Samsung Galaxy S26 Series Unveiled with AI at the Forefront
After months of anticipation and leaks, Samsung has officially launched the Galaxy S26, S26 Plus, and S26 Ultra at its Galaxy Unpacked event, marking what the tech giant terms the dawn of the "AI phone" era. The new lineup places artificial intelligence at its core, aiming to transform how users interact with their devices.
AI Features Take Centre Stage
Samsung has integrated Galaxy AI across the S26 family, enabling capabilities such as automatic screenshot sorting and labelling, conversational search through messages and documents, and smart appointment reminders based on calendar entries. The phones also offer enhanced call management with live captions and voice conversion for typed replies. Additionally, background audio dampening in apps like YouTube and Netflix, along with generative photo editing tools, allows the device to proactively assist users rather than merely respond to commands.
Hardware Upgrades and Privacy Innovations
The Galaxy S26 Ultra stands out with a slimmer design at 7.9mm thickness, incorporating a larger vapour cooling chamber and powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip. It features a new 50MP ultra-wide lens, improved low-light processing, and 360-degree horizon stabilisation for steady video. A notable addition is the built-in privacy display, designed to prevent shoulder surfing on public transport. The S26 and S26 Plus receive more modest hardware updates, including Samsung's Exynos 2600 chip, 12GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage as standard.
Price Increases Across the Board
Despite previous stability in pricing for the S23, S24, and S25 models, Samsung has implemented a price hike for the S26 series in the UK. The Galaxy S26 starts at £879 for the 256GB model, with the 512GB version costing £1,049—a £30 increase from the S25. The S26 Plus sees a sharper rise, starting at £1,099 for 256GB and £1,269 for 512GB, up by £100. The S26 Ultra begins at £1,279 for 256GB, £1,449 for 512GB, and £1,699 for 1TB, marking a £30 increase from its predecessor. All models now offer 256GB as standard, which Samsung suggests mitigates the cost impact.
Pre-Order Details and Carrier Deals
The Galaxy S26 series is available for pre-order now in the UK, with shipping starting on 11 March. Colour options include black, white, cobalt violet, and sky blue, with exclusive pink gold and silver for the S26 Ultra when ordered directly from Samsung. Pre-order bonuses include double storage at no extra cost, applicable across all retailers and carriers.
Major mobile carriers have announced pre-order deals:
- Sky Mobile: Offers plans starting from £30 per month for the S26, with extras like free Galaxy Watch8 models and data rollover.
- Vodafone: Provides deals from £24.50 per month, including trade-in savings and a lifetime warranty.
- Three: Features plans from £24.50 per month, with inclusive roaming and rewards app access.
- O2: Prices start at £23.58 per month, focusing on perks like early gig tickets and EU roaming.
- EE: Offers plans from £51.26 per month, including double storage and tech vouchers for SIM-free purchases.
These deals typically involve 36-month contracts with separate airtime plans, pushing total monthly costs higher. Consumers are advised to compare options to find the best value amidst the price increases.
