Samsung Galaxy S26 series: Tempting upgrades, but price hikes in Australia bite
Key takeaways
- Samsung has officially unveiled its new Galaxy S26 lineup, which includes the S26, S26 Plus and S26 Ultra.
- Prices have increased across the board in Australia, ranging from $50 to $250 depending on the model.
- They start at $1,549 for the S26, $1,849 for the S26 Plus, and $2,149 for the S26 Ultra.
- You can pre-order the S26 series from today. The phones will be on shelves from 11 March 2026.
- All three models now share a unified design, including a single camera island with vertically stacked lenses instead of individually protruding ones.
- You can even expect similar colour options, including Cobalt Violet, White, Black and Sky Blue, alongside Samsung exclusive colours - Pink Gold and Silver Shadow.
- The full S26 lineup also offers 'a more intuitive' AI experience, where your phone will perform complex tasks automatically without needing specific user prompts.
- But it's really the S26 Ultra that steals the spotlight. It's the slimmest and lightest Ultra yet, offers faster charging and comes with a built-in privacy display - which is a 'world-first' and even cooler in practice than it sounds.
- It also features a larger camera aperture, letting in more light to significantly boost low-light performance and capture richer detail.
- The new 'Super Steady' video function includes a 360-degree horizontal lock that keeps the footage straight regardless of how the phone is rotated.
- The Galaxy Unpacked event also revealed the new Galaxy Buds 4 and Buds 4 Pro. They'll cost $299 and $399, respectively.
- Samsung has introduced the New Galaxy Club membership for better trade-in value for your next phone. It also includes Samsung Care+.
How much does the Galaxy S26 series cost in Australia?
Prices have increased across the board for those of us in Australia by $50 to $250.
For example, the starting price for the entry-level model is $150 more than last year's S25.
| Model | Price |
|---|---|
| Samsung Galaxy S26 256GB | $1,549 |
| Samsung Galaxy S26 512GB | $1,849 |
| Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus 256GB | $1,849 |
| Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus 512GB | $2,149 |
| Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra 256GB | $2,199 |
| Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra 512GB | $2,499 |
| Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra 1TB | $2,949 |
When do pre-orders for the S26 kick off?
Pre-orders for the S26 range kick off today and run until 10 March.
Samsung is running pre-order deals with Telstra, Optus, Vodafone, JB Hi-Fi, Harvey Norman, and Officeworks.
You can also pre-order the Galaxy Buds 4 and 4 Pro, with most retailers offering some kind of discount.
When will the S26 series be available in Australia?
We can expect the S26 lineup to hit shelves from 11 March, right after the pre-order period closes.
Samsung Galaxy S26 specs
Here's a rundown of the specs list before diving into more details on what's new (or not) across the full lineup.
| Specification | Galaxy S26 | Galaxy S26 Plus | Galaxy S26 Ultra |
|---|---|---|---|
| Display | 6.3-inch FHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2x Display 120Hz adaptive refresh rate Vision booster | 6.7-inch QHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2x Display 120Hz adaptive refresh rate Vision booster | 6.9-inch QHD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2x Display 120Hz adaptive refresh rate Vision booster |
| Dimensions & Weight | 71.7 x 146.9 x 7.2mm, 167g | 75.8 x 158.4 x 7.3mm, 190g | 78.1 x 163.6 x 7.9mm, 214g |
| Camera | 12MP Ultra-Wide Camera 50MP Wide Camera 10MP Telephoto Camera (3x Optical Zoom) 12MP Front Camera | 12MP Ultra-Wide Camera 50MP Wide Camera 10MP Telephoto Camera (3x Optical Zoom) | 50MP Ultra-Wide Camera 200MP Wide Camera 50MP Telephoto Camera (5x Optical Zoom) 10MP Telephoto Camera (3x Optical Zoom) 12MP Front Camera |
| Memory & Storage | 12GB RAM + 256GB, 512GB | 12GB RAM + 256GB, 512GB | 12GB RAM + 256GB, 512GB, 16GB + 1TB |
| Battery | 4,300 mAh | 4,900 mAh | 5,000 mAh |
| Operating System & Processor | Android 16 One UI 8.5 Exynos 2600 | Android 16 One UI 8.5 Exynos 2600 | Android 16 One UI 8.5 Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 |
| Water Resistance | IP68 | IP68 | IP68 |
So, what's new (or not) with Samsung's Galaxy S26 series?
The key takeaways have probably already given you a hint of what to expect.
Not much has changed with the S26 and S26 Plus - the base model now has a slightly larger 6.3-inch display and a modestly bigger 4,300mAh battery, up from 4,000mAh last year.
According to Samsung, around 70% of sales are expected to come from the S26 Ultra, which could explain why it's in the spotlight.
Here's a look at what's changed besides the design
1. New world-first privacy display
Unlike old stick-on privacy screens, this is built right into the S26 Ultra and can be turned on and off anytime through quick settings.
It works by controlling the light from each pixel, so only you can see the screen clearly.
You can even set it to turn on automatically for sensitive apps or when entering passwords, or enable partial screen privacy to hide notification popups.
2. Camera upgrades
The pixels might be the same, but this year's focus appears to be on the S26 Ultra's ability to produce better results.
- Brighter, clearer photos in low light. Wider camera apertures let in more light, capturing richer details even when zoomed in.
- Better night videos. Enhanced Nightography Video keeps footage vibrant and clear in dim scenes, like concerts or campfires.
- Steadier video capture. Upgraded Super Steady adds a horizontal lock for smoother, well-framed videos, even on bumpy trails or during fast action. You could rotate your phone at any angle, and the frame would stay locked.
- Sharper selfies. The front camera now captures more natural skin tones and finer details, even in tricky lighting.
- Upgraded photo assist. All you need to do is tell it what you want to change in your photo. You can also add elements or restore missing parts, like filling in a missing piece of a pie.
3. Improved performance
The S26 Ultra features a new processor that's meant to deliver faster performance and smooth handling of complex tasks, without affecting visuals, gameplay, or causing lag.
It also includes a redesigned vapour chamber for more efficient heat dissipation during heavy use, and Super-Fast Charging 3.0 for quicker charging and all-day power.
According to Samsung, you could go from 0% to 75% battery in 30 minutes with a 60-watt charger.
What are the new and improved Galaxy AI tricks across the S26 series?
Samsung's focused on 'delivering AI for everyday life'.
With that in mind, here are some of the highlights of how it's approaching this.
- Proactive automation: Galaxy AI will help reduce the steps between what you want to do and getting it done. It works in the background, surfacing helpful suggestions and automating tasks so you can focus on the results.
- Now Nudge: It now offers improved context understanding to surface relevant information. For example, if a friend asks for trip photos, your phone can automatically suggest the right images from your Gallery.
- Now Brief: Offers even more personalised reminders to help you stay organised - from reservations to travel plans.
- Upgraded Bixby: You can talk more naturally to it and it is best used to control your device and connected ecosystem
- AI-powered Call Screening: Identifies unknown callers and summarises their intent so you can decide whether to answer or not.
- Smart Document Scanner: The camera can automatically detect documents, receipts or notes, cropping and straightening them for easy saving or sharing.
And lastly, what's New Galaxy Club?
This is Samsung's Upgrade and Protect program, and is available when you purchase either of the S26 models from Samsung directly.
It offers extra trade-in value (up to 50%) when you're upgrading to a new eligible Galaxy phone between 9 and 13 months after subscribing.
The device must be in good working condition.
The program also includes Samsung Care+, which will give you access to things like repairs and replacement options.
You can choose either a monthly or a 1-year upfront payment option.
The subscription costs $14 a month.
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