The traditional Unpacked 2026 event in San Francisco marked the presentation of the new Galaxy S26 range, which takes up the same aesthetic coherence as the previous generation while making it even more functional on a software level. With this range, which follows the previous lines, however, there is a unified design for all three models: S26, S26+ and S26 Ultra, which share the same unique photographic island that recalls the style of the Galaxy Z Fold 7, a foldable device available from mid-2025. While the standard and Plus models become significantly thinner and lighter thanks to the extensive use of recycled materials, the Ultra model raises the structural standards by adopting the’Armor Aluminum 3. This material, combined with Corning Gorilla Armor 2 Glass, ensures superior impact resistance and reduced reflections on the 75%, making the display readable even in direct sunlight.
Can't you change a winning formula?
The real revolution of the S26 Ultra, however, lies in the Privacy Display, An exclusive hardware solution that prevents prying eyes from peeking into your screen without the aid of external films. Through a unique pixel structure that selectively directs light, the screen allows clear vision only to those viewing from the front, while blurring the content for those viewing from the side. This technology is intelligently managed by the system, which can automatically activate the field of view restriction when opening sensitive applications, such as banking apps and password managers. and the like. Local data security is also guaranteed by Knox Matrix cryptographic protection, now a certainty for phones branded by the Korean company.
Under the hood, The S26 series brings back the hardware duality that has been so criticized by enthusiasts but which, this year, seems to promise an interesting scenario compared to past dualities.. Just think of the questionable duality for the S22 range, where the Exynoss counterpart couldn't keep up with Snapdragon, neither in terms of raw power nor in terms of consumption. In any case, for this year the The Galaxy S26 Ultra is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 “For Galaxy”, a processor that raises the bar on performance with an increase of the 19% on the CPU and the 24% on the GPU, but which shines above all for an enhanced NPU of the 40%. This processor has already been seen in action on devices such as the One Plus 15 which, net of a few degrees too much in thermal management, proves to be a processor dedicated to power and that has limited thermal throttling when compared to the previous range of Qualcomm CPUs. The power of the latest arrival produced by Qualcomm fuels the S26 Ultra with a power on par with medium-powered ultrabooks, which is also essential for powering the’Agentic AI, a new subcategory of artificial intelligence developed by Samsung, capable of working silently in the background to anticipate the user's needs. In essence, Agentic AI transforms the smartphone from a simple command executor to a true proactive agent capable of acting autonomously on the user's behalf. In other words, unlike "old" AI, it doesn't simply answer a question, but cross-references data from different applications to complete complex tasks in the background: it can autonomously manage a restaurant reservation by analyzing the calendar, answer calls from unknown numbers by filtering spam like a personal secretary, or suggest sending a file before it's even been searched for. This is done by leveraging the local computing power of new NPUs.
The The Galaxy S26 and S26+ are powered by the Exynos 2600., the first built on 2nm. While its raw power is similar to the previous generation, this chip still shines in terms of power efficiency and thermal management, a well-known weakness of Exynos processors. All this allows for smooth, yet increasingly consistent performance over time, in the thin casings of the two smaller siblings of the S26 Ultra, reducing power consumption during intensive use of 5G networks... and more.
The photographic sector benefits from this computing power thanks to to the new ProScaler and mDNIe algorithms, which work to deliver more realistic textures and natural colors. The S26 Ultra dominates the scene with its 200MP main sensor and f/1.4 aperture that captures almost 501kHz more light than before, dramatically improving Nightography. The video side also takes a professional step forward with the introduction of the APV codec, designed for those who need 8K post-production-ready files, and the Horizon Lock function, which stabilizes the frame using real-time gyroscope and accelerometer data, transforming the smartphone into a true action cam.
The new Galaxy Buds 4 and 4 Pro with improved audio quality on headphones
Finally, the ecosystem is completed with the presentation of the new Galaxy Buds4 (open-back) and 4 Pro (in-ear with ear tips) headphones. The earphones introduce Head Gestures, allowing you to manage calls with simple nods of the head, and computational audio that calibrates the ANC based on the shape of the ear canal. From the features, it is clear that both models support audio playback at 24-bit/96kHz and are able to capture any sonic nuance, “details that previous generations were unable to reproduce“, Samsung guarantees. In Switzerland, retailers such as Digitec will offer the range with estimated starting prices. of CHF 899.– for the Galaxy S26, CHF 1'099.– for the Plus and CHF 1'299.– for the Ultra. Throughout the launch period until March 10, the Double Storage promotion will remain active, which, as in previous years, allows you to purchase the higher memory option at the price of the base one, offering a concrete advantage for those who pre-order the Korean manufacturer's new flagships.