Samsung’s 2026 Unpacked Event: What to Expect from the Galaxy S26 Lineup and Beyond

Samsung’s 2025 was nothing short of spectacular, filled with groundbreaking innovations that pushed the boundaries of mobile technology. From revolutionary foldables to ultra-thin form factors and the launch of Google’s XR platform, the Korean tech giant has set the stage for what promises to be another exciting year. As we approach February 25, 2026, all eyes are on San Francisco where Samsung will host its first Galaxy Unpacked event of the year, expected to unveil the highly anticipated Galaxy S26 lineup.

When is Unpacked 2026 Taking Place?

According to the official invite shared by Samsung on February 10, Unpacked 2026 will take place on February 25, 2026, in San Francisco. The keynote will begin at 10:00 AM PT (1:00 PM ET) and will be livestreamed on Samsung.com, the company’s newsroom, and YouTube channel. The announcement described this launch as “a new phase in the era of AI as intelligence becomes truly personal and adaptive.” While this messaging mirrors what we’ve heard from various tech companies over recent years, it sets the expectation for significant AI advancements across Samsung’s product lineup.

Galaxy S26, S26+ and S26 Ultra: Evolutionary Design with Revolutionary Performance

Samsung’s approach to smartphone development has consistently been one of refinement rather than radical reinvention, and the Galaxy S26 series appears to follow this pattern. Based on leaked images and insider reports, the company isn’t expected to dramatically alter the aesthetic of the Galaxy S26, S26+, or S26 Ultra. Instead, Samsung will likely maintain the flat front screen and frame design with rounded corners that proved successful with the Galaxy S25, along with the vertical pill-shaped camera plateau on the rear.

However, the real magic lies beneath the surface. All Galaxy S26 phones are expected to feature Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip, delivering unprecedented performance improvements and enhanced on-device AI processing capabilities. Interestingly, Korean news site Yonhap News reports that Samsung’s relatively new Exynos 2600 chip could be used in some regional variants, continuing the company’s strategy of diversifying its chipset offerings based on market requirements.

One of the most notable changes could be the display size. Leaked specifications shared by prominent leaker Ice Universe suggest the Galaxy S26 will feature a 6.3-inch FHD+ display, making it slightly larger than the 6.2-inch display on the Galaxy S25. The phone is also rumored to come with 12GB of RAM, storage options of either 256GB or 512GB, and a slightly larger 4,300mAh battery. Camera specifications appear to remain consistent with the previous generation, featuring the same 50-megapixel main camera, 12-megapixel ultrawide, 10-megapixel 3x telephoto, and 12-megapixel selfie camera that users have come to appreciate.

The Galaxy S26+ appears to follow an even more conservative upgrade path, with changes primarily limited to the new Snapdragon chip. Reports indicate it will retain the same 6.7-inch FHD+ screen, 4,900mAh battery, 12GB of RAM, and identical camera array to the base model.

The Galaxy S26 Ultra, however, shows more substantial differentiation. According to Android Headlines, the new phone’s cameras will be slightly more raised and feature a new metallic finish that enhances the premium feel. Samsung may also switch back to an aluminum frame after using titanium frames on both the Galaxy S24 and S25 Ultras. Most significantly, to properly support Qi2 wireless charging rather than just technically working with the standard when a case is attached, rumors suggest Samsung will remove the S Pen digitizer layer and adopt a new method for accepting stylus input. This change could enable the Galaxy S26 Ultra to more easily work with Qi2 accessories without sacrificing its signature stylus functionality.

Recent leaked images shared by Android Headlines appear to show full renders of the S26 series, generally aligning with previous rumors and reports. These images provide a clearer look at the camera bump design and two color variants of the S26 Ultra, giving us our most comprehensive preview yet of what to expect.

Qi2 and Magnetic Charging: A Continuing Disappointment?

Despite the launch of the Qi2 wireless charging standard, which added support for convenient magnetic alignment years ago, Samsung has yet to bring this feature to its flagship phones. While the S-series phones have supported higher-speed charging rates that the spec enables, Nieuwemobiel.nl reports that, based on images of cases with magnetic rings, the S26 series likely won’t have built-in magnets. Samsung has made these cases to add magnetic capability to its S-series in the past, and the existence of these accessory images lends weight to the idea that the company will continue this approach. This decision may continue to disappoint users who value the convenience of magnetic wireless charging that has become standard on competing devices.

