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Galaxy AI really shines on the Galaxy S26 Ultra. | Image by PhoneArena
We’ve been waiting for this since last January – and it’s finally here! Say hello to the Galaxy S26 series. Alongside the big news like the Privacy Screen on the Galaxy S26 Ultra and the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, Samsung is introducing a number of AI features.
Designed to make your experience truly your own, these features make the Galaxy S26 the smartest Galaxy yet.
Pre-order the Galaxy S26 for up to $500 off
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The "vanilla" Galaxy S26 has finally been announced. With a next-gen Galaxy AI and a powerful chip, this phone checks all the boxes. Right now, you can pre-order the phone for up to $500 with trade-ins.
The Galaxy S26+ is here, bringing improved software and a more powerful processor. The device can now be available for up to $700 off at the official store with eligible device trade-ins.
The Galaxy S26 Ultra has been announced, bringing a Privacy Screen feature, insanely fast processor, and multiple Galaxy AI enhancements. Right now, you can pre-order the flagship for up to $900 off with eligible trade-ins.
With the Galaxy S26 series, Samsung is shifting its Galaxy AI policy. Instead of simply making repetitive daily tasks easier, Galaxy AI is now heavily focusing on your privacy as well.
And in a world where fraudulent calls and personal data harvesting are becoming the new norm, Samsung helps you protect yourself in the best possible way. Let’s explore all the latest Galaxy AI features coming to your S26.
Which is the best new AI feature of the Galaxy S26?
AI-Powered Screenshot analyzer
The new Galaxy S26 Ultra is everything you'd expect – and more. | Video by Samsung
If you’re one of those users who capture screenshots all the time and then spend hours searching for the right one, Galaxy AI is here to help. With the Galaxy S26, the clutter of your screen captures is over.
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Now, all your captures will be organized across eight categories, allowing you to quickly look up the ones you need in no time. This drastically reduces time spent searching for a specific screenshot, and I think it’s a truly useful addition.
AI agent expansion
Samsung has already announced that it’s changing its Galaxy AI policy to address user needs. The Galaxy S26 is the first lineup to let you try it out. Right out of the box, the device allows you to pick from Bixby, Gemini, and Perplexity to find contextual answers to all your questions.
Bixby is becoming a next-level AI agent that understands natural language and adjusts settings. | Video by Samsung
Even better, all three AI agents are deeply built within the device’s software, letting you adjust system settings with a simple voice command. To activate Perplexity on your Galaxy S26, users simply need to say, “Hey Plex.”
Perplexity becomes your Galaxy S26's additional AI agent. | Image by Samsung
Alongside the addition of Perplexity, Gemini AI is also getting an upgrade. Debuting on the Galaxy S26, the advanced Gemini lets you get a complex order in no time, book a ride on DoorDash, do your groceries, and more.
Imagine having a movie night with your family and asking what everyone wants to eat in the group chat. Instead of browsing through multiple apps to get everyone's order right, Gemini looks at texts and suggests placing an order for you.
Improved Galaxy S26 AI camera
Building on the Object Eraser feature, Samsung lets you make photos look truly incredible. For instance, when you're having a coffee with a friend, but you left your dog at home, just take a photo and ask AI to add your pet to the picture. Voilà! You can also create custom filters on the AI-generated images, with a vast selection of options available to fit your style and mood.
Galaxy AI turns your S26 into a sticker factory! | Video by Samsung
On top of that, you can now make communication more fun and exciting with custom stickers. With Creative Studio on your Galaxy S26, you can take an everyday photo of your dog, and Galaxy AI can give you a selection of custom stickers with a variety of poses and expressions ready for you to share with friends and family.
Automatic Call Screening
With One UI 8.5 right out of the box, you finally get one feature on the Galaxy S26 that has been available for years on Google Pixel phones – automatic call screening. Previously, Samsung phone users had to manually activate Bixby Text Call to get AI to answer. Galaxy AI is now doing all the work for you.
Galaxy AI identifies unknown numbers and suspected spam calls and answers them for you. Your assistant understands natural language and gives you live summaries of what they said on your screen. That gives you more freedom to decide which calls are worth your time and which ones should be handled by your on-device assistant.
