Samsung Unpacked 2026 recap: All the news on Galaxy S26 Ultra, Privacy Display, Buds 4 Pro
Kerry Wan/ZDNET Follow ZDNET:Add us as a preferred sourceon Google. Samsung’s first Unpacked event of the year is over, with the company launching new Galaxy S26 phones, the Galaxy Buds 4 series, and more. Also: Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra vs. S26 Plus vs. S26: I compared the key differences ZDNET is reporting from the ground…
Follow ZDNET:Add us as a preferred sourceon Google.
Samsung’s first Unpacked event of the year is over, with the company launching new Galaxy S26 phones, the Galaxy Buds 4 series, and more.
Also: Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra vs. S26 Plus vs. S26: I compared the key differences
ZDNET is reporting from the ground in San Francisco — and remotely, around the clock — to get you the latest information on Samsung Unpacked 2026. Stay tuned for updates throughout the week.
How to watch Samsung Unpacked 2026
For those tuning in virtually, Samsung livestreamed the event onSamsung Newsroom,Samsung.com, orSamsung’s YouTube channel, with on-demand replays available now. ZDNET’s sibling site, CNET, is also broadcasting the event, featuring live reactions and commentary from editors and analysts.
Every product announced at Samsung Unpacked 2026
The Samsung Galaxy S26 lineup was the headlining act, featuring larger displays with thinner bezels and the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset, with the Ultra model, in particular, introducing 60W charging and a specialized Privacy Display. Accompanying the phones are the Galaxy Buds 4 and 4 Pro, with support for ultra-wideband and gesture controls, alongside OneUI 8.5, which will offer refined notification and Bixby interactions.
Here’s a rundown of ZDNET’s Unpacked coverage, now that we’ve gone hands-on with all the products.
Comparisons
Preorder deals
More commentary
Latest updates (refresh for changes)
ByKerry Wan, Editor in Chief/ Feb. 26 at 7:00 a.m. ET
Now that the dust has settled, are you preordering the Samsung Galaxy S26? If so, which model? No matter if you go big or small, there’s likely a quality preorder deal available through your local carrier or retailer. This year, Samsung has partnered with Amazon and Best Buy to offer preorder deals, too, which bundle free gift cards and further discounts.
Also: How to preorder the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra (and other models) – plus the best deals
If you’re going tried-and-true and buying directly from a carrier, make sure to read the fine print to understand the qualifications for that “free” or “$1,000 off” phone. So long as you trade in a qualifying device, agree to the installment plan, and are a part of an eligible data service, you should be fine.
ByKerry Wan, Editor in Chief/ Feb. 25 at 8:30 p.m. ET
While I couldn’t travel to San Francisco for Unpacked this year, Samsung graciously delivered my review unit ahead of my flight out for Mobile World Congress tomorrow, so here it is — box fresh.
No surprises: as you can see, it’s minimal packagingwith only a charging cable, user manuals, and a SIM ejector tool included.
My first impression of the S26 Ultra? It’s still a chonky phone, but the rounded edges certainly help with hand comfort. I’ll see how that holds up after a full day of usage.
By Kerry Wan, Editor in Chief / Feb. 25 at 2:10 p.m. ET
And that’s all, folks. While we were waiting until the credits for a potential surprise announcement, it seems Samsung is reserving that for another day — possibly as soon as Mobile World Congress next week. Until then, we’ve got some new phones and earbuds to check out, so stay tuned for more coverage.
By Nina Raemont, Wearables and Health Editor / Feb. 25 at 2:03 p.m. ET
There’s a lot of talk about how many resources AI uses. During its keynote, Samsung took some time to outline its environmental commitment goals, like returning more water to the environment than it consumes, building wells across communities, supporting restoration projects, and working to restore coral reefs.
“Innovation can help conserve the planet,” Cassie Smith, representing Samsung’s corporate sustainability arm, said during the keynote.
By Nina Raemont, Wearables and Health Editor / Feb. 25 at 1:58 p.m. ET
I’m loving the design of the Galaxy Buds 4 Series — both the clear case, which makes it easy to quickly check that both earbuds are accounted for, but also the touches of metal along the stem.
