Samsung’s first Galaxy Unpacked event of 2026 put the spotlight squarely on AI. The headline announcements included the new Samsung Galaxy S26 lineup, refreshed Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 earbuds, and a broader expansion of Galaxy AI features designed to run across the company’s ecosystem. Here’s everything Samsung unveiled.
Galaxy S26, S26+, and S26 Ultra
The new S26 family includes three flagship phones: Galaxy S26, S26+, and Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra. In key markets such as North America, China, and Japan, the lineup is powered by Snapdragon 8 Elite silicon, with Samsung emphasizing major gains in CPU, GPU, and especially NPU performance.
The S26 Ultra remains the halo device. It features a roughly 6.9-inch QHD+ Dynamic OLED 2X display with adaptive 120 Hz refresh and peak brightness around 2,600 nits. A 5,000 mAh battery powers the device, supported by Super Fast Charging 3.0, which can hit approximately 75% in 30 minutes. Samsung also redesigned the vapor chamber cooling system to improve sustained performance during gaming and intensive tasks.
On the S26 Ultra, Samsung is promising roughly 19% CPU, 24% GPU, and 39% NPU improvements over the previous generation. The focus is clear: sustained AI workloads, smoother gaming performance, and better multitasking. The Ultra’s camera hardware continues to push resolution. The system includes a 200 MP main sensor, 50 MP ultra-wide, 10 MP 3x telephoto, and 50 MP 5x telephoto, with up to 100x digital zoom and 8K video recording at 30 fps.
One of the more distinctive features announced was a built-in Privacy Display for the S26 Ultra. This technology selectively limits off-angle viewing, making it harder for people nearby to see what’s on your screen. The goal is to eliminate the need for aftermarket privacy screen protectors while preserving display clarity for the user.
Galaxy Buds 4 and Buds 4 Pro
Samsung also introduced the Galaxy Buds 4 and Buds 4 Pro. Both feature redesigned cases with transparent tops for a more distinctive look. The new earbuds integrate tightly with the S26 series and Galaxy AI features, offering adaptive sound and smarter voice handling, though the presentation leaned more on ecosystem integration than deep audio specifications.
Galaxy AI Takes Center Stage
Unpacked 2026 wasn’t just about hardware. Samsung repeatedly returned to Galaxy AI as the core experience across the S26 lineup.
Upgraded Photo Assist tools can intelligently edit images based on simple prompts, even “filling in” missing parts of objects in photos. Creative Studio allows users to generate stickers, invitations, and other assets directly from text prompts, positioning the S26 devices as content-creation tools as much as communication devices.
Samsung also stressed the need for more granular privacy controls for AI data. On the S26 Ultra, parts of the AI workload run on-device, tying into the company’s broader privacy narrative.
Ecosystem and Availability
Samsung framed the S26 lineup and Buds 4 as the core of a Galaxy ecosystem that uses AI to “do the work for you.” Preorders for the S26, S26+, S26 Ultra, Buds 4, and Buds 4 Pro opened immediately after the event, with deliveries expected in the coming weeks depending on region.
Galaxy Unpacked 2026 made one thing clear: Samsung sees AI not as a feature but as the foundation of its next-generation devices.
