Samsung Galaxy S26 series: From Privacy Display to Now Nudge, What's new

Samsung unveiled the Galaxy S26 series at Unpacked 2026, introducing Privacy Display, Now Nudge, AI-powered browser tools, revamped Bixby, and Galaxy AI with Perplexity

Samsung launched the Galaxy S26 series at its Unpacked event on February 25. The 2026 models in the Samsung’s flagship S-series smartphones arrived with additions like Privacy Display, AI-powered Samsung Browser, Google Pixel’s Magic Cue-inspired Now Nudge, and more. On the hardware side, the Galaxy S26 series sports a redesigned camera module, and the Galaxy S26 Ultra stood as the thinnest Ultra variant ever made by Samsung. 

Galaxy S26 series: What’s new

Privacy Display

The Galaxy S26 Ultra debuted built-in privacy display, which Samsung said will ensure that the user is the only person who gets to see what’s on their screen. This feature hides the smartphone’s screen from other people’s view to protect private information. One can even choose which apps or notifications they want to hide.

Now Nudge

Now Nudge is an AI-powered assistant feature designed to subtly support users during conversations without being intrusive. Samsung said that it can automatically surface relevant content, such as shared photos or calendar events, based on the context of a chat. This allows users to access and share information instantly without leaving the app, helping them stay focused and “in their flow.” This feature resembles Google Pixel’s Magic Cue feature.

AI-powered Samsung Browser

Samsung has redesigned its Internet browser with a new “Ask AI” feature powered by Perplexity, aimed at simplifying online research. The tool lets users ask conversational queries and pulls information from multiple open tabs at once. Rather than switching between windows or copy-pasting text, the browser compiles insights into a single, AI-generated summary.

New camera codec

The Galaxy S26 Ultra becomes the first Galaxy smartphone to support APV (Advanced Professional Video), a new pro-grade codec built for efficient compression in high-quality production workflows. Samsung says the addition will benefit content creators by delivering near lossless video quality, even after multiple rounds of editing.

Revamped Bixby

The Galaxy S26 series introduces an upgraded Bixby with artificial intelligence capabilities. The new Bixby is comparable to Microsoft Copilot for Windows, which lets users change settings and navigate features using natural language, without relying on specific commands.

Multiple AI agents

Samsung has also integrated multiple AI agents into the lineup, including Gemini and Perplexity. Once configured, users can complete tasks through a single button press or voice command, with the phone capable of handling multi-step actions in the background. For example, Samsung said that with Gemini, booking a taxi is as simple as asking, reviewing the details and tapping confirm. It added that these agents support tasks such as searching and carrying out complex tasks seamlessly across apps through natural interaction.

AI call screening

On the security front, the Galaxy S26 series adds AI-powered call screening feature that can identify unknown numbers and summarise the caller’s intent, while Privacy Alerts notify users in real time if apps with device admin rights attempt to access sensitive data such as location, call logs or contacts.

Photo Assist

Samsung has upgraded its Photo Assist suite to allow users to edit images using text prompts. Users can describe the changes they want, such as turning a daytime shot into night, and the AI applies the edits. The tool can also add elements, reconstruct missing portions of objects, or fix small details like stains on clothing by even altering outfits in photos. Samsung said that edits can be made in stages, reviewed step by step, and adjusted or undone easily, offering a more flexible editing experience.