Samsung Unpacked 2026: Prices, specs and upgrades about Galaxy S26, S26+ and S26 Ultra

Dubai: Samsung held its Galaxy Unpacked event in San Francisco this week, officially announcing the Galaxy S26, S26+, and S26 Ultra. All three run Android 16 with One UI 8.5, and sales begin on March 11 with pre-orders already open.

If you had been following the leaks, very little here will surprise you. This year is more about refinement than reinvention, though the Ultra does bring one genuinely new trick to the table.

Here is a breakdown of each phone.

The standard S26 is the most straightforward update of the three. The screen has grown very slightly to 6.3 inches, brightness peaks at 2,600 nits, and the base storage has finally been bumped up to 256GB, which means no more starting at 128GB.

The cameras are the same on paper, a 50MP main, 12MP ultrawide, and 10MP 3x telephoto, but Samsung is leaning into software to make them better. Improved image processing, an upgraded Object-Aware Engine, and better video stabilisation are all doing the heavy lifting here.

Battery is up slightly to 4,300mAh, though charging speeds stay at 25W wired and 15W wireless, which is noticeably slower than some competitors.

Key specs at a glance:

The S26+ is essentially a larger S26. The screen steps up to 6.7 inches with a QHD+ resolution, which makes it the better pick if you watch a lot of video or want sharper visuals day to day.

The camera setup is identical to the base model, so again, improvements are mostly on the software side. Where it does pull ahead is charging: 45W wired and 20W wireless, which is a meaningful step up from the standard model.

Storage options are 256GB and 512GB.

Key specs at a glance:

The Ultra is where Samsung has actually pushed things forward this year, and the headline feature is something genuinely new: a built-in Privacy Display.

When switched on, it reduces visibility from side angles, making it much harder for people nearby to see your screen. You can even set it to activate automatically when you open banking apps or type in a password. It is a subtle but practical addition, especially if you use your phone on public transport or in busy spaces.

A few early reviewers have noted that the feature makes the screen look slightly dimmer, and that the optimal viewing angle is not quite as good as the S25 Ultra. Whether that matters to most people in day-to-day use remains to be seen.

On cameras, the Ultra means business. You get a 200MP main sensor, 50MP ultrawide, 10MP 3x telephoto, and a 50MP 5x periscope telephoto. Samsung says wider apertures on key lenses improve low-light shots, and video goes up to 4K at 120fps and 8K at 30fps.

Battery is 5,000mAh and charging tops out at 60W wired and 25W wireless, the fastest in the lineup.

Key specs at a glance:

Pre-orders are open now across all three models from Samsung Gulf's website and stores. Official sales begin on 11th March.

Areeba Hashmi is a trainee at Gulf News.