By Nina Raemont, Wearables and Health Editor / Feb. 25 at 1:56 p.m. ET
So, what differentiates the two new earbuds? The $249 Buds 4 Pro has a few more refined elements than the Buds 4. These include a better microphone, larger battery capacity, tighter seal (thanks to the eartips on the Buds 4 Pro), an IP rating of IP57 (higher than the Buds 4’s IP54 rating), and refined adaptive ANC 2.0 (compared to the Buds 4’s adaptive ANC 1.0).
The Buds 4 Pro include a woofer and a tweeter for more immersive sound, whereas the Buds 4 only include a speaker. Lastly, the Pro earbuds get one more colorway, a Pink Gold, available as an online exclusive.
By Nina Raemont, Wearables and Health Editor / Feb. 25 at 1:55 p.m. ET
As the AI wearables era continues, Samsung is packing its earbuds with hands-free AI integrations that make AI agent initiation simpler and quicker than before. Users can call on Bixby, Google Gemini, or Perplexity through the Galaxy Buds 4 without having to open up their phones — or even have a Galaxy phone nearby.
For those not as keen on an AI-enabled earbud experience, Samsung says the AI is not automatically enabled on the Galaxy Buds 4.
By Nina Raemont, Wearables and Health Editor / Feb. 25 at 1:49 p.m. ET
The latest lineup of Samsung’s earbuds emphasizes hi-fi sound and a comfortable fit. While designing the Buds 4 series, Samsung ran over 10,000 simulations analyzing ear shapes to achieve its blade design. This results in a smaller earbud that Samsung says is better, more secure, and more comfortable.
The Galaxy Buds 4 have enhanced ANC and EQ, head tracking, clear calling technology for noise reduction, and can read head gestures: a new feature that accepts or declines notifications based on whether the user shakes their head yes or nods no.
The earbuds will be widely available starting March 11, at $179 for the Buds 4 and $249 for the Buds 4 Pro.
By Nina Raemont, Wearables and Health Editor / Feb. 25 at 1:48 p.m. ET
Samsung’s latest phone editing features could bring Nano Banana and other AI image-editing software users back to the Samsung Gallery app. Users can edit their photos right in the app using AI, restore missing elements, or remove blemishes from photos. S26 users can even generate their own custom wallpaper through the in-app AI.
By Kerry Wan, Editor in Chief / Feb. 25 at 1:47 p.m. ET
It’s official: The Samsung Galaxy S26 series will retail for more than last year’s models, with the S26 starting at $899, the S26 Plus starting at $1,099, and the S26 Ultra starting at $1,299. For what it’s worth, Samsung is also increasing the base storage of the smaller S26 and S26 Plus models to 256GB (from 128GB), making the new price a little more justifiable.
As for colors, every model will be available in Cobalt Violet, White, Black, and Sky Blue, and Samsung will offer web-exclusive colors like Pink Gold and Silver Shadow.
You can preorder the newly announced devices today at Samsung.com and at major retailers like Amazon and Best Buy, with general availability beginning on March 11.
By Nina Raemont, Wearables and Health Editor / Feb. 25 at 1:45 p.m. ET
Shaky-hands-havers, rejoice. Super steady footage is coming to the S26 with Samsung’s Horizontal Lock. This will be a godsend for my mother, who can’t film a stable video to save her life.
By Kerry Wan, Editor in Chief / Feb. 25 at 1:42 p.m. ET
The vibe shift at Unpacked this year is undeniable. The pacing is much quicker, and the front row isn’t filled with Hollywood A-listers: it’s instead packed with localized content creators, journalists, and fans.
Samsung is clearly trading polished celebrity cameos for raw, authentic energy, and honestly, I love that.
By Kerry Wan, Editor in Chief / Feb. 25 at 1:38p.m. ET
It appears Samsung is playing it safe with the Galaxy S26 lineup’s cameras — again, with no major changes to the sensors and hardware. The only notable shift is the aperture on the S26 Ultra, which can now pull in more light for greater detail. The rest of the improvements lie in software processing and AI-enhanced object awareness.
