Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2026: Everything you've come to expect from the S26 release

Samsung's upcoming Unpacked event will take place in Fabre Torre and the company is rumored to launch the Galaxy S26 phones.

Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2026: Everything to expect from the S26 launch

What to expect when you expect the Samsung Galaxy S26 in February.

Samsung's 2025 was packed with new foldable devices, a new ultra-thin form factor, and the launch of Google's XR platform.After some announcements at CES 2026, the company is expected to host the first Galaxy Unpacked of the year in February, which will showcase the Galaxy S26 series.Official invites have yet to go out, but the date is expected to be around the end of the month, possibly February 25th, but as always, we know a lot about what to expect when Samsung holds its next event.

We'll be streaming Galaxy Unpacked whenever it happens, and we'll have hands-on coverage of Samsung's new smartphones after they're announced.While we wait for official invites, here's everything we expect Samsung to unveil at its first Galaxy Unpacked event in 2026.

What's happening at Unpacked 2026?

But first, when does Unpacked take place?A recent image shared by leaker Evan Blass suggests that Unpacked will take place on February 25, 2026.Blass has a long history of reliable leaks, meaning only this date has been confirmed, and the major questions that remain are – when and in what time zone?We are still waiting for official information from Samsung, which should answer these questions.

Galaxy S26, S26+ і S26 Ultra

Samsung's reticent approach to updating its phones is likely to continue with the Galaxy S26 as well.Based on leaked images of the new lineup, the company is not expected to make any fundamental changes to the look of the Galaxy S26, Galaxy S26+, or Galaxy S26 Ultra, but will instead stick to the design used on the Galaxy S25.The phone will have a flat front screen and rounded bezels and the cameras will be housed in a vertical pill-shaped platform.Backwards.Unlike Apple's transition from the iPhone 16 Pro to the iPhone 17 Pro, the biggest differences will likely be in the internal components like the screen, chips, and camera sensors used by Samsung.

Qualcomm's new Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip is expected to be present in all Samsung Galaxy S26 phones, although Korean news site Yonhap News reports that Samsung's new Exynos 2600 could be used in some phones in the range depending on the region, a strategy that Samsung has previously prepared.However, the new phones should be more powerful than the previous generation, with the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 models particularly good for AI tools.

I have compiled an accurate and comprehensive parameter comparison of Galaxy S25, S25 + and Galaxy S26, S26 +.Which do you want to buy?pic.twitter.com/aQpoSvYjOz

- Universe of Ice (@UniverseIce) November 29, 2025

One noticeable difference between the Galaxy S26 and the Galaxy S25 could be the phone's display.The new phone is said to have a 6.3-inch FHD+ display, according to specs shared by leaker Ice Universe, making it slightly larger than the 6.2-inch display used on the Galaxy S25.The S26 is also said to have 12GB of RAM, 256GB or 512GB of internal storage, and a battery.Slightly larger 4,300mAh.However, Samsung won't be changing the cameras on the lower-end phone: leaks suggest it will have the same 50-megapixel main camera, 12-megapixel ultra-wide-angle camera, 10-megapixel 3x telephoto camera and 12-megapixel selfie camera as the previous generation.The changes to the Galaxy S26+ appear to be even smaller.In addition to the new Snapdragon chip, the phone is said to have the same 6.7-inch FHD+ display, 4,900mAh battery, 12GB of RAM, and the same camera array used on the base Galaxy S26.

The difference between the Galaxy S26 Ultra and the Galaxy S25 Ultra is said to be clear.According to Android Themes, the cameras of the new phone will be slightly taller, and they will be visible because of the new metal.Samsung may return to using an aluminum frame on the Galaxy S26 Ultra, after using titanium frames on the Galaxy S24 and S25 Ultra.More importantly, in order for the phone to support Qi2 and not technically work with the standard when the case is connected, rumors suggest that Samsung will remove the S Pen digital part of the phone and adopt a new way to accept writing.It is not known what this new method will be, but it may allow the Galaxy S26 Ultra to work easily with Qi2 devices without losing the pen.

