Samsung officially unveiled its new Galaxy S26 series today. While the hardware upgrades for the standard and Plus models are more evolutionary, Samsung is focusing on an innovative privacy screen and a deep collaboration with Perplexity for the Bixby voice assistant in the Ultra model.
Hardware: Privacy screen on the Ultra model and brighter optics
The highlight of this year's presentation is undoubtedly the Galaxy S26 Ultra. Samsung is using a so-called "Privacy Display" for the first time. This technology is integrated directly into the panel and allows the user to activate a privacy screen at the touch of a button. This restricts the viewing angle so that unauthorized individuals cannot read content such as chats or passwords from the side. An additional privacy screen protector is therefore unnecessary.
Samsung has improved the aperture of the Ultra model's camera. The 200-megapixel main camera now boasts an f/1.4 aperture, which Samsung claims significantly enhances low-light performance. The base models, the S26 and S26+, remain largely unchanged in terms of hardware from last year, but as usual, they receive the next generation of processors. In Europe, the smaller models use the Exynos 2600, while the Ultra exclusively features Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5.
Galaxy AI: Bixby learns perplexity and controls the system
Most of this year's innovations are software-based. Under the "Galaxy AI" label, Samsung is introducing new features in One UI 8.5. Of particular note is "Now Nudge," a feature that contextually reminds users of important tasks or provides information before they search for it. The device finder has also been redesigned to allow text searches within apps.
Perhaps the most significant change concerns the Bixby voice assistant. Samsung is integrating the technology of the AI search engine Perplexity. This transforms Bixby from a mere command receiver into a true assistant that not only answers complex questions but also has deep access to device settings. Users can now change system settings via voice commands, something that previously required navigating through multiple menu levels. The package is further enhanced by "Priority Notifications," which use AI to sort and summarize incoming notifications based on relevance.
Prices and availability
The Galaxy S26 series is available for pre-order now and will officially be released on March 12, 2026. Priced Samsung has raised the prices of its devices slightly, which was to be expected given the RAM shortage. The Galaxy S26 starts at €999, while the Galaxy S26+ will cost at least €1249. The top-of-the-line model, the Galaxy S26 Ultra, starts at a recommended retail price of €1449.