Galaxy Buds 4: Refinement Over Revolution

Samsung released the Galaxy Buds 3 and 3 Pro in 2024, featuring a major redesign that brought them much more in line with Apple’s AirPods aesthetic. The Galaxy Buds 4 and Buds 4 Pro expected to be announced soon won’t necessarily change that formula, though they will feature a more compact case and less angular stems, according to leaked images from the Samsung Tips app.

Support for head gestures to accept and decline calls, a feature Apple includes on the AirPods Pro 3 and AirPods 4, is also rumored to work on both versions of the new Galaxy Buds. SamMobile reports that the Galaxy Buds 4 and 4 Pro may also ship with a new Ultra Wideband chip that will make them easier to find with Google’s Find Hub network, enhancing the overall user experience and device tracking capabilities.

Galaxy Z Trifold: The Future of Mobile Computing Arrives

Samsung announced the Galaxy Z Trifold in late 2025 without firm details of when the new smartphone-that-folds-into-a-tablet would be available in North America. That information came on January 27, when the company announced the TriFold would be available in the US on January 30, for a whopping $2,900. Considering we’ve already seen the device in person at CES 2026 and people are most likely to have had a chance to look at, if not buy the foldable for themselves by the time Unpacked rolls around, we don’t expect Samsung to spend too much time dwelling on it, if at all. The TriFold represents Samsung’s vision for the future of mobile computing, offering an unprecedented large-screen experience in a portable form factor.

Galaxy S26 Edge: Samsung’s Answer to the iPhone Air

When the Galaxy S25 Edge was announced in 2025, it seemed possible that Samsung could replace its “Plus” smartphone with a unique form factor, just like Apple has opted to do with the iPhone Air. However, conflicting reports suggest Samsung will not be doing that with the Galaxy S26 Edge. Instead, the smartphone will reportedly remain another option, much like foldables are for customers not swayed by Samsung’s traditional smartphones.

The Galaxy S26 Edge is rumored to feature a slightly different design than last year’s model, according to Android Headlines, with a large rectangular camera plateau that’s reminiscent of Google’s Pixel phones, and the raised oval Apple used on the iPhone Air. Beyond that, the phone is also expected to be ever so slightly thinner at 5.5mm than the 5.8mm Galaxy S25 Edge, continuing Samsung’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of smartphone thinness while maintaining functionality.

Bixby and Other AI Features: Samsung’s Expanding AI Ecosystem

Samsung already acts as a first place Google can show off new AI features for Android, but the company is reportedly exploring other AI partnerships as well. In June 2025, Bloomberg reported that Samsung was nearing a deal with Perplexity to integrate its AI-powered search engine across OneUI and its homegrown mobile browser. Perplexity already has a deal with Motorola on its Razr phones, so the only thing that would make a deal with Samsung unusual is the close relationship the company already has with Google.

The company also accidentally announced a new version of its Bixby AI assistant, which will likely also be integrated with Perplexity and could serve as an alternative to Google Gemini. Both a new Bixby and a deeper integration with Perplexity seem like natural new software features to show off at Galaxy Unpacked, potentially positioning Samsung as a more independent player in the AI space while still maintaining its partnership with Google.

What We’re Watching For

As we count down to February 25, several key areas deserve attention:

1. AI Integration: How deeply will Samsung integrate its new Bixby with Perplexity, and what unique AI capabilities will this partnership enable?

2. Hardware Refinements: While the design changes may be evolutionary, how will the performance improvements and new features enhance the user experience?

3. Ecosystem Expansion: How will the new devices work together within Samsung’s broader ecosystem, and what new cross-device features can we expect?

4. Pricing Strategy: Will Samsung maintain its current pricing structure, or will the addition of new features and capabilities lead to price adjustments?

Tags and Viral Phrases

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• Samsung partners with Perplexity for AI-powered search
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• Galaxy S26 Edge thinner than iPhone Air at 5.5mm
• Samsung removes S Pen digitizer for better Qi2 compatibility
• Galaxy Unpacked 2026: The future of AI becomes personal
• Samsung’s evolutionary design philosophy continues
• Exynos 2600 chip in select regional markets
• Samsung’s answer to Apple’s ecosystem expansion
• The most powerful Galaxy S series ever
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• Galaxy ecosystem gets smarter with Ultra Wideband
• Samsung’s premium redesign of the Ultra series
• The end of titanium frames on Samsung flagships
• Samsung’s vision for mobile computing with Trifold

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