy S26 model — for free when you add a new line on its Unlimited Ultimate plan and trade in an eligible device that meets Verizon’s criteria, with the discount applied as monthly bill credits over 36 months. You can also get the Galaxy S26 Plus for free when you add a new line to an Unlimited Ultimate or Unlimited Plus plan (or for $10 a month on its Unlimited Welcome plan).
New and existing customers can potentially get the base Galaxy S26 phones for free when they preorder through AT&T. The carrier is currently offering up to $1,300 off the Galaxy S26 Ultra, $1,100 off the Galaxy S26 Plus, or $900 off the entry-level Galaxy S26 via 36 monthly bill credits when you trade in an eligible device and activate or upgrade on a qualifying unlimited plan. You can also preorder any S26 phone with a 40mm Galaxy Watch 8 and a Galaxy Tab A11 Plus 5G for $0.99 a month each (after bill credits) when you activate a new line for both. Again, all credits are applied over a 36-month installment plan.
T-Mobile is offering a wide range of promos on the S26 lineup, with all discounts delivered via 24 monthly bill credits. You can grab an S26 Ultra for free when you trade in an eligible device in any condition or add a new line to your Experience Beyond plan; you can also score the standard S26 for free when you trade in an eligible device or add a new line to an Experience More plan, or an S26 Plus when you trade in an eligible device on your Experience More plan.

Update, February 25th: Added preorder details for both AT&T and T-Mobile.

Google Gemini can book an Uber or order food for you on Pixel 10 and Galaxy S26

2026-02-25T14:48:06-05:00

Gemini can now prep a rideshare or grocery order, though you’ll have to submit the order yourself. | Image: Google

Google's Gemini AI is getting one step closer to being more like an actual assistant. Starting with some Pixel 10 phones and the Samsung Galaxy S26 series, Gemini will be able to hail an Uber or put together a DoorDash order on its own.

It's called task automation, and it starts with a prompt to Gemini - something like "Get me an Uber to the Palace of Fine Arts." Gemini then launches the app in a virtual window on your device and goes through the process step-by-step. You can watch it all happen, with options to stop the automation or take control if necessary, or just let it run in the background while Gemini does its thing. The assistant …

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Samsung’s still chasing the AirPods with its new Galaxy Buds 4 and Buds 4 Pro

2026-02-25T15:53:16-05:00

The Buds 4 and Buds 4 Pro (pictured) bring an updated look and some iterative changes.

The next Galaxy Buds have been announced, and Samsung again mimics Apple in design, ecosystem functionality, and pricing. The Galaxy Buds 4 and Galaxy Buds 4 Pro keep the AirPods-esque design of the Buds 3, but now have a flat metal surface along the stem's exterior.

The regular buds use a single 11mm dynamic speaker and do not have silicone ear tips, while the Buds 4 Pro have a selection of silicone ear tips and a two-way design (meaning a woofer for lower frequencies and a tweeter for the high end), just like the Buds 3 Pro. There's a 5.5mm planar tweeter and a new 11mm "super wide woofer" with an effective area nearly 20 percent larger …

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Hands on: I’m super impressed with the Galaxy S26 Ultra’s new Privacy Display

2026-02-25T15:16:22-05:00

It’s kind of a Galaxy S26 Plus Plus.

Maybe it's a reflection of just how slow hardware innovation has been, but the Galaxy S26 Ultra's new Privacy Display, which limits the screen's viewing angle to keep any would-be peepers away, left me totally impressed.

It's not a brand-new technology - we've seen it before in laptops - and it was leaked thoroughly before Samsung's announcement. But seeing it work on the S26 Ultra for the first time was cooler than I expected, especially given that hardware thrills are hard to get these days.

It's not just one of those special screen protectors; you can turn it on or off. There are two sets of pixels in the display: one that projects the …

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