Samsung S26 series. Picture: Samsung
Samsung has announced the Galaxy S26 series, featuring the S26, S26+, and S26 Ultra, which utilize advanced Galaxy AI to automate daily tasks and improve efficiency through proactive, background processing.
The flagship S26 Ultra introduces the industry’s first built-in Privacy Display alongside a customized Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor, offering significant CPU, GPU, and NPU performance boosts for enhanced multitasking and gaming.
However, the overall hardware design remains largely familiar.
Privacy display
The lineup also features an improved camera system with enhanced Nightography, a new professional-grade APV video codec, and AI-driven editing tools like Photo Assist and Creative Studio.
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 reinforce Samsung’s commitment to privacy at a pixel level.
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AI
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, Chief Executive Officer, 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.”
Availability
The Galaxy S26 Ultra, S26+ and S26 will be available for pre-orders from 26th February to 19th 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.
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