Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra launches with Privacy Display and a sharper Galaxy AI focus

Samsung’s Galaxy S26 Ultra arrives with a built‑in Privacy Display and a bigger push into on‑device AI

Samsung has unveiled the Galaxy S26 Ultra, headlining its 2026 flagship lineup with a display that can hide sensitive content at off‑angles and a deeper slate of “agentic” Galaxy AI features. Preorders are live now, with U.S. retail availability set for March 11, 2026. (news.samsung.com)

Key takeaways

• Privacy Display debuts on S26 Ultra, limiting side‑angle viewing and offering app‑specific and partial‑screen controls for things like notifications and PIN prompts. (news.samsung.com)
• Galaxy AI expands with multi‑object Circle to Search, proactive “Now Nudge,” and a choice of assistants (Bixby, Google Gemini, or Perplexity), plus “Ask AI” research in Samsung Internet. (news.samsung.com)
• Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 powers S26 Ultra, with Samsung touting a 39% NPU and 19% CPU bump and a larger vapor chamber for sustained performance. Certification evidence suggests the Snapdragon chip powers Ultra globally. (news.samsung.com)
• Preorders are open; U.S. pricing starts at $1,299.99 (256GB), $1,499.99 (512GB), and $1,799.99 (1TB). Trade‑in offers reach up to $900. General availability begins March 11, 2026. (samsung.com)
• Colors include Cobalt Violet (the hero shade), Sky Blue, White, Black, with online‑exclusive Pink Gold and Silver Shadow. (engadget.com)

What’s new: a display that guards your privacy

S26 Ultra’s standout feature is Privacy Display, a hardware‑level layer in the screen stack that narrows viewing angles on demand. You can toggle it system‑wide, assign it to specific apps, or even confine it to parts of the display (like the notification shade) so bystanders only see a darkened patch while you read in full. Early hands‑on reports note minimal impact on image quality when viewed head‑on. (news.samsung.com)

Samsung says the feature builds on its latest OLED materials and display architecture. For commuters and anyone entering passwords in public, it’s a simple, always‑available alternative to stick‑on privacy films — with far more control. (news.samsung.com)

Galaxy AI grows more “agentic”

Samsung is pushing beyond one‑off AI tricks toward assistants that anticipate intent. On the S26 line, Circle to Search with Google now handles multi‑element selections in a single gesture; “Now Nudge” surfaces timely info (like calendar conflicts) without app‑hopping; and users can choose Bixby, Gemini, or Perplexity as their default assistant. Samsung Internet adds “Ask AI,” which synthesizes research across tabs into conversational summaries. (news.samsung.com)

At Unpacked, Samsung and Google previewed Android’s next wave of agentic features, with early access coming to the S26 series through Google Labs, signaling tighter Google‑Samsung alignment on on‑device AI. (news.samsung.com)

Performance and thermals: built for on‑device intelligence

Under the hood, Samsung co‑developed a custom AP configuration for S26 Ultra. The company claims a 39% NPU uplift and a 19% CPU boost over last year, paired with a significantly larger vapor chamber to sustain performance during AI and gaming workloads. S26 Ultra uses Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5; regulatory filings and reporting indicate the Ultra model will run this chipset globally. (news.samsung.com)

Samsung also highlights improved power efficiency and faster charging versus the prior generation, aiming for longer runtimes without increasing bulk. We’ll test real‑world gains once review units arrive. (news.samsung.com)

Cameras: familiar hardware, smarter output

The camera system leans on high‑resolution optics and AI image processing. S26 Ultra features a 200MP wide camera, a 50MP telephoto with 5× optical zoom (and 10× optical‑quality zoom), plus a wider aperture for better low‑light clarity. Samsung’s updated AI ISP extends to the selfie camera for more natural skin tones, while creators get a new APV pro‑grade video codec aimed at visually lossless edits across multiple export passes. (news.samsung.com)

Display and design notes

Early hands‑on coverage suggests the 6.9‑inch AMOLED keeps the 120Hz adaptive refresh and peak brightness figures seen last year, now augmented by the Privacy Display layer. The Industrial design subtly aligns Ultra with the rest of the S26 family, and the hero color is a striking Cobalt Violet alongside Sky Blue, White, and Black, with Pink Gold and Silver Shadow online‑only. (engadget.com)

Pricing, colors, and availability

• U.S. pricing: $1,299.99 (256GB), $1,499.99 (512GB), $1,799.99 (1TB). (samsung.com)
• Trade‑in offers up to $900 direct from Samsung during preorder. (samsung.com)
• Preorders are open now; general availability begins March 11, 2026. (news.samsung.com)
• Standard colors across the S26 family: Black, Cobalt Violet, Sky Blue, White; online exclusives include Pink Gold and Silver Shadow. (sammobile.com)

Retailers and carriers in the U.S. are matching Samsung’s preorder window, with some offering storage upgrades or gift‑card incentives ahead of launch. (notebookcheck.net)

Early verdict

The Galaxy S26 Ultra is less about radical hardware overhauls and more about targeted quality‑of‑life gains. Privacy Display meaningfully solves a real‑world problem; Galaxy AI’s expanded context‑awareness reduces friction across everyday tasks; and Qualcomm’s latest silicon plus a larger vapor chamber should keep performance steady. Pricing stays at $1,299.99 for the base Ultra in the U.S., with broader availability beginning March 11 — giving Samsung a head start on 2026’s flagship cycle. We’ll update this piece with test results once we’ve benchmarked battery life, camera consistency across its focal lengths, and the real‑world utility of the new AI agents. (samsung.com)