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A lot of the rumors did turn out true after all
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(Image credit: © Samsung / Evan Blass / Tom's Guide) Jump to: When is Galaxy Unpacked? How To Watch What To Expect Samsung’s Galaxy Unpacked event came and went with a live show in San Francisco, where we got our first glimpse at the company’s Galaxy S26 lineup. We’re here to make sure you get all the juicy details about them in our live blog, along with any other special surprises.
This year’s event happened nearly a month later than in previous years, but it continued to set the tone for all other major phone releases this year. Much of the focus has been on the flagship model, the Galaxy S26 Ultra, which packs some notable hardware upgrades — like a new Privacy Display that’s unlike anything seen before.
But that’s not all. We got all the details about the Galaxy S26 and S26 Plus. While the U.S. models get the latest Snapdrahon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip, phones in other regions are being powered by the Exynos 2600. At the same time, both of these phones get $100 price hikes, while the S26 Ultra remains at $1,299.
Here's everything we've reported about all the latest news with our Galaxy Unpacked 2026 coverage.
Watch On When is Galaxy Unpacked? It started at 10 a.m. PT / 1 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. GMT on February 25, 2026. That’s significantly later than the January 22 date of last year’s event.
After that date came and went without an announcement, Samsung shared the official date on February 10, 2026 — fitting the roughly two-week lead time the company typically leans on for its major reveals.
How to watch Galaxy Unpacked 2026
Watch On In addition to our live blog, you can rewatch the livestream on Samsung’s YouTube channel. The show will be available to stream on Samsung.com and the Samsung Newsroom as well.
Galaxy Unpacked 2026: Biggest announcements
Galaxy Unpacked 2026 is now over and Samsung’s obviously spent a great deal of time on its flagship phones, but we also heard a lot about the software they’ll be running, new Galaxy AI features, and other hardware devices like the Galaxy Buds 4 and Buds 4 Pro.
At last year’s event, Samsung used the opportunity to tease two devices: the Galaxy S25 Edge and the Project Moohan headset (which subsequently became the Galaxy XR). Unfortunately, the show ended without any other teasers.
Here’s everything announced at Galaxy Unpacked 2026:
- Galaxy S26 Ultra: This flagship model has a never-before-seen "Privacy Display," and more powerful Galaxy AI features.
- Galaxy S26: Samsung’s entry-level flagship features a larger and brighter 6.3-inch display.
- Galaxy S26 Plus: The "middle child" of the group packs a larger 6.7-inch AMOLED screen and a 4,900 mAh battery.
- Privacy Display: This new display tech allows the S26 Ultra to dim the screen so that it can't be viewed from the sides. It's also customizable.
- Galaxy AI: Samsung has teased new AI-assisted tricks that bring big camera improvements, but also more robust productivity tools like Now Nudge.
- Galaxy Buds 4 and 4 Pro: Samsung’s wireless earbuds feature a significant and improved clarity.
Get notified of updates 2026-02-23T21:48:51.835Z To upgrade or not? That is the question
If you're holding onto the Galaxy S23 Ultra or S24 Ultra, you might be wondering if it’s time to upgrade to the Galaxy S26 Ultra. There’s obviously going to be bigger hardware upgrades with Samsung’s upcoming flagship model, so we break down the biggest differences between the last few generation models compared to the rumored S26 Ultra. If a wider f/1.4 aperture with the main camera isn’t enough, the S26 Ultra is reportedly going to get the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 and more Galaxy AI features.
The biggest upgrades to the Galaxy S26 Ultra could come down to AI
Teaser videos shared by Samsung hint at significant camera improvements coming to the Galaxy S26 Ultra. The most eye-catching clip purportedly shows a hybrid zoom enhancement that allows the camera to capture high-quality shots even at extreme distances.
Watch On We’ve seen a similar feature with Pro Res Zoom on the Pixel 10 and Pixel 10 XL, but it will be interesting to see if Samsung’s version applies to video rather than just still photos.
Leaked renders reveal new color shades for S26, S26 Plus, and S26 Ultra
Recently, renowned leaker Evan Blass shared high-resolution renders of the entire Galaxy S26 lineup in all of its new shades. What’s particularly interesting this year is that all models appear to be available in the exact same core colors: Black, White, Cobalt Violet, and Sky Blue. Furthermore, these renders seem to confirm that Samsung is ditching the titanium frame found on the S25 Ultra in favor of a refined Armor Aluminum frame, as the "Titanium" moniker is notably absent from the leaked color names.
Galaxy S26 Ultra vs. Galaxy Z TriFold: Which premium phone should you get?
Samsung has already made waves with the Galaxy Z TriFold, its triple-folding smartphone-tablet hybrid that costs a whopping $2,900. While that is undoubtedly a steep price to pay, the device offers unique perks you won’t find in any other phone on the market. Of course, it’s now squaring off against the upcoming Galaxy S26 Ultra. There are many rumors that make the new flagship a compelling choice — most notably the significant camera upgrades — so we’re breaking it all down in our Galaxy S26 Ultra vs. Galaxy Z TriFold comparison.