Samsung says you can expect 37% brighter photos with the telephoto lens and 47% brighter photos with the ultrawide. We’ll have to see how this all compares to last year’s cameras and if the difference is actually noticeable.
By Nina Raemont, Wearables and Health Editor / Feb. 25 at 1:35 p.m. ET
I’m getting Samsung envy watching the company unveil its Galaxy S26 Ultra’s privacy display.
As someone who is constantly viewing my phone on crowded public transit, I hope the next iPhone gets a built-in privacy display like the Ultra’s. Samsung says that the protected display will deter “shoulder surfers.” The display, which prevents viewing from certain angles, can be enabled or disabled with the touch of a button.
By Kerry Wan, Editor in Chief / Feb. 25 at 1:33 p.m. ET
Forget the 200-megapixel cameras and built-in stylus: Privacy Display may well be the best feature I’ve seen on a Galaxy Ultra phone in a long time. The crowd seems to agree with that.
Privacy Display effectively blocks out parts of the phone screen when viewed at an angle, preventing snoopers and nosey passersby from seeing essential information on the S26 Ultra. Think privacy screen protector, but built into the phone and much more customizable.
Samsung achieves this through pixel-level light control, adjusting its OLED emission so that light only shines toward the user when facing directly at the screen. This allows you to hide sensitive notifications, such as text messages and 2FA codes, screen unlock patterns, and more.
By Nina Raemont, Wearables and Health Editor / Feb. 25 at 1:30 p.m. ET
Samsung improved thermal management in Galaxy S26 Ultra. A redesigned vapor chamber positions thermal interface material along the processor’s sides to spread heat more efficiently. This means the device keeps its cool for gaming, video editing, or multitasking.
By Nina Raemont, Wearables and Health Editor / Feb. 25 at 1:28 p.m. ET
Samsung is making the priorities of its Galaxy S26 lineup clear. In its press release announcing the S26 Series, Samsung highlights “incredible performance, an industry-leading camera system,” and, to no one’s surprise, “Galaxy AI.”
Snapdragon’s 8 Elite Gen 5 processor powers the phone series, increasing CPU performance by 19%, GPU by 24%, and NPU by 39%. AI-powered photo-editing tools like Photo Assist make cleaning up a photo as easy as speaking an edit into existence and letting Galaxy AI do the dirty work. AI features like Now Nudge offer you relevant suggestions to make responding to texts or requests easier and faster.
ByKerry Wan, Editor in Chief / Feb. 25 at 1:25 p.m. ET
Sameer Samat, President of Android Ecosystems, is on stage to introduce new changes to Circle to Search, which will likely come to the latest Google Pixel phones and the Galaxy S26 series. His first example includes circling a text chat to request agentic actions by Gemini, such as sifting through restaurant menus and placing an order on Grubhub.
This is all done on background, with the Circle to Search action happening in a “virtual monitor” that doesn’t disrupt active phone tasks.
By Nina Raemont, Wearables and Health Editor / Feb. 25 at 1:15 p.m. ET
Got a question about your phone? Samsung’s AI assistant, Bixby, is getting an AI-powered facelift that helps users easily ask their phone questions. The update makes it simpler for people to let AI handle settings they would have had to configure themselves. It also improves upon Circle-to-Search with Google to identify multiple objects at once.
By Nina Raemont, Wearables and Health Editor / Feb. 25 at 1:13 p.m. ET
While Samsung’s built-in privacy display on its S26 Ultra will certainly draw the most attention, the tech company is promoting privacy across its devices with a few new features.
Samsung announced a Call Screening feature that identifies unknown callers and their reasons for calling to better manage spam, catching up to similar features from Google and Apple. Its machine learning-powered Privacy Alerts feature notifies Galaxy S26 users when apps try to access sensitive data. Lastly, Private Album makes it easy to hide selected media without creating a new folder or signing into a Samsung account.
By Kerry Wan, Editor in Chief / Feb. 25 at 1:10 p.m. ET
Who knew that it would take Samsung, Google, and Perplexity to create the most polished agentic AI experience we’ve seen on phones yet? With Bixby supporting conversational queries on OneUI 8.5, users can now ask Samsung’s native assistant to adjust settings and find answers to questions via the web. It’s very similar to Gemini, I know.
