Samsung Launches Galaxy S26 Series with Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5

San Francisco, CA — Samsung Electronics on Thursday announced the release of the Galaxy S26 smartphone lineup, including the S26, S26+, and S26 Ultra. 

The new series features an updated Qualcomm processor, a built-in screen privacy feature, and expanded support for artificial intelligence software.

The S26 Ultra is equipped with a customized Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor.

According to Samsung, the processor provides a 19 percent increase in CPU performance, a 24 percent improvement in GPU performance, and a 39 percent gain in neural processing unit operations compared to the previous generation.

The device includes a redesigned vapor chamber intended to enhance heat dissipation.

A new Privacy Display feature uses hardware and software to restrict screen visibility from side angles, eliminating the need for a physical privacy film.

Users can activate this feature for specific applications or when entering passcodes.

The Ultra model features a 200-megapixel primary camera sensor and a 50-megapixel telephoto lens with 5x optical zoom.

Samsung stated that aperture changes enable the sensors to capture 47 percent and 37 percent more light, respectively, compared to the previous model.

The device is the first in the Galaxy lineup to support the APV codec for lossless video compression.

The series integrates third-party AI agents, including Google's Gemini and Perplexity, alongside Samsung's Bixby, to perform multi-step tasks via conversational prompts.

The updated Circle to Search feature includes multi-object recognition.

The devices employ post-quantum cryptography for firmware protection and utilize the Knox platform to isolate sensitive data at the hardware level.

Pre-orders began on February 25.

Samsung stated that the devices will receive security updates for seven years.