Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra Release Date: March 11, 2026 — Everything You Need to Know
The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra has officially been announced and is available for pre-order right now. The S26 series was unveiled on February 25, 2026, at Samsung's Galaxy Unpacked event, and will be released on March 11, 2026. Here is everything you need to know before launch day — specs, price, new features, and whether it is worth the upgrade.
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra Release Date and Pre-Order Details
Pre-orders are now live, and the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra will officially hit shelves on March 11, 2026. The Galaxy S26 Ultra keeps the same starting price as its predecessor. That means US buyers can expect the base 256GB model to start at $1,299 — consistent with the S25 Ultra pricing that Samsung held for two consecutive years. Customers who pre-order before March 11 are eligible for a free storage upgrade and additional trade-in rebates of up to $850 on selected plans.
Carrier deals are particularly aggressive this cycle. Verizon is offering savings of up to $1,100 on the new Galaxy S26 Ultra. T-Mobile is offering a free Galaxy S26 Ultra with an unlimited line. AT&T is offering a free S26 Ultra with trade-in and an unlimited line. Samsung's own enhanced trade-in program is also active, giving buyers extra credit toward the new model on eligible devices.
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra's Biggest New Feature: World-First Privacy Display
The headline feature of the Galaxy S26 Ultra is one that has never appeared on any smartphone before. Debuting on Galaxy S26 Ultra, the built-in Privacy Display limits side-angle viewing without the need for a separate screen protector. The display remains clear from the front while restricting visibility from the sides to shield on-screen content from nearby onlookers.
Users can adjust the level of privacy protection in settings and apply it selectively — for example, only when entering a PIN, pattern, or password, or when notification pop-ups appear. Users can also assign the Privacy Display to the side button's double-press for greater convenience. Privacy Display is the result of more than five years of research and development.
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra Camera: 200MP, F1.4 Aperture, APV Video
The Galaxy S26 Ultra retains its powerful 200-megapixel main camera, flanked by a 50-megapixel ultrawide and a dual telephoto camera setup, now with improved Nightography video, steadier shooting, and support for the APV codec for video pros. The wider aperture is arguably the most impactful real-world improvement in the camera system.
The wider aperture allows the sensor to collect 47% more light for brighter photos even in low-light conditions. Additionally, the Galaxy S26 Ultra is the first Galaxy phone to support Advanced Professional Video format, allowing for up to 8K at 30fps videos. Photo Assist — Samsung's AI photo editing tool — has been upgraded to add elements to images rather than just removing them, including the ability to transform a day scene into a night scene entirely.
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra Specs: Chip, Battery, Display, Storage
The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra features a 6.9-inch anti-reflective display, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset, a 5,000 mAh battery, up to 1TB of storage, and 16GB of RAM with Corning Gorilla Armor 2 glass protection. The Galaxy S26 Ultra is 0.3mm thinner than its predecessor and weighs 214 grams — a slimmer, lighter build that enhances portability while maintaining a secure, comfortable grip.
The S26 Ultra reverts to an aluminum frame — which was last used on the Galaxy S23 — but still features a glass back with more rounded corners than the S25 Ultra's sharper edges. One important note for S Pen fans: the stylus is still included, but remote S Pen gesture controls have not returned despite earlier rumors.
Samsung Galaxy AI: Now Nudge, Perplexity-Powered Bixby, One UI 8.5
The Galaxy S26, S26+, and S26 Ultra all ship with One UI 8.5 out of the box, built around two pillars: Ambient Design and a Perplexity-powered Bixby. Samsung's AI overhaul makes this the most significant Bixby upgrade in the assistant's history, with natural language understanding replacing the rigid command structure that frustrated users for years.
Now Nudge is a new feature that intelligently understands what is on your screen and provides suggestions — such as viewing your Calendar to add an event, or jumping to your Gallery when someone asks you to share photos. Now Brief delivers personalized insights based on user behavior, including reminders based on booking details and friends' birthdays saved on your device. The Galaxy S26 Ultra ships as the third generation of Samsung's Galaxy AI phone and is designed to be the most proactive and contextually aware smartphone Samsung has ever shipped.
Is the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra Worth Buying?
The Galaxy S26 series sticks to the same sleek, simple design that has gone relatively unchanged over the past few generations — one noticeable difference is a slight camera bump that houses the three lenses, which used to float independently on the 2025 model. For S25 Ultra owners, the upgrade argument centers entirely on the world-first Privacy Display, the expanded Galaxy AI suite, and the improved low-light camera performance. For anyone coming from an S23 Ultra or older, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra launching March 11 represents one of the most complete flagship smartphone upgrades of 2026.
