I’ve been keeping a close eye on the mobile world after CES 2026, and if you’ve been waiting for Samsung to make its move, the wait is almost over. While Samsung spent its time in Vegas talking about the “AI-powered future,” the hardware we actually care about—the Galaxy S26—is finally stepping into the spotlight.
We’ve just seen a massive wave of leaks that effectively confirm when these phones are coming and what’s changing (and what’s surprisingly staying the same). Here is everything you need to know about the next Unpacked.
The Big Date: February 25 (Expected)
Here’s the thing: the rumor mill is finally settling on a single story. We’ve got the heavy hitters like Evan Blass and Ice Universe both calling it for February 25, 2026. When those two agree on a date, you can pretty much take it to the bank. It feels like we finally have a real timeline instead of just blind guessing.
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Pre-orders: Expected to run from Feb 26 to March 10.
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Store Launch: Likely hitting shelves on March 11.
Why it matters: This is a bit later than Samsung’s usual January/early February window. The delay is likely due to the global memory shortage we’ve been tracking, but honestly, a few extra weeks is a small price to pay if it means they’ve actually secured enough stock for launch day.
The Lineup: Familiar Faces
There was a lot of chatter about Samsung killing off the “Plus” model in favor of a super-thin “Edge” variant to compete with the iPhone 17. However, it looks like Samsung is playing it safe. Expect the classic trio:
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Galaxy S26 (The compact flagship)
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Galaxy S26 Plus (The middle child)
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Galaxy S26 Ultra (The spec beast)
To be honest, that whole “Edge” rumor was a bit of a roller coaster. We were all expecting Samsung to finally pivot and give us something fresh, but it looks like they got cold feet after seeing Apple’s latest move. Basically, Apple nailed the value play with the iPhone 17, so Samsung is playing it safe and sticking with the Plus model we already know. It’s a bit of a letdown if you were craving a total redesign, but hey—it looks like we’re stuck waiting at least another year for a real shake-up.
The Screen and Camera: Fixing the Little Things
The Galaxy S26 Ultra is rumored to introduce a new native Privacy Display mode, marking a first for Samsung’s flagship phones. The feature limits side viewing angles to reduce shoulder surfing The display remains clear and bright when viewed head-on Samsung is also expected to continue using its anti-reflective Gorilla Armor glass, which noticeably improves visibility under harsh lighting and direct sunlight.
On the camera side, megapixel counts may stay largely the same, but the real gains are expected in processing — especially for zoom video and photography. Rather than chasing bigger numbers, Samsung appears focused on refining image algorithms. The result should be cleaner, more usable 10x zoom shots, with improved consistency at extreme zoom levels compared to previous generations.
The Price & The “Storage Catch”
Here’s where it gets a little bittersweet. Samsung is trying to keep prices stable despite the rising cost of RAM.
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Estimated Pricing: S26 (~$800), S26 Plus (~$1,000), S26 Ultra (~$1,300).
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The Bad News: Multiple sources say Samsung is scrapping the “Double Your Storage” pre-order bonus this year. That’s a huge bummer for anyone used to getting a 512GB model for the price of a 256GB.
The Wildcard: Galaxy Z TriFold
If the S26 feels too “safe” for you, keep your eyes peeled for the Galaxy Z TriFold. While it’s already been teased at CES, Unpacked is where we expect the final “buy it now” details.
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US Launch: Officially locked for January 30, 2026.
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Price Tag: Brace yourself—it’s looking like $2,899.
This is clearly a “luxury first” device, but it marks the first time we’ll see a 10-inch screen that can actually fit in your pocket.
