Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. has introduced the Galaxy S26 series, its latest flagship smartphones built around artificial intelligence (AI). The lineup includes the Galaxy S26, S26+, and S26 Ultra.
The company said the new devices are designed to reduce the number of steps needed to complete everyday tasks, from searching for information to editing photos. Many AI features work in the background so users can focus on results instead of settings.
“We believe AI should be something people can depend on every day, designed to work consistently for everyone and without the need for expertise,” said TM Roh, Chief Executive Officer, President, and Head of Device eXperience (DX) Division at Samsung Electronics. “With the Galaxy S26 series, we focused on making AI feel effortless, working quietly in the background so people can focus on what matters.”
The Galaxy S26 series runs on a customized chipset. The S26 Ultra uses the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 Mobile Platform for Galaxy, tuned for higher CPU, GPU, and neural processing unit performance.
Samsung said the S26 Ultra delivers:
- Up to 19% faster CPU performance
- Up to 39% improvement in NPU performance for AI tasks
- Up to 24% better GPU performance for graphics and gaming
- Redesigned vapor chamber for improved cooling
- Super Fast Charging 3.0, reaching up to 75% in 30 minutes
The company also upgraded its image processing technologies. ProScaler improves how photos and videos are displayed by sharpening details and smoothing textures. The mobile Digital Natural Image engine, or mDNIe, enhances color accuracy.
Samsung said the Galaxy S26 Ultra features a wider camera aperture to allow more light in, improving low-light photos. Nightography Video has been updated for clearer footage in dim settings. Super Steady video now includes a horizontal lock option for more stable framing.
The S26 Ultra also supports APV, a professional-grade video codec designed for high-quality recording and editing. The AI image signal processor now enhances selfies with more natural skin tones.
Built-in AI editing tools allow users to modify images by typing simple instructions. Photo Assist can change backgrounds, restore missing parts of objects, or remove unwanted details. Creative Studio lets users create stickers, wallpapers, and invitations from sketches or prompts.
Document Scan can clean up scans by removing distortions and combine multiple images into one PDF.
The Galaxy S26 series includes updated versions of Now Nudge and Now Brief, which provide reminders and suggestions based on context, such as upcoming meetings or travel plans.
Circle to Search with Google can now recognize multiple objects in an image at the same time.
The upgraded Bixby works as a conversational device agent. The phones also support third-party AI agents such as Gemini and Perplexity for tasks like booking services or searching across apps.
The Galaxy S26 Ultra introduces a built-in Privacy Display that limits side viewing angles when activated. Users can set it to turn on automatically when entering passwords or opening selected apps.
Other security features include:
- AI-powered Call Screening
- Privacy Alerts for sensitive data access
- Private Album within Gallery
- Post-quantum cryptography protection
- Knox Matrix with encrypted eSIM transfers
- Seven years of security updates
Samsung said the Galaxy S26 series combines hardware and software safeguards to protect personal data as AI features become more common in mobile devices.
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