S26 Ultra and s26 ultra: Samsung unveils Galaxy S26 phones and earbuds
Samsung announced new smartphones and earbuds today, including the Galaxy S26 Ultra, and the announcement confirms the s26 ultra as part of a full S26 lineup available for pre-order today ahead of an official launch on March 11th. The company has launched new phones and earbuds in February for over five years now.
Launch timing and pre-order details
All the new products are available for pre-order today and will launch officially on March 11th. The brand has followed a February cadence for new phones and earbuds for more than five years, and the S26 series continues that pattern.
S26 Ultra: privacy and cameras
The big new feature across the lineup is a built-in privacy screen that is highly customizable: users can choose which elements to dim to onlookers, including notifications and password screens. The S26 Ultra specifically also has improved cameras and faster wired and wireless charging, and it starts at $1, 299, unchanged from last year’s S25 Ultra price.
Storage, chip and pricing
Samsung is launching a full lineup that includes the Samsung Galaxy S26, Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus and Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra. All three models now start at 256GB of storage, up from 128GB on the S25 and S25 Plus. The phones include a new internal chip for faster performance in all tasks and new AI software features. The S26 and S26 Plus receive a few minor hardware upgrades: the S26 has a slightly larger battery at 4, 300 mAh, up from 4, 000, while the S26 Plus gains slightly faster wireless charging. Both the S26 and S26 Plus start at 256GB, and that storage increase makes them $100 more expensive than before, with retail prices of $899 and $1, 099, respectively.
Buds 4 and Buds 4 Pro
Samsung announced the Galaxy Buds 4 and Galaxy Buds 4 Pro alongside the phones. Both earbuds 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: they do not have rubber eartips and use a semi-open ear design similar to Apple AirPods 4, and 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 from the charging case.
Edge model, watches and future events
Samsung launched the Galaxy S25 Edge last year, described as a super-thin, super-light smartphone compared to its other models. The company did not mention an Edge model 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 in the summer is expected for the latest versions of those devices.
Galaxy Ring and legal disputes
The Samsung Galaxy Ring launched in the summer of 2024. Oura, maker of the Oura Ring, quickly filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Samsung. The company has filed similar patent suits against smart ring makers like Ultrahuman, RingConn, Zepp Health and others; Samsung, in turn, has filed a counter suit against Oura. All that to say: the fate of the Samsung Galaxy Ring is 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 reporter wrote, expressing uncertainty about the timing of a follow-up ring.
The reporter covering the launch said they have covered Samsung and its competitors for years as part of phone, smartwatch and earbuds coverage, and presented the details above as a summary of what was announced today.
Pricing, storage steps, battery capacities, design notes for the earbuds, pre-order availability and the March 11th launch date are the confirmed specifics for the Galaxy S26 series and the Buds 4 lineup.
