Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra explained: exciting new features and what they mean for users

Every Samsung Galaxy S26 model is packed full of AI tools, high-end specs, and genuinely useful upgrades, but the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is undoubtedly the superior device of the set.

It’s these that we’ll look at below, from its remarkable Privacy Display¹ to its AI innovations, upgraded chipset and beyond, highlighting not just the features themselves, but what they can mean for you.

TL;DR: from protecting sensitive content with Privacy Display to delivering unparalleled performance with its upgraded chipset and superb photos with its suite of cameras, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra excels at the things that matter most — and it’s all backed up by helpful AI tools.

Contextual AI that upgrades your smartphone experience

We’re already seeing how AI can power up productivity, and nowhere is that clearer than on the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, a phone which is infused with AI throughout.

But here, you don’t even have to launch an AI assistant to get the help you need, as with Now Nudge² the phone will make context-aware suggestions based on what it sees on your screen. For example, if you’re messaging someone to plan an event, Now Nudge might suggest adding it to your calendar.

And if you register personal information with it, such as your email or passport number, it can automatically fill those out on relevant screens too.

Along the same lines as Now Nudge², Now Bar³ will offer contextual shortcuts, and Now Brief⁴ will provide a personalised highlight of the most important things in your day.

Galaxy AI⁵ can also summarise notes and notifications, potentially saving you a lot of time that would otherwise be spent reading, and with Bixby⁶, you can use AI to surface information received in texts and emails, or have it change settings and activate features, such as dimming the screen or switching on the torch.

All of this combined makes the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra an AI powerhouse, capable of speeding up and smoothing out work and admin, so you spend less time typing and more time living.

A 200MP camera system that improves your night shots

Samsung’s Galaxy S series always excels when it comes to cameras, and the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is its best camera phone yet, with a 200MP wide sensor leading its quad-lens configuration. This sensor along with its 50MP ultra-wide and 50MP telephoto ones are all capable of capturing sharp photos with high amounts of detail.

And they’re versatile too — allowing for close up shots, ultra-wide ones, 5x optical zoom, and up to 10x optical quality zoom. Challenging conditions are handled well by the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, with its improved Nightography⁷ mode allowing for clear photos and videos even in dim rooms and dark streets, meaning you can capture nighttime cityscapes in all their glory. This is all aided by upgraded hardware, with the 50MP telephoto camera for example letting in 37% more light than its predecessor⁸.

Plus, with Super Steady with Horizontal Lock⁹, you can shoot smooth, shake-free videos, for a more professional finish than most phones can manage.

And the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra’s photography capabilities don’t end with taking photos and shooting videos — it also includes a comprehensive suite of editing tools.

These include Photo Assist¹⁰, which uses AI to deliver fast, professional-quality edits, and Audio Eraser¹¹, which can remove unwanted background noise from videos, even from video playback in third-party apps like YouTube. So whether you’re working on something professional or personal, the results will shine.

The most powerful processor ever put in a Galaxy phone

Calling the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra powerful is almost an understatement, as its Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy chipset is the Galaxy line’s fastest ever processor, and even faster than the one in the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra.

This delivers smooth performance whether you’re working, gaming, editing photos, or anything else, and it’s backed up by a bigger vapor chamber than the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, which keeps the phone cool when gaming, streaming, or multi-tasking, so its smooth performance is sustained.

Plus, with ProScaler¹² the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra will automatically enhance the visuals in games and videos, making content look better than it does anywhere else.

A clever display that keeps sensitive content private

The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra’s Privacy Display is arguably its not-so-secret weapon, as this is something you won’t get on any other phone.

With this, your sensitive content will be kept hidden from prying eyes, letting you safely use your phone on public transport or in other public places. It achieves this by using clever technology to limit side-angle visibility, so content is only visible when viewed front-on.

Taken together, these exciting features make the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra a comprehensive upgrade, and the ultimate choice if you want the best phone for photos, performance, AI, and privacy. If you want to try these features for yourself, head to the Samsung website to find out more.