Samsung S26 Ultra arrives with privacy screen, improved cameras and unchanged top price

Samsung announced a new lineup of phones and earbuds today, led by the samsung s26 ultra, and opened pre-orders for the devices ahead of an official launch on March 11. The announcement matters because the company bundled larger baseline storage, a new internal chip with AI features, and a built-in privacy screen across the new family.

Launch timing, pre-orders and the company’s recent February cadence

The brand launched these phones and earbuds in February, continuing a streak of February launches stretching back more than five years. All the new products are available for pre-order today and will launch officially on March 11. The company also typically brings new Galaxy Watches, Z-Flip and Z-Fold phones in the summer and expects a second Galaxy Unpacked event in the summer for the latest versions of those devices.

Samsung S26 Ultra: privacy screen, improved cameras and faster charging

The Samsung S26 Ultra gains a built-in privacy screen that is highly customizable: users can choose which elements to dim for onlookers, including notifications and password screens. The model also received improved cameras and faster wired and wireless charging. The S26 Ultra starts at $1, 299, unchanged from last year’s S25 Ultra starting price. The company says the new phones include a new internal chip intended to boost performance across tasks and enable new AI software features.

S26 and S26 Plus hardware changes, storage and pricing

Samsung is launching a full S26 lineup that includes the Samsung Galaxy S26 and Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus alongside the S26 Ultra. All three models now start at 256GB of storage, up from 128GB on the S25 and S25 Plus. The S26 has a slightly larger battery — 4, 300 mAh, up from 4, 000 — while the S26 Plus offers slightly faster wireless charging. That baseline storage increase also raised retail prices: the S26 starts at $899 and the S26 Plus at $1, 099, each $100 more than last year.

New earbuds: Galaxy Buds 4 and Buds 4 Pro design and battery details

Samsung also announced the Galaxy Buds 4 and Galaxy Buds 4 Pro. Both models share a new design with smoother, rounded eartips, a clear departure from the Buds 3’s sharp, triangular stem shape. The Buds 4 are the more budget-friendly option and do not use rubber eartips, giving them a semi-open ear design similar to Apple AirPods 4; they deliver 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 up to seven hours of battery life plus 30 additional hours from the charging case.

Edge model status, the Galaxy Ring lawsuit and product uncertainty

Last year the company launched the Galaxy S25 Edge, described as a super-thin, super-light smartphone compared to its other models. The Edge was not mentioned during this event, so it is unclear in the provided context whether there will be a Galaxy S26 Edge. Separately, the Galaxy Ring launched in the summer of 2024, and Oura, maker of the Oura Ring, quickly filed a patent infringement lawsuit. The company has filed similar patent suits against Ultrahuman, RingConn, Zepp Health and others, and it has filed a counter suit against Oura. The piece adds: "I’m not sure when we might see the Samsung Galaxy Ring 2 hitting store shelves, " underscoring that the fate of the Galaxy Ring is more uncertain than some other products.

Site prompts and technical checks for readers

The announcement coverage also included a reader prompt instructing users to click a box to confirm they are not a robot. The message advised readers to ensure their browser supports JavaScript and cookies and that those features are not being blocked from loading. For more information, readers were directed to review the Terms of Service and Cookie Policy, and for inquiries related to the message they were told to contact a support team and provide the reference ID included with the prompt. The coverage noted a subscription offer for global markets news in a promotional line linked to the site presenting the prompt.

The new lineup’s combination of a customizable built-in privacy screen, higher baseline storage across S26 models, the updated earbuds, and the unchanged top-tier Ultra price will shape first impressions once pre-orders arrive and the March 11 launch opens retail availability.