Samsung Galaxy Unpacked: S26, Privacy Screen & More Revealed
▼ Summary
– Samsung unveiled its new Galaxy S26 smartphone series (Ultra, Plus, and standard) and new Galaxy Buds4 earbuds at its Galaxy Unpacked event.
– The flagship S26 Ultra features a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor, a 6.9-inch display, a 5,000 mAh battery, and a new privacy display feature to prevent screen snooping.
– All three S26 phones have increased starting prices, with the S26 Ultra starting at $1,200, and the S26 and S26 Plus starting at $899 and $1,099 respectively.
– Google announced a new agentic version of Gemini for performing tasks and an enhanced “Circle to Search” with multi-object recognition at the event.
– Samsung’s devices now integrate three AI assistants (Bixby, Google Gemini, and Perplexity) and the new Galaxy Buds4 earbuds feature a redesigned stem and improved durability ratings.
Samsung’s latest Galaxy Unpacked event in San Francisco showcased a suite of new devices, headlined by the Galaxy S26 series of smartphones and fresh audio gear, with a pronounced emphasis on enhanced AI capabilities and user privacy. The presentation highlighted iterative but meaningful upgrades across the board, reinforcing Samsung’s position in the competitive flagship market.
The company introduced three new handsets: the Galaxy S26 Ultra, the S26 Plus, and the standard S26. As the top-tier model, the S26 Ultra is powered by Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor, features a expansive 6.9-inch QHD+ display, and houses a robust 5,000 mAh battery. Samsung claims this battery can surge from zero to seventy-five percent charge in just thirty minutes using a compatible 60W adapter. The Ultra also continues to support the beloved S-Pen stylus.
While the Ultra’s 200-megapixel wide and 50-megapixel telephoto cameras maintain their predecessor’s resolution, Samsung notes key optical improvements. The new wide camera boasts a larger f/1.4 aperture, and the telephoto lens also opens to a wider f/2.9 aperture, promising better low-light performance. The S26 Plus and standard S26 share the same elite processor in many regions, though some markets will receive versions with Samsung’s own Exynos 2600 chipset. The base S26 model gets a battery capacity increase, and the Plus variant gains 20W wireless charging.
Pricing sees an incremental rise across the lineup. The Galaxy S26 starts at $899, the S26 Plus begins at $1,099, and the flagship S26 Ultra carries a starting price of $1,200.
A standout addition exclusive to the Ultra model is an innovative privacy display feature. This allows users to selectively obscure parts of their screen from prying eyes, such as notification areas or password fields, with customization available on a per-app basis. A “maximum privacy protection” mode further adjusts screen contrast to minimize visibility from side angles.
Google shared the stage for several announcements. The search giant previewed a new, more proactive iteration of its Gemini AI, demonstrating its ability to perform tasks like ordering food from Grubhub based on context from a group chat. Google also unveiled an advanced version of its “Circle to Search” function, which now employs multi-object recognition to identify and search for anything a user highlights on screen.
Samsung’s AI ecosystem is becoming increasingly crowded and capable. Following a recently announced partnership, Perplexity’s AI app will come preloaded on new devices, leveraging its APIs for tasks like setting alarms and powering browser search. This means Samsung phones now host three distinct AI assistants: Bixby, Google Gemini, and Perplexity. Additionally, Samsung’s own Galaxy AI is being used to screen incoming calls and provide users with summaries of what callers said.
On the audio front, Samsung unveiled the Galaxy Buds4 and Galaxy Buds4 Pro. These new truly wireless earbuds sport a redesigned, flatter stem and carry IP54 and IP57 ratings for dust and water resistance. The Pro model features a new 11mm woofer that increases the speaker area by twenty percent and offers slightly longer battery life for the earbuds themselves, independent of the charging case. The Galaxy Buds4 are priced at $179, while the Buds4 Pro will cost $250.
(Source: TechCrunch)
