The Galaxy S25 Ultra (pictured) was Samsung’s strongest non-folding cellphone. What’s in retailer for the Galaxy S26 Ultra at Samsung Unpacked? Prakhar Khanna/CNETIt’s an odd yr for Samsung: we’re already in February, and there is nonetheless no official phrase on after we’ll see the Galaxy S26, the corporate’s subsequent flagship cellphone collection. In earlier years, the entire lineup would’ve been revealed round CES, however Samsung appears pleased to attend — and rumors counsel we would not see the Galaxy S26 launch till the top of February.Samsung hasn’t been quiet in 2026, launching the Galaxy Z Trifold for $2,899 within the US on the finish of January. Around a month later — Feb. 25, if the rumors are true — the Galaxy S26 shall be revealed in San Francisco simply earlier than the yr’s largest smartphone present, Mobile World Congress, kicks off in Barcelona. This is late for Samsung, however nonetheless early sufficient within the yr to set the stage for many different premium Android telephones coming in 2026.The stakes stay excessive for the S26 telephones. As the best-selling Android model on the planet, Samsung should introduce sufficient new options to maintain its highest-end telephones on the prime of the charts, and the iPhone 17 collection debuted a number of perks that raised the bar. As generative AI turns into extra concerned in different gadget classes, Samsung has to seek out new, unique makes use of for the novel tech that may hold differentiating its telephones amid fierce competitors on the premium degree. We count on the Galaxy S26 lineup to match that of prior years: a regular S26, a bigger S26 Plus and a top-of-the-line Galaxy S26 Ultra. While rumors do not counsel any drastic redesigns, there’ll in all probability be some exterior tweaks and upgrades to the {hardware}, together with the processor and cameras. Let’s dive into the specifics of all the things we all know concerning the Galaxy S26 collection launch.Galaxy S26 lineup overview The Samsung Galaxy S25. James Martin/CNETGalaxy S26Regardless of early rumors from Android Authority suggesting Samsung would possibly ditch its baseline cellphone for a pricier, higher-specced Pro model, the most recent leaks keep that Samsung will hold its normal Galaxy S26 mannequin. We do not count on too many modifications to the mannequin’s design, although it might see a return of a raised digicam bump after the Galaxy S25 saved them flush with the rear cowl. Other rumors counsel it might get a barely bigger 6.3-inch show and a slimmer construct. The Galaxy S25 has a 6.2-inch show, for comparability.Rumors differ on whether or not the cellphone’s cameras shall be upgraded, with some suggesting it’s going to get an upgraded 50-megapixel ultrawide and others claiming it’s going to hold its predecessor’s 12-megapixel shooter. The cellphone is predicted to run both the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 chip within the US and China or Samsung’s personal Exynos 2600 processor elsewhere. Otherwise, rumors counsel the S26 will pack 12GB of RAM, a most 512GB of storage and a 4,300-mAh battery, in line with famous leaker @UniverseIce. The Galaxy S25 (left), subsequent to the S25 Plus (center) and S25 Edge (proper). Jesse Orrall/CNETGalaxy S26 Plus and S26 EdgeSamsung was additionally stated to be debating whether or not to outright exchange its bigger S26 Plus with the super-slim S26 Edge, however reportedly poorer gross sales of final yr’s Galaxy S25 Edge counsel the pendulum might swing the opposite manner: we could get an S26 Plus this yr, as 9to5Google suggests. The Galaxy S26 Plus is predicted to have a 6.7-inch show like its predecessor and shall be 7.35mm skinny, however it will not have a bodily shift. Like the opposite S26 telephones, it is anticipated to get the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 within the US and China or the Exynos 2600 elsewhere.Last yr’s S25 Edge got here out in May, so it is solely attainable we’ll see the S26 Edge launch later. If we do, leaks reported by Android Authority advised it will be 5.5mm thick, which is 0.3mm thinner than its predecessor — and, by the way, 0.1mm thinner than the iPhone Air. Speculation additionally predicted it will have the identical 6.7-inch show however a bigger 4,200-mAh battery. Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra. Jeffrey Hazelwood/CNETGalaxy S26 UltraLike others within the S26 collection, the Galaxy S26 Ultra is predicted to pack the brand new Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 within the US and China, whereas Samsung will use its personal Exynos 2600 chip in different markets. Otherwise, rumors level to the cellphone packing 16GB of RAM, as much as 1TB of storage, a 5,000-mAh battery and upgraded charging — as much as 60 watts wired and 25 watts wi-fi, as SamMobile reported. Another rumor from PhoneArena suggests the cellphone will revert to an aluminum body from its titanium predecessors, very similar to Apple did with the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max. The Samsung Galaxy Buds 3. David Carnoy/CNETNew Galaxy Buds 4Rumors counsel Samsung will launch new Galaxy Buds 4 and Buds 4 Pro fashions alongside its telephones. Product photographs printed by Android Authority present redesigns for each fashions, that are every getting what appear like burnished steel strips on the skin of the stems, which ought to make them look a bit much less like Apple AirPods than the Galaxy Buds 3. As in prior generations, the common Buds 4 look to be solely plastic, whereas the Pro fashions could have silicone eartips.New AI options and Bixby updatesThe newest Galaxy telephones sometimes arrive with new AI options, and rumors counsel the Galaxy S26 collection shall be no exception. Samsung itself alluded to a brand new privateness protect coming in future telephones (presumably the S26 collection) that may block components of the show when seen at an angle, shielding notifications and even complete apps from onlooker view. Leaks counsel AI is doing the heavy lifting to selectively render photographs just for these wanting straight on the cellphone. Presumably, it will come to all S26 fashions, and leaks have not advised in any other case. The S26 telephones might be able to use generative AI to render photographs quicker than earlier than. Samsung’s partnership with Nota AI was introduced in November, which goals to optimize on-device genAI. This means bringing its EdgeFusion (a model of Stable Diffusion) to hurry up text-to-image technology by working it purely on Galaxy S26 handsets (slightly than partially or wholly by means of the cloud), PhoneArena advised, integrating Nota AI’s tech on the processor degree.
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