But Samsung is taking things a step further, allowing users to request multi-step actions, such as booking an Uber or searching through their messages for specific information. Notably, Bixby will confirm any transactions with you before they’re completed. The question now is how many other apps and services will support these agentic AI capabilities?
By Nina Raemont, Wearables and Health Editor / Feb. 25 at 1:05 p.m. ET
TMRoh kicks off the keynote for Unpacked, making Samsung’sstance on AI use clear. Roh says AI is integral to Samsung’s infrastructure, and that “infrastructure is about responsibility.”
“People have every right to ask: ‘Where is my info being shared? How is it being used?'” Roh said.
ByKerry Wan, Editor in Chief/ Feb. 25 at 1:04 p.m. ET
In what has become a trend with tech product launches, Unpacked is kicking off with a sentimental video of how a child is repurposing their Samsung phone box into a doll.
As for the actual keynote, TM Roh, CEO, President, and Head of Device Experience Division, is the first one on stage to greet the crowd. He’s teasing what’s to come during today’s keynote, including new phones, earbuds, and AI advancements.
ByKerry Wan, Editor in Chief/ Feb. 25 at 12:30 p.m. ET
The San Francisco venue is filling up, and we’re officially minutes away from Unpacked to kick off. If you’re tuning into the livestream early, Samsung is broadcasting real-world testimonials of its products (titled “Voices of Galaxy”) and how users are leveraging Galaxy phones to make a meaningful change. Expect to see more examples during the keynote.
ByKerry Wan, Editor in Chief/ Feb. 25 at 12:00 p.m. ET
Remember Bixby? It’s still a thing, and Samsung appears to be making it a bigger deal than ever. Ahead of Unpacked, the company announced that with OneUI 8.5, Bixby will be able to adjust your device settings and source the web for answers to your queries.
Most importantly, the in-house AI assistant will respond to natural language, so you can communicate with it just like how you would with Gemini. That begs the question of how seamless all of these rumored AI integrations, including a partnership with Perplexity, will be. We’ll have to see for ourselves when the phones arrive for testing.
ByKerry Wan, Editor in Chief/ Feb. 25 at 11:35 a.m. ET
We’re a little more than an hour away from Unpacked, and industry analyst Ice Universe is starting to drip-feed possible information regarding the new S26 models. Their latest post hints at faster charging, with the S26 (likely the Ultra) being able to go from 1% to 80% in just 30 minutes.
That’s a step faster than the S25 Ultra’s 45W rating, and compares well with the OnePlus 15, which currently leads the US market in charging speed. Notably, Ice Universe’s post starts at 1% charge rather than 0%, so expect the phone to take longer to top up if the battery is completely dead.
ByNina Raemont, Wearables and Health Editor/ Feb. 25 at 10:42 a.m. ET
Will Samsung’s new phones be as pretty and pink as Nothing’s Phone 4a? Ahead of Nothing’s March 5 phone launch, it unveiled a pastel pink colorway that I can’t help but be absolutely obsessed with.
It doesn’t look like Samsung’s S26 lineup will include such a color, but rumors suggest we can expect Black, White, Cobalt Violet, and Sky Blue for the S26, and Silver Shadow and Pink Gold as S26 Ultra online exclusive colors.
ByNina Raemont, Wearables and Health Editor/ Feb. 25 at 9:45 a.m. ET
Thinking of purchasing a Galaxy S26 today? Here are some tips and reminders to save the most money when you do.
- Register on Samsung’s reservation page to receive a $30 accessory credit used at checkout. It also automatically enters you into Samsung’s $5,000 sweepstakes.
- Check multiple retailers, since preorder credits vary by retailer. For the first time, Best Buy and AT&T are joining in on the preorder fun. Right now, through 1 p.m. ET, Best Buy is offering an even better trade-in deal than Samsung’s. Its value is up to $1,100 ($200 more than Samsung’s), and it comes with a free upgrade to larger internal storage.
- Make a Samsung account with your work or school email, as the company offers discounts to students and some office workers.
