Here are the key announcements and statements from the press conference:
Galaxy AI Expansion and Vision
TM Roh, President and Head of Device Experience Division, outlined the company's vision for AI, emphasizing its evolution into essential infrastructure. He highlighted three core priorities for Galaxy AI: reach, openness, and confidence.
- Reach: Expanding Galaxy AI across the entire ecosystem to be accessible on everyday devices.
- Openness: Ensuring AI experiences are effortless, seamless, and adaptable without a learning curve.
- Confidence: Building Galaxy AI with advanced security and privacy features, powered by the evolved Samsung Knox security platform.
- Agentic AI: Introduced the concept of "agentic AI" phones that anticipate needs, learn habits, adapt in real-time, and take actions on behalf of the user.
- — TM Roh
Galaxy S26 Series Features and AI Integration
Rachel, Wonjun Choi (COO), and Samir (President of the Android ecosystem) detailed the new features of the Galaxy S26 series, with a strong focus on AI integration.
- AI-Powered Notifications and Summaries: Galaxy AI can now understand and filter important notifications, and provide summaries of missed calls.
- Enhanced Bixby: The new Bixby is smarter, conversational, and can provide up-to-date information within conversations, eliminating the need to switch apps.
- Samsung Browser with Perplexity: Partnership with Perplexity enables "Ask AI" for faster research directly within the browser, aggregating information from multiple tabs and recent history.
- Circle to Search Enhancements: The "Circle to Search" feature now allows users to search for multiple objects simultaneously to find coordinated looks.
- AI in Chat Assistance: "Nudge" feature provides gentle prompts within chat conversations to reduce steps for tasks like sharing photos or checking availability.
- Personal Data Engine (PDE): A new engine that transforms scattered device data into usable information for AI.
- Keep and Samsung Notes Vault: New security measures to ensure data isolation, verification, and protection, with Samsung Notes Vault physically built into the phone.
- Cloud AI Data Handling: For cloud-based AI features, data is processed for a specific answer and then deleted.
- Agentic AI Capabilities with Google Gemini: Collaboration with Google to make Gemini the core of agentic AI experiences, enabling actions across apps. Android is evolving into an "intelligent operating system" to support this.
- Gemini Preview on Galaxy S26: An early preview of Gemini's next evolution will be available on the S26 series, demonstrating agentic capabilities like handling group orders from chat threads.
- On-Device AI Performance: The Galaxy S26 Ultra features a 39% more powerful NPU for faster on-device AI and a 19% faster CPU for instant responsiveness.
- Gaming Performance: The Galaxy S26 Ultra is equipped with Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy, featuring a 24% improved GPU and enhanced ray tracing for console-level gaming.
- Advanced Thermal Management: The largest vapor chamber ever in a Galaxy device for improved performance during heavy usage.
- All-Day Battery Life and Fast Charging: Up to 31 hours of video playback and the fastest charging speeds ever offered, reaching 75% in 30 minutes.
- Enhanced Display: Advances in image processing for more subtle, natural colors and smoother gradients.
- World's First Privacy Display on Mobile: A new display architecture with "narrow pixels" that allow users to control viewing angles, with customizable settings for specific apps and notifications. Maximum privacy protection intensifies this effect.
- AI-Powered Camera Features:
- Front camera with AI ISP for detailed selfies with natural skin tones.
- Rear camera with wider aperture for sharper detail and vibrant images in low light.
- "Nitrograpy video" for capturing atmosphere in low light with reduced grain and sharp details.
- Super Steady with horizontal lock for stable video footage.
- APV Codec for high bit rate, near lossless 8K recording.
- Log video with built-in LUT presets for cinematic grading.
- AI-powered document scanning to create clean PDFs, remove fingers, and smooth wrinkles.
- Photo Assist for generative editing, including merging elements from other shots and changing outfits based on prompts.
- AI-generated animations and creative studio for generating stickers, wallpapers, and transforming photos into artistic styles.
- AI Content Tagging: All AI-generated content will be tagged for transparency.
- — Rachel
- — Wonjun Choi
- — Samir
Galaxy Buds 4 Series Launch
Speaker 02 announced the Galaxy Buds 4 series, focusing on enhanced audio quality and AI integration.
- Iconic Metal, Premium Blade Design: A new design for the earbuds.
- Full-Spectrum Sound: Delivering controlled bass, clear instrument separation, and tonal balance for an immersive audio experience.
- High-Fidelity, Full-Range Tuning: Accurate playback with detail, texture, and dynamics.
- Upgraded Two-Way Speaker System (Buds 4 Pro): A wider woofer with expanded vibration area for deeper low frequencies, paired with a refined tweeter.
- Dual Amplifier Architecture: Independent power to the woofer and tweeter for precise performance.
- Ultra-High-Quality Audio: Samsung seamless codec for clear and smooth music transmission.
- Advanced Noise Reduction: Deep neural network to reduce background noise and super-wideband for clearer voice calls.
- Customizable Equalizer: Users can shape their sound preferences.
- Adaptive Noise Cancellation: Real-time adjustment of noise reduction based on fit and ambient noise.
- Computational Design for Comfort: Extensive wear simulations for a comfortable, forgettable fit.
- AI-Powered Hands-Free Controls: Ability to activate AI agents hands-free.
- Instant Pairing: Simplified setup process.
- Buds Panel in Quick Panel: Easy access to controls and settings.
- SmartThings Find: Feature to locate misplaced Buds or charging case.
- Galaxy Buds 4 Pro: Available in white, black, and exclusive pink gold on Samsung.com, starting at $249.
- Galaxy Buds 4: Available in white and black, starting at $179.
- Availability: Both models will be available starting March 11th.
- — Speaker 02
Sustainability Initiatives
Cassie detailed Samsung's commitment to sustainability and environmental responsibility.
- Expanded Use of Recycled Materials: Increased use of recycled plastics, glass, cobalt, and newly added tantalum in the Galaxy S26 series and across all Galaxy products.
- Responsible Water Management: Aiming to return more water to the environment than consumed, with local partnerships for reservoir restoration and improving safe water access.
- Ecosystem Conservation: Goal to conserve ecosystems equal in size to the global operational footprint through restoration projects.
- Coral Reef Restoration Partnership: Collaboration with SeaTrees and Scripps Institution of Oceanography, using Galaxy cameras (including Ocean Mode via Expert RAW) to support coral reef monitoring and analysis.
- Commitment to 2030 Goals: Expanding focus beyond operations to the environment and surrounding communities.
- Sustainable Packaging: Removing single-use plastics and simplifying package structure.
- Reduced Standby Energy: Efforts to cut standby energy in power adapters.
- Zero Waste to Landfill: Achieved zero waste to landfill in global facilities.
- — Cassie
Product and Pricing Information
Key details on product availability and pricing were announced.
- Galaxy S26 Ultra:
- Starts at $1,299.
- Available in four colors.
- Available in two additional colors exclusively on Samsung.com.
- Galaxy S26:
- Galaxy S26 Plus:
- Availability: All models available starting March 11th.
- Pre-orders: Begin today.
- — Speaker 04 (for S26 series pricing and availability)
- — Speaker 02 (for Buds 4 series pricing and availability)