But there’s more – Galaxy S26 also features Direct Voice Mail. You can set up a timer for your calls to go directly to voicemail. Even better, Galaxy AI jumps in, giving you live transcripts on your lock screen as the caller talks.
Privacy Alerts
This year, Samsung focuses heavily on privacy, and it’s not just the addition of Samsung’s groundbreaking Privacy Screen that proves it. The latest flagship lineup also includes Privacy Alerts.
Using machine learning, the feature notifies users in real time when apps with admin privileges try to cross boundaries. Whenever an app tries to access your call logs, live location, contact information, or other sensitive data, you’ll be alerted promptly.
While this may feel like a permanent tap on the shoulder by your Galaxy S26, it’s actually truly helpful. These alerts ensure your data won’t be harvested silently – and without your approval.
Now Nudge
A preview of how Now Nudge works in action. | Video by Samsung
Now Nudge makes sharing moments from your trips easier than ever. This Galaxy AI-powered feature can give you relative suggestions without making you switch between apps. For instance, if a friend wants to see photos of your overseas trip, Galaxy AI automatically suggests photos from your gallery.
Now Nudge also helps you remove the clutter of chats. It gives you insightful suggestions like a planned date for your next meeting with friends – one that works for everyone.
Now Brief
Now Brief, which debuted on the previous flagship series, is getting more proactive on the Galaxy S26.
This enhanced feature now suggests timely reminders for various events, including reservations, travel changes, and more. All of that is based on personal context and aims to help users stay organized every day.
Advanced Circle to Search
Circle to Search is a lot smarter on the Galaxy S26 lineup. | Image by PhoneArena
Circle to Search has been available on the Galaxy S lineup for several generations. But with the Galaxy S26, it’s getting a huge productivity boost. You can now search for multiple objects simultaneously in a single image.
For example, if you see an outfit that you absolutely love, you no longer have to look up each piece individually. Galaxy AI recognizes the whole ensemble, allowing you to find the shoes, jacket, accessories, and jeans all in one go.
New Knox Matrix Security Updates
The Galaxy S26 brings advanced protection to the Galaxy security system, featuring post-quantum cryptography (PQC) end-to-end encryption in the Knox Matrix. This is significant for Galaxy AI, as it enables context-aware AI experiences with the Knox Enhanced Encrypted Protection (KEEP).
This feature encrypts the data of each app, while the Knox Vault gives you an additional layer of protection that further secures your sensitive data.
Legacy features
Aside from all these new fancy Galaxy AI extras, Samsung is also bringing various “legacy” features to make your Galaxy S26 even smarter, including:
Private Album
Seamless actions across apps
ProScaler imaging
Audio Eraser and Audio Trim
The final verdict
The Galaxy S26 family looks incredible. | Image by PhoneArena
OK, let's be fair – the Galaxy S25 launched with various AI tricks. In fact, I was wondering if the Galaxy S26 could even top the Galaxy AI experience. Well, it did.
Evidently, Samsung pays as much attention to bringing new Galaxy AI features to your Galaxy S experience as it does to upgrading the hardware. But I have just one issue that keeps bugging me.
How many of these extras will remain part of the Galaxy AI Basic experience? While I hope all of them stay free, Samsung’s move toward a subscription for “enhanced AI” has me a little nervous.
But I’m not so sure about previous devices. It’s very likely the Galaxy S25 (and even the S24) will receive a significant portion of these AI updates via One UI 8.5. However, it could come at a cost. Let’s just hope the premium won’t be too huge.
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Polina Kovalakova, a News and Affiliate Content Writer, has nurtured a passion for mobile technology since the era before smartphones. With a history of exploring a variety of devices, her insights into the mobile world are both broad and nuanced. Polina's non-partisan view extends to appreciating nearly every smartphone brand, a reflection of her open-minded approach to technology. Polina is equally passionate about uncovering the best online deals, tirelessly working to ensure her readers snag top-tier tech at unbeatable prices.
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