Samsung S26 ultra brings next-level anti-spying features, AI upgrades: Check price & other details

Samsung Electronics Co. announced its Galaxy S26 lineup of smartphones at an event in San Francisco on Wednesday, integrating artificial intelligence features and real-world privacy along with major design changes. The most premium model of the tech giant company launched was the S26 Ultra with a price range of $1,300, alongside the Galaxy S26 Plus ($1,100) and the more standard-sized Galaxy S26 ($900).

The Galaxy S26 series features a built-in anti-spy screen guard to ensure the content on the screen is visible only to the person directly in front of it, preventing physical "spying" or "shoulder surfing". It was manufactured by third-party accessory makers such as Spigen, Belkin, and Amazon Basics.

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra complete features & specifications

The features of the S26 Ultra include a Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, making it faster, more battery efficient and enhancing the on-device AI capabilities. The model has a 6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X display with a resolution of 3,120 × 1,440 pixels and a 120Hz refresh rate.

The panel supports a high-end display with 10-bit colour support for improved colour accuracy, a Privacy Display that limits screen visibility beyond a 30-degree viewing angle and protection from Corning Gorilla Armour 2. The smartphone is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset customised for Galaxy, paired with up to 16GB RAM and up to 1TB internal storage. It also runs One UI 8.5 based on Android 16.

Samsung has integrated a wide range of Galaxy AI tools, including Now Assist for contextual suggestions, Call Screen for handling unknown calls with live transcripts, and Photo Assist for AI-driven image editing. Creative Studio enhances content creation, while Bixby Device Agent enables voice-based controls. Privacy Alerts and AI noise reduction further enhance security and usability.

The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra features a quad rear camera system headlined by a 200-megapixel wide primary sensor with an f/1.4 aperture and optical image stabilisation. It also includes a 50-megapixel periscope telephoto camera with 5x optical zoom, a 50-megapixel ultra-wide lens, and a 10-megapixel telephoto camera offering 3x optical zoom. The rear setup supports 8K video, HDR10+ and Super Steady Video stabilisation.

The 12-megapixel front camera of the smartphone also supports 4K recording. Connectivity options include 5G, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, NFC and USB Type-C, along with dual SIM support. The phone houses a 5,000mAh battery with 60W wired and 25W wireless charging, measures 163.6 × 78.1 × 7.9mm and weighs 214g.

All the prices of the Samsung models are in direct competition with Apple Inc.'s iPhone 17 line. Meanwhile, the Ultra costs similar to its predecessor, whereas the Plus and S26 are both $100 more expensive than the model launched in 2025.

Along with the S series, Samsung also announced two pairs of earbuds, which include the $249 Galaxy Buds 4 Pro and the $179 Galaxy Buds 4, which are available for pre-order immediately and set to arrive in stores on March 11.

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra colour options and price in India

In India, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra will cost Rs. 1,39,999 for the 12GB + 256GB variant. The 12GB + 512GB model will cost Rs. 1,59,999, and the top-end 16GB + 1TB storage variant is listed with the price at Rs. 1,89,999. The Galaxy S26 Ultra will be available in Black, Blue, Purple, and White colour options, and it will go on sale in the country via Amazon and the Samsung India online store.