We’re here in San Francisco, where Samsung is set to unveil its new Galaxy S26 series phones and probably some accessories to go with them starting at 1PM ET. Keep in mind this isn’t Samsung’s foldy phone event, which usually occurs in the summer.
One of the things we’re most curious about is whether the RAMageddon has impacted prices for these phones. And, of course, whether there are any new AI features to discuss. Stick around for the news and banter.
Read Article >Samsung is set to introduce its new Galaxy S26 lineup at its next Unpacked event on February 25th, potentially alongside a new pair of earbuds and other wearables. If you’re thinking about picking up any of the new devices, it’s worth claiming Samsung’s $30 promotional credit before it expires, which you can do by registering your interest on Samsung’s website before 1PM ET / 10AM PT tomorrow.
If you’re even remotely considering an upgrade, there’s not much to lose by signing up. You don’t need to pay anything or even offer your credit card details to take advantage of the offer. You just need to reserve a device by signing up with your name and email address on Samsung’s website or the Shop Samsung app ahead of the event. Once the devices are officially announced and preorders open, you’ll be able to apply the $30 credit at checkout. Sadly, you can’t use the $30 credit to reduce the cost of your phone or any other Samsung device announced during Unpacked; however, you can use it for all kinds of accessories.
Read Article >Another Unpacked is nearly upon us. On February 25th, Samsung is expected to announce the Galaxy S26 series of flagship phones — potentially including the S26, S26 Plus, and S26 Ultra — with another round of AI-based features. That will come as a surprise to nobody. But as more AI creeps in on Samsung’s AI phones, there’s one important consideration: the slop factor.
I’m talking, of course, about AI slop. Last week, Samsung put out a blog post promoting a new “seamless Galaxy camera experience” on its newest phones. Based on the examples in the article, that experience includes turning a picture of a puppy into cute little stickers, filling in the part of a cupcake you took a bite out of, brightening video in low light to make it more lively, and editing a picture of a cow in a field to make it look like it’s being abducted by aliens.
Read Article >In addition to summoning Bixby or Gemini, Galaxy S26 users will be able to call on Perplexity by saying “hey, Plex.” The integration of Perplexity into Galaxy AI is just one element of the company’s embrace of a “multi-agent ecosystem.”
Often, people will use different AI agents for different tasks, depending on where their strengths lie. So Samsung is opening up the ability to integrate different agents into the OS. Hey, Plex isn’t just some transparent version of the app baked into a Galaxy phone to quickly get answers to questions. Perplexity will have access to Samsung Notes, Clock, Gallery, Reminder, and Calendar, as well as select third-party apps, though which ones specifically Samsung didn’t say.
Read Article >After cramming AI into every inch of its smartphones, appliances, and other devices, Samsung is now increasingly slapping it across social media. Several videos posted to the company’s YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok accounts in recent weeks were made or edited using generative AI tools, including its latest teaser for the upcoming Galaxy S26 series.
The “Brighten your after hours” video features two people skateboarding at night, and supposedly shows off the low-light video capabilities of the upcoming Galaxy S26 devices. Fine print appears at the bottom of the screen toward the end of the video, flagging that it was “generated with the assistance of AI tools,” but there are obvious signs even without the disclosure. The vegetable-laden shopping bags look artificial and unnaturally weighted, for example, and cobblestones in the road appear to shift around.
Read Article >It looks like Samsung is preparing to launch a new Qi2 battery pack for the upcoming Galaxy S26, which is rumored to support the upgraded charging standard. A report from Winfuture shows off leaked images of what appears to be the new accessory, outfitted with a magnetic Qi2 charging ring that delivers up to 15W of power, along with a USB-C cable offering up to 20W.
Winfuture suggests that the wireless power bank itself will have a 5,000mAh battery capable of charging at up to 25W. The battery pack also appears to come with an arm that you can fold out to use as a stand. This isn’t the first time we’re hearing about this accessory; last December, 9to5Google spotted a Samsung “Magnetic Wireless Battery Pack” in the Wireless Power Consortium’s database.
Read Article >
Live: Samsung unveils new Galaxy phones