When Samsung stepped onto the stage in San Francisco for Galaxy Unpacked February 2026, expectations were modest. Leaks hinted at incremental upgrades rather than bold reinvention. No radical redesign. No headline-grabbing gimmick.
And yet — once the dust settled — this launch felt more strategic than safe.
Instead of chasing flashy aesthetics, Samsung doubled down on AI integration, smarter privacy features, and performance refinements that actually shape how people use their phones every day.
The result? A lineup that may look familiar — but works smarter under the surface.
Meet the Galaxy S26 Family
Samsung unveiled three flagship devices:
-
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
-
Samsung Galaxy S26+
-
Samsung Galaxy S26
Foldables may grab headlines, but traditional slab-style phones still dominate sales worldwide. That makes each S-series release a high-stakes moment.
Rather than gamble on a risky redesign, Samsung refined what already works — and aimed squarely at competitors like:
-
iPhone 17 Pro
-
Google Pixel 10 Pro
Pricing: Stability with a Small Shift
-
Galaxy S26 Ultra (256GB): $1,299.99 — unchanged from last year
-
Galaxy S26+ (256GB): $1,099.99 — up $100
-
Galaxy S26 (256GB): $899.99 — up $100
The bump on the smaller models appears tied to ongoing global RAM supply pressures.
Performance: Noticeably Faster Across the Board
Pre-launch benchmarks hinted at serious gains — and Samsung confirmed them.
Performance boosts include:
-
Up to 19% CPU improvement
-
39% NPU increase for AI processing
-
24% GPU jump for smoother gaming and graphics
The Ultra runs on the new Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy, while the S26+ and base S26 use Samsung’s Exynos 2600.
The result? Faster multitasking, smoother gameplay, and AI features that operate continuously without slowing things down.
AI: Smarter, More Useful, Less Gimmicky
AI was the heart of this Unpacked event.
All three phones expand integration with Google Gemini, now capable of taking action within ride-hailing and food delivery apps — with user confirmation.
But the standout feature is Photo Assist.
With simple text prompts, users can modify images — swapping elements, adjusting scenes, and refining shots. In demos, edits appeared seamless and fast. If it performs well in real-world use, this could be one of Samsung’s most practical AI upgrades yet.
