S26 Ultra joins Galaxy S26 series with built‑in Privacy Display and new Galaxy AI push

Samsung unveiled the Galaxy S26 series today, highlighting Galaxy AI and a host of hardware changes led by the s26 ultra, which introduces a built‑in Privacy Display and a customized chipset aimed at faster, always‑on AI. the new lineup is available for pre‑order now and will launch on March 11.

Galaxy S26 lineup, third‑generation AI and design goal

Samsung Electronics presented the Galaxy S26 series as its third‑generation AI phones: the Galaxy S26, S26+ and S26 Ultra. The company framed the phones as engineered to simplify everyday tasks — from managing plans and finding information to capturing and refining content — by reducing the effort and number of steps required. Samsung said the series combines incredible performance, an industry‑leading camera system and Galaxy AI so the phones can handle complex tasks in the background and let users focus on results rather than how the technology works.

TM Roh, Chief Executive Officer, President, and Head of Device eXperience (DX) Division at Samsung Electronics, was cited describing the design aim as making AI feel effortless and reliable for everyone, working quietly in the background so users can focus on what matters.

S26 Ultra and the world’s first built‑in Privacy Display

The S26 Ultra introduces what Samsung called the world’s first built‑in Privacy Display for mobile phones, a pixel‑level feature meant to unlock a new class of display experiences and reinforce privacy. The Privacy Display can be turned on in Quick Settings and customized: users can set it to work with specific apps, enable it on the lock screen to hide passwords or PINs, or obscure only notifications while keeping the rest of the screen visible. The function works whether the phone is held vertically or horizontally and can be applied selectively so, for example, a user can keep watching video while incoming messages remain hidden.

Hands‑on impressions at Samsung’s media event in San Francisco described the Privacy Display as a built‑in hardware feature that offers more customization than a conventional privacy screen protector.

Customized chipset, Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 and thermal redesign

On the S26 Ultra, Samsung is using a customized mobile processor—the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 Mobile Platform for Galaxy—to deliver what the company called the best performance in its class. Samsung highlighted numeric performance gains tied to that chipset: a CPU performance increase of up to 19%, a 39% improvement in NPU performance to power always‑on Galaxy AI features, and a 24% boost in GPU performance. The S26 Ultra also carries upgraded thermal management: a redesigned Vapor Chamber with thermal interface material positioned along the sides of the processor to spread heat more efficiently across a larger surface area and improve heat dissipation for gaming, multitasking and video capture.

Samsung described the line as engineered for all‑day performance, power efficiency and consistent operation so users can rely on the device throughout the day without compromising security or privacy.

Thinner, lighter construction, materials and color options

The S26 Ultra is presented as the thinnest and lightest Ultra yet after a frame material change from titanium to aluminum. Measured comparisons given in hands‑on coverage put the S26 Ultra at 7. 9 mm thick and 214 grams in weight, versus the S25 Ultra at 8. 2 mm and 218 grams. Samsung kept the same color across the aluminum frame and the back, and standard color options listed are cobalt violet, sky blue, black and white, with two online‑exclusive hues: silver shadow and pink gold. The S26 Ultra retains a tough cover and back treatment: cover glass made of Corning’s Gorilla Armor 2 and a back of Gorilla Glass Victus 2.

Storage, batteries, pricing, availability and new earbuds

All three Galaxy S26 models now start at 256 GB of storage, up from 128 GB on the S25 and S25 Plus. Samsung said the phones include a new internal chip for faster performance and new AI software features. The S26 baseline receives a slightly larger battery at 4, 300 mAh, up from 4, 000 mAh, while the S26 Plus is noted for slightly faster wireless charging. That storage increase was tied to higher entry prices: the baseline and Plus models were listed with retail prices of $899 and $1, 099, respectively, $100 more than before.

For the S26 Ultra, one account listed a starting price of $1, 299 unchanged from last year’s S25 Ultra price, while another account described the S26 Ultra’s price as $1, 300. All of the new products, including the three phones, were made available for pre‑order the day of the announcement and are scheduled to launch on March 11.

Samsung also announced two new earbuds: the Galaxy Buds 4 and Galaxy Buds 4 Pro. Both share a new design with smoother, rounded eartips that differ from the Buds 3’s sharp, triangular stem. The Buds 4 are described as the more budget‑friendly option with a semi‑open design and no rubber eartips, offering up to six hours of playback plus 30 more hours from the charging case. The Buds 4 Pro are the premium option with traditional rubber eartips and up to seven hours of playback plus 30 more hours from the case.

Product lineup notes, previous Edge model and wearable legal dispute

Samsung launched a Galaxy S25 Edge last year positioned as a super‑thin, super‑light smartphone compared with other models; the company did not mention an Edge variant at the S26 event, so whether a Galaxy S26 Edge will appear is unclear in the provided context. Samsung typically introduces new Galaxy Watches and its Z‑Flip and Z‑Fold phones in the summer, and the company expects a second Galaxy Unpacked event in the summer for those devices.

The context also notes the Samsung Galaxy Ring launched in the summer of 2024. The maker of the Oura Ring filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Samsung, and Samsung filed a counter suit. Samsung has also filed similar patent suits against smart‑ring makers such as Ultrahuman, RingConn and Zepp Health. The future of the Galaxy Ring was described as more uncertain than some of Samsung’s other products, and it was stated that timing for a potential Galaxy Ring 2 is not known.

Overall, Samsung presented the Galaxy S26 family as a coordinated package of hardware upgrades, the company’s latest Galaxy AI features and new privacy and display innovations, with the s26 ultra positioned as the focal point for the display, performance and thermal changes.