S26 Ultra leads Galaxy S26 rollout as Samsung adds AI, bigger storage and new Buds
Samsung announced a new Galaxy S26 family and earbuds today, including the S26 Ultra and Galaxy Buds 4 Pro, with all the new products available for pre-order today and an official launch set for March 11th. The s26 ultra sits atop a lineup that emphasizes a new internal chip and fresh AI software features that Samsung says speed up everyday tasks.
Release timing, pre-orders and the Galaxy S26 family
Samsung has been launching new phones and earbuds in February for more than five years, and this year it unveiled a full lineup that includes the Samsung Galaxy S26, Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus and Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra. All of the new devices are available to pre-order today and will launch officially on March 11th.
Storage bump and a new internal chip for AI features
All three S26 models now start at 256GB of storage, up from 128GB on last year’s S25 and S25 Plus. Samsung also said the phones use a new internal chip intended to deliver faster performance across tasks and power new AI software features built into the phones.
S26 and S26 Plus changes: battery, charging and pricing
The Galaxy S26 and S26 Plus received modest hardware upgrades. The Samsung Galaxy S26 has a slightly larger battery — 4, 300 mAh, up from 4, 000 mAh — while the S26 Plus gains slightly faster wireless charging. Both models now start at 256GB, and that storage increase makes them about $100 more expensive than before, with retail prices of $899 for the S26 and $1, 099 for the S26 Plus.
S26 Ultra improvements and pricing
The S26 Ultra includes improved cameras and faster wired and wireless charging as part of its updates. The S26 Ultra starts at $1, 299, unchanged from last year’s S25 Ultra entry price. While the S26 Ultra is presented as the top model in the new family, further specifics beyond improved cameras and charging are unclear in the provided context.
Galaxy Buds 4 and Buds 4 Pro: design and battery differences
Samsung also announced the Galaxy Buds 4 and Galaxy Buds 4 Pro. Both earbuds share a new design with smoother, rounded eartips, a noticeable change from the Buds 3’s sharp, triangular stem shape. The Buds 4 are the budget-friendly option and do not have rubber eartips, giving them a semi-open ear design similar to Apple AirPods 4; they offer up to six hours of battery life plus 30 more hours from the charging case. The Buds 4 Pro are the premium model with traditional rubber eartips and deliver up to seven hours of battery life plus 30 more from the charging case.
Edge model, wearables timetable and Galaxy Ring legal uncertainty
Samsung introduced a Galaxy S25 Edge last year, a super-thin, super-light smartphone compared with its other models, but the brand did not mention the Edge during this event, so we do not know whether there will be a Galaxy S26 Edge at this time. Samsung typically launches new Galaxy Watches, Z-Flip and Z-Fold phones in the summer, and a second Galaxy Unpacked event is expected in the summer for the latest versions of those devices.
The Samsung Galaxy Ring launched in the summer of 2024, but its future looks less certain. Oura, the maker of the Oura Ring, quickly filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Samsung, and Samsung has filed a counter suit against Oura. Samsung has also filed similar patent suits against smart ring makers including Ultrahuman, RingConn, Zepp Health and others. Given that litigation, the fate of the Samsung Galaxy Ring is more uncertain than some of the brand’s other products, and the writer is not sure when we might see a Samsung Galaxy Ring 2 hitting store shelves.
The author has covered Samsung and its competitors for years as part of phone, smartwatch and earbuds coverage.