- Use sites like Rakuten for discounts or cashback during the event.
ByKerry Wan, Editor in Chief/ Feb. 25 at 9:30a.m. ET
While I’m deeply invested in the new Privacy Display feature on the Galaxy S26, part of me wishes Samsung would go the extra mile and finally integrate magnets into the backs of its phones for enhanced charging and accessory support. Apple’s been a champion of that with MagSafe over the years, and Google just recently followed suit with the Pixel 10 series.
Here’s to hoping Samsung offers something similar. It’s never too late.
ByKerry Wan, Editor in Chief/ Feb. 25 at 8:20 a.m. ET
It’s not crazy Galaxy AI features, or a tri-foldable phone, but South Korean boy band member, Suga of BTS, who is expected to make a guest appearance at Unpacked later today — and potentially perform a song or two.
This is both fitting for Samsung as BTS as been a brand ambassador for years now, and goes hand-in-hand with the rumored release of new wireless earbuds.
ByKerry Wan, Editor in Chief/ Feb. 24 at 8:40 p.m. ET
I’m probably spending an unhealthy amount of time thinking about this question, just to be let down when the time comes, but it makes so much sense for Samsung to just replace the Galaxy S Plus model with the Edge instead. They’re both relatively the same size, and it would make the middle child of the most popular Galaxy phone series more than just a “cheaper Ultra.”
And if the price increase this year is true, due in part torising memory costs, then the Plus model may be almost too expensive to consider now. Users will likely choose between the cheapest S26 and the S26 Ultra.
ByNina Raemont, Wearables and Health Editor/ Feb. 24 at 5:43 p.m. ET
While the S26 lineup will capture the most attention on Wednesday (and is the most anticipated product to be unveiled), I’m keeping an eye on potential announcements for Samsung’s smart glasses, a second-gen Galaxy Ring, and any other wildcard products Samsung has kept under wraps.
ByNina Raemont, Wearables and Health Editor/ Feb. 24 at 4:17 p.m. ET
Leaked imagesof what may be the Samsung Buds Pro 4 reveal a completely new design, unlike the third-generation Pro that we tested two years ago.
Like Apple’s AirPods Pro 3, the new Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro 4 will support head gestures, such as shaking to decline calls or messages and nodding to accept. As someone who uses the AirPods Pro 3’s head-shaking gesture constantly, this is a welcome, hands-free addition for Samsung users.
ByKerry Wan, Editor in Chief/ Feb. 24 at 4:02 p.m. ET
While my initial plan was to fly to San Francisco for the big event this week, the northeastern snowstormhas cancelled and delayed so many flights that I’m not even sure if I’ll be able to take off for Mobile World Congress in a few more days. I’m talking snow as high as two Galaxy S25 Ultras.
That said, several ZDNET contributors, including Prakhar Khanna and Adam Doud, will be in attendance at Samsung Unpacked, while the rest of us will be covering the event remotely.
ByNina Raemont, Wearables and Health Editor/ Feb. 24 at 3:50 p.m. ET
Leaked benchmark scoressuggest the Galaxy S26 is beating its iOS rival for the first time. If Geekbench’s leaked results are true, the Galaxy S26 Ultra is 17% more powerful than the iPhone 17 Pro series, with a single-core score of 3,852 and a multicore score of 11,738.
We’ll have to wait and get our hands on the Ultra phone to find out if the performance gap really is true.
ByKerry Wan, Editor in Chief/ Feb. 24 at 3:40 p.m. ET
It’s become an Unpacked tradition now for Samsung to offer a “reservation to preorder” discount to interested customers. This year, you effectively get a $30 off coupon by pledging your interest in preordering one of the devices announced at Unpacked, with no obligation to actually make the purchase.
Also: Samsung unveils Galaxy S26 Ultra deal for $900 off ahead of Unpacked 2026 – how it works
That’s less than the $50 offer that Samsung gave last year, but still a freebie for anyone who ends up investing in the latest Galaxy devices. Samsung says it’ll also offer up to $900 in trade-in credits this year, depending on what phone model you turn in. The highest value typically goes to more recent Samsung phones, like the S25 Ultra.
