Samsung unveiled the Galaxy S26 Ultra at Galaxy Unpacked in San Francisco on February 25, 2026, introducing a built-in Privacy Display and expanded artificial intelligence features. The Ultra joins the Galaxy S26 and Galaxy S26 Plus in the new lineup.
Privacy Display limits viewing from the side
The Ultra has a 6.9-inch QHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with an adaptive 1–120Hz refresh rate. Samsung says its Privacy Display controls how pixels disperse light, restricting visibility from side angles when activated without requiring a separate privacy screen protector.
The feature can be switched on manually or configured to activate for selected apps and when entering PINs, patterns or passwords. Samsung says Partial Screen Privacy restricts side-angle visibility of notification pop-ups, while Maximum Privacy Protection further obscures the screen from the side.
The phone measures 7.9mm thick and weighs 214g. Samsung describes it as its slimmest Ultra yet.
AI features span Bixby, Gemini and Perplexity
Samsung is expanding its assistant features through an updated Bixby alongside Gemini and Perplexity. The company says Bixby can interpret requests in natural language to find or change device settings without requiring users to know the exact menu or feature name.
Other announced features include Now Nudge, which Samsung says suggests actions based on conversational context, and an updated Now Brief for personalized reminders. Samsung says Call Screening can identify unknown callers and summarize why they are calling.
Google described Gemini’s ability to carry out multi-step tasks in the background as a beta feature that would initially be offered in the U.S. and Korea, limited to selected apps. Its announced examples include food orders, grocery shopping and ride-hailing. Google says users can monitor progress, intervene or stop a task. Samsung’s ride-booking example requires users to review the details and confirm.
Samsung says Bixby requires a Samsung account and a data connection, with functions varying by country, region and language.
Processor, cameras and charging
The Galaxy S26 Ultra uses the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy processor and comes with 12GB or 16GB of RAM, depending on configuration. Qualcomm says the processor will power the Ultra globally. Samsung claims improved neural processing unit performance to support its AI features.
Samsung is emphasizing wider camera apertures and updated low-light video processing. The company says the wider apertures allow more light to reach the sensors, while its enhanced Nightography Video processing improves footage captured in dim conditions.
The Ultra retains a 5,000mAh battery and supports wired charging at up to 60W. Samsung says its Super Fast Charging 3.0 system can reach up to 75% charge in 30 minutes.
