Samsung Electronics has announced the Galaxy S26 series, powered by the most proactive and adaptive Galaxy AI experiences yet and designed to simplify the tasks people do on their phones every day.

From managing plans and finding information to capturing and refining content, the Galaxy S26 series reduces the effort and number of steps required to get things done. As Samsung’s third-generation AI phones, Galaxy S26, S26+ and S26 Ultra, handle complex tasks in the background, allowing users to focus on results rather than how the technology works.

The Galaxy S26 series was engineered with Samsung’s most advanced capabilities working together as one: incredible performance, an intuitive camera system and Galaxy AI. This provides a strong foundation that gives Galaxy S26 users the confidence to depend on their phone throughout the day without compromising security or privacy.

Building on Samsung’s decades of innovation in display technology, the Galaxy S26 Ultra introduces the industry’s first built-in privacy display for mobile phones to unlock a new class of display experiences and reinforces Samsung’s commitment to privacy at a pixel level.

The Galaxy S26 Ultra also delivers a customised chipset and upgraded thermal management that enable faster and more powerful AI – all wrapped up in the slimmest Ultra yet.

“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, CEO, president and head of Device eXperience (DX) division at Samsung Electronics. “With the Galaxy S26 series, we focused on making AI feel effortless by designing it to complete tasks naturally, working quietly in the background so people can focus on what matters.”

Galaxy S26: powerful performance

Engineered for all-day performance, the Galaxy S26 series is built on the most powerful hardware ever on a Galaxy S series, powered by a customised chipset. Across the line-up, the Galaxy S26 series is engineered for AI performance, power efficiency and thermal management, ensuring demanding tasks run smoothly and consistently, so users can rely on their device when it matters.

On the Galaxy S26 Ultra, a customised mobile processor – Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 Mobile Platform for Galaxy – delivers the best performance ever in its class with significant gains across CPU, GPU and NPU to support faster, smoother experiences that keep up throughout the day.

Galaxy’s best camera system yet

On the Galaxy S26 Ultra, wider camera apertures allow more light to reach the sensor, delivering clearer photos with richer details in low-light conditions, even when zoomed in. Enhanced “nightography” video keeps footage clearer and more vibrant even in dim scenes, whether capturing concerts indoors or recording moments around a campfire after sunset.

Video capture is further enhanced with upgraded super steady capabilities, which add a horizontal lock option for greater stability and make consistent framing easier to achieve, even with bumpy trails or fast-paced activities.

The Galaxy S26 Ultra is the first Galaxy device to support advanced professional video – a new professional-grade video codec designed to deliver efficient compression for high-quality production workflows. Optimised for advanced creators, it ensures visually lossless video quality that stays true even after repeated editing.

With the upgraded photo assist suite, users can simply describe what they want to change in their own words. Changing the scene from day to night is just a matter of asking. It can also add to images and restore missing parts of objects like a bite taken out of a cake. Personal details, such as a spill on clothing, can also be cleaned up with Galaxy AI’s new ability to change outfits in photos. Edits can now be made continuously, reviewed step by step, and easily adjusted or undone along the way, making the process feel fluid rather than final.

Everyday ease with proactive and adaptive Galaxy AI

With “now nudge”, timely and relevant suggestions help users stay in the flow without being distracted. If a friend asks for photos from a recent trip, Galaxy S26 automatically suggests photos from the gallery, removing the need to search through albums or switch between apps. When receiving a message about a meeting, Galaxy S26 can recognise related calendar entries and check for conflicts.

Searching for information is also easier than ever. Circle to Search with Google on the Galaxy S26 series has been upgraded with enhanced multi-object recognition, so users can now explore more deeply on multiple parts of an image at once. If users spot a look they love, the feature also identifies everything from the jacket to the shoes, all in one search.

The Galaxy S26 series integrates a choice of agents, including Bixby, Gemini and Perplexity. Once set up, tasks can be completed with a single button press or voice prompt. The series features an upgraded Bixby as a conversational device agent, making it easier than ever to interact with Galaxy devices. Galaxy S26 can also handle multi-step tasks in the background, streamlining the process on the user’s behalf.

For example, with Gemini, requesting a ride or booking a taxi is as simple as asking, reviewing the details and tapping confirm. These assistants support tasks such as searching, coordinating actions across apps and controlling device settings through natural interaction.

Layers of protection in the age of AI

As mobile experiences become more personalised thanks to AI, protecting user privacy becomes even more critical. Samsung builds protection into every layer of the Galaxy S26, keeping personal data secure while giving users transparency and control over how their information is used.

The Galaxy S26 Ultra introduces privacy at the pixel level with the mobile industry’s first built-in privacy display, a breakthrough in display technology that fundamentally changes how privacy can be protected on a phone. Designed for everyday situations like transit, cafés and shared environments, privacy display goes beyond anything previously available on mobile devices – hardware and software working as one to protect privacy without compromising the viewing experience.

The Galaxy S26 series also brings smarter software safeguards that work quietly in the background. AI-powered call screening identifies unknown callers and summarises intent, making it easier to safely manage calls.

Privacy alerts use machine learning to proactively notify users in real time when apps with device admin privileges unnecessarily attempt to access sensitive data, such as precise location, call logs or contacts. These alerts help users quickly understand when apps are seeking deeper access, so they can manage permissions with greater clarity and control.

Availability

The Galaxy S26 Ultra, S26+ and S26 will be available for pre-orders from 26 February to 19 March 2026. You can double your storage and save up to R5 000 in an exclusive pre-order offer. The Galaxy S26 series features a unified design language across all models, with shared colour options including cobalt violet, white, black and sky blue.

The Galaxy S26 series will be available at these recommended retail prices: Galaxy S26 Ultra 256GB from R30 999, Galaxy S26 Plus 256GB from R25 999, and Galaxy S26 256GB from R20 999.