Android Headlines also recently shared what appear to be full-screen renders of the S26 series, and they're generally consistent with what's been said, leaked, and reported so far.If these images are correct, they give us more insight into the camera bump and the two color variants of the S26 Ultra.

Magneto fans may be disappointed with Samsung if the latest rumors are confirmed.Despite launching the Qi 2 wireless charging standard and adding support for easy magnetic alignment years ago, Samsung has yet to bring this feature to its phones.Although the S series has the fastest charging rates that the specifications allow, Nieuwemobiel.nl reports that the S series S26 may not have built-in magnets, as it has received images of cases with magnetic rings.Samsung has made these attempts to add magnetic capability to its S series in the past, and the presence of images of these devices lends weight to the idea that the company will continue with this approach.

galaxy buzz 4

Samsung released the Galaxy Buds 3 and 3 Pro in 2024, along with a major redesign that brought more Apple AirPods.The Galaxy Buds 4 and Buds 4 Pro are rumored to be announced by Samsung soon, but according to leaked images from the Samsung Tips app, they will have a more compact case and less angular stems.

Support for head movements to receive and reject calls, something that Apple has included in AirPods Pro 3 and AirPods 4, is also rumored to work in the new Galaxy Buds.SamMobile reports that the Galaxy Buds 4 and 4 Pro may ship with a new Ultra Wideband chip that will make it easier to find them through Google's Find Hub network.

Galaxy Z Trifold

Samsung announced the Galaxy Z TriFold in late 2025, with no specific details on when the new tablet-turned-smartphone will be available in North America.This information came on January 27 when the company announced that the Trifold will be available in the US on January 30 for a whopping price of $2,900.We saw the device in person at CES 2026, and until it was revealed unpacked, people were very interested in buying the foldable device even if they couldn't afford it.We don't expect Samsung to spend much time on this, assuming they get a chance to see it.

Galaxy S26 Edge

When the Galaxy S25 Edge was announced in 2025, it seemed possible that Samsung could change its "Plus" smartphone to a unique shape, just as Apple chose to do with the iPhone Air.There have been conflicting reports about this, but it looks like Samsung won't be doing that with the Galaxy S26 Edge.

Instead, the smartphone would remain an option, like a foldable smartphone, for customers who are not influenced by Samsung's traditional smartphones.The Galaxy S26 Edge is rumored to feature a slightly different design than last year's model, according to Android Headlines, with a large rectangular camera platform reminiscent of Google's Pixel phones and Apple's raised oval used in the iPhone Air.Beyond that, the phone should also be The 5.8mm Galaxy S25 Edge is slightly thinner at 5.5mm.

Bixby and other AI features

Samsung already acts as the first place for Google to show off new AI features for Android, but the company is also reportedly exploring other AI partnerships.In June 2025, Bloomberg reported that Samsung was nearing a deal with Perplexity to integrate its AI browser into OneUI and native mobile browsers.Perplexity already has a deal with Motorola on its Razr phones, so the only thing that would make a deal with Samsung unusual is the company's close relationship with Google.

The company also accidentally announced a new version of its assistant Bixby AI, which can also be integrated with Perplexity and can act as an alternative to Google Gemini.New Bixby and deeper integration with Perplexity seem like natural new software features to be featured in Galaxy Unpacked.

Update, January 27, 2026, 11:55 AM ET: This article has been updated to reflect the latest news about the Galaxy Z TriFold's price and availability in the United States.

Update, January 30, 2026, 12:45 p.m.ET: This story has been updated to include the latest leak of possible Unpack 2026 dates.

Update, February 2, 2026, 11:30 a.m. ET: This story has been updated to include the latest rumors that include a complete picture of the three S26 devices.

Update, February 3, 2026, 11:00 am ET: This story has been updated to include the latest leaks about the potential lack of magnetic support on the S26 series.

Samsung is expected to unveil its new smartphone lineup in February, which is expected to include the Galaxy S26, Galaxy S26+ and Galaxy S26 Ultra.For now, you can see our preview of what we expect Samsung to announce in Unpacked 2026 to stay at this time.We will also have integrated coverage of the event, as well as news, analysis and specific information as we receive it, and you can follow it directly on Engadget.