Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2026: How to Watch and What to Expect
Whether you’re a Samsung fan, an Android user, or just a general tech enthusiast, you might want to clear your calendar: Samsung Unpacked 2026 is almost here. Like Google I/O or Apple’s fall event, Unpacked is Samsung’s keynote, where the company shows off what it’s been working on since the last Unpacked. Like previous keynotes, this year’s should be full of big Samsung news, all of which you can watch live as it happens.
When is Galaxy Unpacked 2026?
Samsung’s big presentation will begin in San Francisco on Wednesday, February 25. Like many tech events, Galaxy Unpacked begins at 10 a.m. PT (1 p.m. ET).
How to watch Galaxy Unpacked 2026
While Samsung is hosting a live presentation for a limited number of media and guests, everyone can tune in to Galaxy Unpacked 2026 as it happens. The company streams the show from a number of websites, including Samsung.com, Samsung Newsroom, and Samsung’s official YouTube channel. The YouTube live stream is currently live, but, of course, you won’t see much until 1 p.m. ET on Wednesday.
What will Samsung announce at Galaxy Unpacked 2026?
Usually all we have are rumors and guesswork when reporting what a company like Samsung is going to reveal at a big hardware event. We’ve yet to do that in this case, but that said, the company has made it clear to us what its biggest announcement will be. When Samsung first announced Unpacked 2026 a few weeks ago, it said that “the new Galaxy S series is coming,” which undoubtedly refers to the Galaxy S26. Samsung says this new series is “designed to simplify everyday interactions, inspire confidence, and make Galaxy AI feel seamlessly integrated from the moment it’s in your hand.” Whatever that means.
Unboxed 2026: Galaxy S26 series
We can look to the rumors surrounding the S26 series to paint a picture of what to expect on Wednesday. As is the norm, Samsung will likely launch three S26 main units: the S26, S26 Plus, and S26 Ultra. It’s unclear whether the company will launch an S26 Edge this year to succeed the S25 Edge.
The standard S26 appears to be a small upgrade over the current S25, but with one key change: the new Galaxy will house its three rear cameras on a raised camera bump, following in the footsteps of Apple and Google. Rumors are mixed as to whether the cameras themselves will be upgraded, with some speculating that the Ultra will go from 12MP to 50MP. The S26 may pack a 6.3-inch AMOLED display, a 4,300mAh battery, up to 12GB of RAM, and possibly up to 512GB of storage. Samsung may be using Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 to power the phone. The S26 Plus will likely be a similar phone, just with a larger 6.7-inch screen.
The S26 Ultra appears to launch with four rear cameras, three of which are contained within the bump. As usual, the Ultra is the largest of the bunch, sporting a 6.9-inch screen. It might even be a little thinner than the current S25 Ultra. The cameras may also benefit from some upgrades, although the raw numbers appear to be the same as the S25 Ultra. For example, while both may have 200MP main sensors, the S26’s sensor may benefit from some improvements. It could also come with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip, along with up to 16GB of RAM, up to 1TB of storage, a 5,000mAh battery, and 60-watt fast wired charging.
What do you think of it so far?
The entire S25 series can also support fast 25W wireless support and might start selling a 25W Qi2 charger that supports it. They can all also support satellite communications, which would allow users to call and text emergency services and contacts without a cellular network, similar to Apple’s Emergency SOS via satellite on iPhone.
Unboxed 2026: Galaxy Buds 4
Samsung will likely unveil a new pair of earbuds on Wednesday alongside the S26 series: the Galaxy Buds 4 and Galaxy Buds 4 Pro. If the rumors are true, the Buds 4 will come in black and the Buds 4 Pro in white, although both will come with a charging case with a transparent cover. Besides color, the other big difference here is how the earbuds fit: The Buds 4 Pro are rumored to come with silicone tips, like the AirPods Pro, while the Buds 4 won’t, like Apple’s standard AirPods.
Unboxed 2026: AI
Finally, expect big AI announcements, especially regarding the S26 series. In a press release on Sunday, Samsung announced an “expansion of Galaxy AI” to support “a choice of built-in agents.” Specifically, Samsung is partnering with Perplexity to bring its AI agents to Galaxy devices. You’ll be able to say “Hey Plex” to access the agent, and the bot will work on Samsung apps, such as Calendar, Clock, Gallery, Notes, and Reminder.
At the same time, the company is currently testing the latest version of its own assistant, Bixby, with One UI 8.5. The goal is to allow users to ask Bixby for information about their Galaxy device, such as “I don’t want the screen to turn off when I look at it,” and the bot will adjust the appropriate settings accordingly. The new Bixby can also access the web to answer questions, like other AI bots like ChatGPT or Gemini. Also expect to hear more about this at Unpacked.
