Samsung recently unveiled its flagship smartphones for 2026: the Galaxy S26, Galaxy S26+, and Galaxy S26 Ultra. Continuing the "AI phone" design that began with the Galaxy S24, Samsung has explicitly stated its goal of reaching 8 million AI devices globally.
AI smartphones are shifting towards multi-model applications.
This update focuses on three core metrics: "Performance," "Camera," and "Galaxy AI." Beyond the usual hardware upgrades, the most noteworthy aspect is Samsung's open approach to its AI ecosystem. Not only has it strengthened Bixby's natural language recognition and interaction capabilities, but it has also announced a first-time collaboration with Perplexity, leveraging its AI execution capabilities while continuing deep integration with Google Gemini, demonstrating its ambition for multi-model applications.
Samsung announced a collaboration with Perplexity to further integrate the Galaxy S26 series into the system layer, enabling it to be accessed via the dedicated wake word "Hey Plex" or through a physical shortcut. This will allow for deep integration with Samsung's core built-in applications such as "Samsung Notes," "Clock," "Media," "Reminders," and "Calendar," as well as some third-party apps, thereby enabling AI application experiences and providing a wider selection of AI models.
Some market analysts believe that Samsung's move is aimed at strengthening its bargaining power with Google, avoiding dependence on Google in the development of AI technology applications, and enhancing its ability to expand its AI technology externally.
However, the new version of Bixby's natural language recognition interaction capabilities are currently only available in English and Korean, and do not yet fully support Traditional Chinese and other languages in the Taiwan market (although some functions are still available).
Galaxy AI: From Bixby to Multi-Model Collaboration
AI is a key focus of the Galaxy S26 series update. Samsung has particularly enhanced Bixby's natural language recognition capabilities, making it more like a "smart assistant" rather than a simple voice command tool.
• Bixby's new role:Currently, Bixby's interactive focus is on the operation and communication of mobile phone functions, and it can also connect Now Brief (instant summary), Now Nudge (instant operation suggestions), and Now Bar (dynamic prompts).
• Image processing:It includes Photo Assist, which can "recreate" images of cakes you've eaten, and Creative Studio, an image generation tool that can automatically generate a series of stickers and other content. Additionally, the Galaxy S26 series also includes features described last year that create models from underwater images, allowing users to filter out blue tones and restore true colors when photographing corals underwater.Ocean mode"(Ocean Mode)"
• Privacy protection:Added an AI-powered Call Screening assistant feature, which uses Bixby voice recognition to help determine whether an incoming call is a scam call (but this feature is not currently supported in the Taiwan market).
• Deep integration of Google and Perplexity:In addition to continuing its deep collaboration with Google Gemini (such as the upgraded circle search), Samsung has also officially expanded its multi-model applications, joining Perplexity to provide a more accurate information search experience.
Performance: Dedicated processor and a thermal revolution
The entire Galaxy S26 series adopts the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy processor, while the Galaxy S26 and Galaxy S26+ in some markets offer...Samsung Exynos 2600 processorRegarding specifications, Samsung emphasizes that both processors can meet the on-device AI computing power requirements.
The expanded use of the Exynos 2600 in the Galaxy S26 series also signifies an improvement in Samsung's own processor manufacturing process, making it capable of competing with the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, which is manufactured by TSMC. However, the fact that the Exynos 2600 is not used in the high-end flagship Galaxy S26 Ultra indicates that Samsung still has concerns about its performance, thus limiting its use to the mid-range and entry-level flagship models, the Galaxy S26+ and Galaxy S26.
To suppress the heat generated by the powerful performance, Samsung redesigned the new phone's built-in vapor chamber, improving heat dissipation efficiency by 21%.
In addition, the charging specifications of the Galaxy S26 series have finally made a breakthrough. The Galaxy S26 Ultra is equipped with Super Fast Charging 3.0, which supports 60W wired fast charging and can charge the phone to 75% in 30 minutes. It also supports 25W wireless charging. The Galaxy S26+ supports Super Fast Charging 2.0 and 20W wireless fast charging, while the Galaxy S26+ only supports Super Fast Charging and 15W wireless fast charging.
All three phones support Qi2 Ready wireless charging, but in order to maintain a slim and lightweight design, the phones do not have a built-in magnetic ring and rely on protective cases with magnetic rings.
In terms of other specifications, the Galaxy S26 Ultra features a 6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X QHD+ 500 ppi display, 12 or 16GB of RAM, and offers 256, 512, or 1TB of storage options. It also has a 5000mAh battery. As for the S Pen, it is basically the same as the Galaxy S25 Ultra, and it still lacks built-in Bluetooth connectivity. Therefore, it is not possible to operate the phone's camera shutter or other functions through the buttons on the S Pen.
The Galaxy S26+ features a 6.7-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X QHD+ display with 516ppi and a 4900mAh battery. Basically, it differs from the Galaxy S26 only in screen size, battery capacity, and charging specifications. Both come with 12GB of RAM and 256GB or 512GB of storage. The Galaxy S26, on the other hand, has a 6.3-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X FHD+ display with 411ppi and a 4300mAh battery.
Galaxy S26 Ultra exclusive privacy protection features
It's worth mentioning privacy protection. This time, the Galaxy S26 Ultra adds an electronic privacy protection technology called Privacy Display. Users can choose specific apps to increase the level of protection, or automatically activate it when entering private access information, or even set it to only enable the privacy protection function for pop-up windows.
Once the electronic privacy function is enabled, basically only the user holding the phone can view the content from the front, while others will not be able to peek at the screen display from the side, thus achieving the screen protection effect, and it is also unaffected by screen protectors.
However, the Privacy Display electronic privacy design is currently only available on the Galaxy S26 Ultra and is not used on the Galaxy S26 and Galaxy S26+.
Camera: The Ultimate Application of ProScaler with 2 Megapixels
In terms of camera, the Galaxy S26 Ultra remains the benchmark among the three phones. The wide-angle lens maintains 2 million pixels, but the aperture has been improved to f/1.4, increasing light intake by 47%. This time, the ProScaler function is particularly emphasized to improve image sharpness, and mDNle is used to improve color contrast and add 10-bit color performance.
For video enthusiasts, the newly added APV professional mode also supports 8K 30fps shooting and provides professional-grade encoding (HQ 422 / LQ 422). In addition, it adds a "level lock" function that combines gyroscope and accelerometer information reading, so that you can shoot stable video footage even when shooting handheld.
Listing Information
The Galaxy S26 series will be available in four colors: White, Sky Blue, Black, and Cobalt Violet. However, the specific colors available in different countries and regions will vary depending on market demand.
The two limited-edition colors offered exclusively for the Samsung online store are Roaming Silver and Roaming Gold. It is currently unclear whether the Samsung Taiwan online store will follow suit and offer them.
In addition, the entire Galaxy S26 series will be the first in the Taiwan market to support eSIM functionality, while retaining the physical dual SIM card slot design, providing consumers with diverse and flexible mobile data solutions.
