The viral Privacy Display on the latest Galaxy S26 Ultra* device has united tech geeks and non-aficionados for the first time, finally introducing a phone upgrade everyone can get excited about.
Samsung recently confirmed the Ultra is among its bestsellers in its popular S-series, with the previous S25 Ultra making up nearly 70 per cent of last year’s S25 sales.
So, it’s no surprise the company has exclusively added certain key features to the S26 Ultra instead of the entire fresh line-up.
Nathan Rigger, Samsung Australia’s Head of Product, Mobile Experience says the new smartphone “comes with really significant improvements” and “most importantly, all the things that people care about”.
“The Ultra has it all,” he told news.com.au checkout.
We’ve been testing out the new S-series smartphone for the past two weeks and here are our first impressions.
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1-MINUTE REVIEW: SAMSUNG GALAXY S26 ULTRA
HOW WE TESTED THE SAMSUNG GALAXY S26 ULTRA
For the past two weeks, I’ve been using the Galaxy S26 Ultra as my go-to smartphone for the past two weeks. I’ve tested the camera in a variety of conditions, and often comparing it with my all-time favourite S25 Ultra, and played around with the new AI features.
BATTERY LIFE AND CHARGING
The S26 Ultra offers easy all-day battery life, once again providing up to 31 hours of video playback similar to the S25 Ultra. But it can now give you 75 per cent charge in just 30 minutes. The device also supports up to 60W wired charging and, if you have a magnetic case, 25W wireless charging.
Ultimate all-day camera
While it might not seem like much, the wider apertures in the new Galaxy S26 Ultra have made an incredible difference to the already amazing S series cameras. With more light allowed to reach the sensors, the pictures seem more vibrant and detail-rich compared to my trusty S25 Ultra.
After seeing how well the device captured photos and videos at night, I don’t think you understand how unbelievably tempted I am to buy the S26 Ultra for the camera alone.
Take a look at my first day out with the new Galaxy phone below.
Morning
The zoom quality definitely left a few of us stunned after seeing how clear the adorable dogs came out from the top of the hill.
Afternoon
You don’t need to worry about overcast weather or timing photos for when there’s decent lighting because the colours remain consistently accurate, regardless.
Evening
After seeing the lack of graininess and blurriness at night (and in very dimly lit bars), I was quickly convinced this phone camera was unbeatable.
Zoom: S26 Ultra vs. S25 Ultra
For better context on how much the camera has improved, here are some comparisons between the S25 Ultra and S26 Ultra.
PHOTO EDITING WITH AI
I’m not someone who regularly creates AI images, but there are a few fun things to try. I really liked using Creative Studio to whip up stickers I can send in group chats, and Photo Assist to try on outfits I would love to buy but not sure if it’s the right colour.
These editing features often change your face and may need multiple tries to get the request right, but overall work pretty well.
Document Scan is probably more for a niche audience, but it’s of my top underrated features on the device. The camera app automatically recognises documents so you can quickly tap the little icon that pops up and quickly get rid of fingerprints, creases, discolouration and more.
Whether it’s signing agreements the ‘oldschool’ way, or sharing printed photos or articles, this makes it so much easier than a regular scanner. I especially love it for taking notes because sometimes a digital notepad can get performance anxiety when you’re in a rush.
PRIVACY DISPLAY
It’s fair to say everyone went wild over Samsung’s new Privacy Display at Galaxy Unpacked.
The built-in feature offers a customisable alternative to regular privacy protectors, making it easy to hide notifications, passwords, certain apps or your entire screen from nosy onlookers.
Honestly, I never noticed how visible other commuters’ phone display could be until I started playing around with this new setting. It surprisingly doesn’t take much effort to accidentally spot a stranger’s messages or a payment confirmation page, so I really liked being able to protect any ‘secret business’ as well as general doom scrolls.
The screen brightness barely impacted during the daytime, but switching to the Maximum Privacy Protection setting at night or in otherwise low-lighting can definitely leave your phone screen looking too dim.
MAXIMUM CONVENIENCE WITH AI
The Galaxy S26 series now has three AI agents, with Perplexity now added to the list, although Gemini and the ‘new and improved’ Bixby have stolen the show this year.
Gemini can streamline jobs that usually require multiple apps and steps, such as booking an Uber.
Voice commands can sometimes be a bit fiddly, but it’s generally great at understanding what you really mean. It’ll do everything except confirm the booking, which makes sense.
Bixby has also been helpful with navigating the device, making it easy to adjust settings without having to know the specific terms. It’s especially useful if you’re a fan of voice commands when creating reminders or alarms, or if you hate digging around to find specific settings.
While Now Brief and Now Bar still remain pointless for my simple daily schedule, I absolutely loved the introduction of Now Nudge. It’s quite handy having the S26 Ultra recognise things from conversations and streamlining tasks, such as finding photos in my gallery or adding plans to my calendar based on when I’m available.
Circle to Search, one of my favourite functions, has also been updated to recognise multiple objects. If you’re like me and constantly looking for skincare or fashion recommendations online, this is a nice small win.
HOW MUCH DOES THE S26 ULTRA COST?
Samsung’s Galaxy S26 Ultra is available is available in three storage options with a starting price of $2199.
• 256GB: $2199
• 512GB: $2499
• 1TB: $2949
There are four different colours to choose from, including Cobalt Violet, Sky Blue, White and Black. You can also head to Samsung’s website to grab the online exclusive shades Pink Gold and Silver Shadow.
New Galaxy Club
Need extra peace of mind, or a new phone every year? For $14 per month, Samsung users can now subscribe to New Galaxy Club and enjoy huge discounts (up to 50 per cent off the latest models) and device protection.
“We’re seeing people upgrading a little quicker than they used to maybe two to three years ago. So, we’ve looked at that trend and introduced New Galaxy Club,” Mr Rigger explained.
IS THE SAMSUNG GALAXY S26 ULTRA WORTH BUYING?
It’s been a hot minute since phone releases have been truly exciting. And I, for one, don’t want to shell out $1500+ on what’s ultimately the same brick but in a slimmer fit and fun new colour. So, I knew the Galaxy S26 Ultra was cooked up something good after someone stopped me on the plane and gasped “OMG is that the new Samsung?”
The Ultra range has rarely disappointed and this fresh model is no exception. It offers
great battery life, a crazy good camera and several AI functions that can be genuinely practical in day-to-day life.
In saying that, the price is not quite wallet friendly and there are still some quirks when using voice commands and AI generation. There’s also not a dramatic change feature-wise compared to the previous S25 Ultra.
But the Galaxy S26 Ultra is nevertheless a solid performer and a powerhouse device worth investing in.
*Product loaned by Samsung for a 100 per cent independent, honest review.
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