Samsung has introduced the Galaxy S26 smartphone line, featuring several upgrades, including new chipsets and enhanced display options. The S26 lineup includes the standard S26, S26 Plus, and the premium S26 Ultra, with a strong emphasis on artificial intelligence capabilities.
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The S26 series promises increased AI integration, allowing users to perform tasks such as ordering meals, merging photos, and hailing rides with ease. Pre-orders for the S26 models, priced at $899 for the S26, $1,099 for the S26 Plus, and $1,299 for the S26 Ultra, began recently, with retail availability set for Wednesday, March 11.
Consumer Reports (CR) plans to conduct comprehensive tests on all three models, evaluating battery life, performance, and durability, with results expected in the coming weeks.
Design-wise, the S26 features a slightly larger screen, increasing from 6.2 to 6.3 inches, and boosts the baseline storage from 128 to 256 gigabytes. The S26 Ultra sheds some weight thanks to a shift back to an aluminum frame and introduces a faster 60-watt charging option.
All models are equipped with the new Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset, enhancing performance for AI-driven tasks. Color choices include cobalt violet, sky blue, black, and white, alongside online-exclusive options of silver and pink gold.
The camera systems remain largely consistent, with the S26 and S26 Plus featuring a 50-megapixel main rear camera, and the S26 Ultra continuing with a 200-megapixel main shooter. New capabilities include improved low-light performance and an updated video feature designed to stabilize shaky shots.
Innovations in photo editing leverage AI to enhance image manipulation. Users can remove undesired elements from photos and merge multiple images for a single improved shot. While some tasks performed well, more complex requests yielded mixed outcomes, reflecting the ongoing development of AI tools in photography.
The S26 Ultra debuts a unique privacy display, which limits viewing angles so that only the device holder can see the screen clearly. This feature can be activated or deactivated through the device settings and aims to enhance user privacy in public spaces.
Additional AI features include an intelligent call-screening tool and an Audio Eraser to reduce background noise in videos. Samsung asserts that these new capabilities aim to simplify tasks, although many functions are still limited to a select number of apps. As the technology continues to evolve, users can expect more automated features in future iterations of the Galaxy smartphone.