Samsung Unveils Galaxy S26 Ultra With Privacy Screen, Lighter Design and More AI — S26 Ultra Details
Samsung announced new smartphones and earbuds today, including the Galaxy S26 Ultra and Galaxy Buds 4 Pro. The s26 ultra is part of a full S26 lineup that goes on pre-order today and will launch officially on March 11th.
S26 Ultra upgrades
The S26 Ultra gains improved cameras and faster wired and wireless charging. It starts at $1, 299, unchanged from last year’s S25 Ultra price. The device is one of three S26 models Samsung announced, the others being the Samsung Galaxy S26 and the Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus.
Storage, chip and AI features
All three S26 models now start at 256GB of storage, up from 128GB on the S25 and S25 Plus. They also include a new internal chip designed for faster performance in all tasks, and that chip enables new AI software features.
Battery and pricing changes
The S26 and S26 Plus received modest hardware updates. The S26 has a slightly larger battery, 4, 300 mAh up from 4, 000. The S26 Plus offers slightly faster wireless charging. Both models start at 256GB of storage, which represents an increase from last year and results in a $100 price increase versus the prior generation: retail prices are $899 for the S26 and $1, 099 for the S26 Plus.
Privacy screen details
A major new feature across the lineup is a built-in privacy screen. Traditional privacy screens make your display look dim and dark when viewed at an off-angle — imagine someone trying to see your screen while sitting next to you. Samsung’s implementation is highly customizable: users can choose which elements to dim to onlookers, including notifications, password screens and more.
Buds 4 and Buds 4 Pro
Samsung also announced the Galaxy Buds 4 and Galaxy Buds 4 Pro. Both earbud models share a new design with smoother, rounded eartips, a clear change from the Buds 3’s sharp, triangular stem shape. The Buds 4 are more budget-friendly 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 option, with traditional rubber eartips and up to seven hours of battery life plus 30 more hours from the charging case.
Edge model and summer plans
Samsung launched the Galaxy S25 Edge last year, a super-thin, super-light smartphone compared to its other models. The brand did not mention the Edge during its 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 the company expects a second Galaxy Unpacked event in the summer for the latest versions of those devices.
Galaxy Ring and patent dispute
The Samsung Galaxy Ring launched in the summer of 2024. Oura, maker of the Oura Ring, quickly filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Samsung. Samsung has filed similar patent suits previously against smart ring makers like Ultrahuman, RingConn, Zepp Health and others, and Samsung has filed a counter suit against Oura. All that leaves the fate of the Samsung Galaxy Ring more uncertain than some of the brand’s other products; “I’m not sure when we might see the Samsung Galaxy Ring 2 hitting store shelves, ” the writer said.
Pre-orders and launch timing
All the new products are available for pre-order today, and launch officially on March 11th. The brand launches new phones and earbuds in February, having done so consistently for over five years now.
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The writer says they have covered Samsung and its competitors for years as part of phone, smartwatch and earbuds coverage. Additional context about pricing, storage baselines, battery capacities, charging speeds, design shifts and the ongoing legal matters around the Galaxy Ring were all part of the announcement and follow-up details released with the new products.
Closing: Samsung’s S26 family centers the s26 ultra as the top model with unchanged starting price, while the broader lineup raises baseline storage, adds a customizable privacy screen and refreshes earbuds and wearable plans as pre-orders open and the March 11th launch date approaches.
