The Samsung Galaxy S26 series was launched during the Galaxy Unpacked event last night.
South Korean electronics giant Samsung has released its third-generation artificial intelligence (AI) smartphones, unveiling its flagship Galaxy S series.
The S26 series, the launch of which was livestreamed to a global audience during the Unpacked event last night, comprises the Galaxy S26 Ultra, Galaxy S26 Plus and Galaxy S26.
The new devices will be available at the recommended retail price of R30 999 for the S26 Ultra 256GB, R25 999 for the S26 Plus 256GB and R20 999 for the S26, with 256GB.
The S26 Ultra introduces a built-in privacy display design to shield on-screen visibility. It also features a customised mobile processor and upgraded thermal management.
“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 the Device eXperience division at Samsung Electronics.
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“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.”
The S26 series features a document scanner, which removes distortions and distractions on documents, and allows multiple images to be organised into a single PDF, for digital receipts, forms or notes.
The ‘Circle to Search with Google’ feature has been upgraded on the S26 series, with functions like multi-object recognition now also available. The new series also integrates a choice of AI agents, including Bixby, Gemini and Perplexity.
GlobalData senior technology analyst Anisha Bhatia says Samsung has evolved its S26 series of phones through software partnerships and new display hardware.
“Samsung’s software strategy is anchored in broad AI integration across the Galaxy experience, including a partnership with Perplexity to create a new Samsung browser.
“In parallel, Samsung is working with Google to embed Gemini AI ‘into every layer’ of the Android ecosystem – positioning Android to evolve into what it describes as an intelligent, agentic operating system, turning up the pressure on Apple to accelerate its own AI roadmap.”
Turning to hardware, Bhatia highlights: “The S26 Ultra is the clear leader of the pack, pairing a 5 000mAh battery with super-fast charging 3.0 (up to 75% in 30 minutes with 60W charging), plus five rear cameras and S Pen support.
“The Galaxy S26 and S26 Plus round out the lineup with more incremental gains – improved cameras and battery performance, alongside expanded AI features across imaging, notifications and photo organisation.”
The range is available for pre-orders from today until 19 March.
For more details on the specifications, click here.
