Samsung S26 Launch Event Live: Privacy Screen Highlights, Deep AI Integration, Chip Shortage Drives Up Costs, Price Increased by $100 Against the Trend

TechNews APP has learned that as the global industry works to address the memory chip shortage crisis, Samsung Electronics held a launch event in San Francisco on Wednesday, officially unveiling the Galaxy S26 series smartphones, with two models priced $100 higher than the previous generation. The new models focus on upgraded AI features and privacy protection in real-world scenarios, rather than major design changes.

The models announced include the Galaxy S26 Ultra ($1,300), Galaxy S26 Plus ($1,100), and the standard Galaxy S26 ($900), with pricing directly competing with Apple’s iPhone 17 series. Notably, while the Ultra version’s price remains the same as its predecessor, both the Plus and S26 models are $100 more expensive than last year, partly due to ongoing memory chip shortages.

Samsung also released two new earbuds: the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro ($249) and Galaxy Buds 4 ($179). All new products are available for pre-order starting today and will go on sale on March 11.

Memory Chip Shortage Sweeps the Industry

Amid rapid expansion of AI infrastructure causing a nationwide memory chip shortage, Samsung is emphasizing upgraded AI functions and privacy screens in its new models. According to a December report by Counterpoint Research, due to memory shortages, the average smartphone price is expected to rise by 6.9% in 2026.

Ben Wood, chief analyst at CSS Insight, stated that the chip shortage “is not a short-term problem.” He pointed out, “We expect the global shortage of memory chips to continue until 2027, driven mainly by the rapid expansion of AI infrastructure, which diverts capacity originally allocated for smartphones, PCs, and other consumer electronics.”

The S26 series is Samsung’s third “AI phone” release since the S24 two years ago. The company says the new models feature faster processing chips than their predecessors and include AI tools to assist with photo editing, document scanning, and more. Wood believes the S26 series has taken “positive steps” in improving AI usability, but also expressed skepticism: “Consumers may still question how much real value these features provide.” He highlighted that the standout feature of the S26 Ultra is the world’s first privacy screen protector, which controls pixel light scattering angles to limit side viewing angles.

CSS Insight research indicates that memory prices in smartphones and related fields have doubled over the past two quarters. Wood added that despite investments by memory manufacturers to expand production, the chip shortage is expected to persist until early 2027 or 2028.

A Samsung spokesperson said, “The rise in memory semiconductor prices is a global issue affecting the entire industry.” The spokesperson added, “With strategic partnerships, Samsung hopes to maintain a relative advantage on the supply side and will continue to adapt flexibly to market changes to minimize impact on our business.”

PP Foresight TMT analyst Paul Pescatore noted that smartphone manufacturers are diversifying suppliers to mitigate memory shortages. He said, “The memory crisis is no longer a niche supply chain issue but has become a strategic constraint on AI development.” Pescatore commented, “If memory costs remain high, Samsung will face the familiar dilemma: profit preservation or sales volume.”

Ubiquitous AI

Earlier this week, Samsung revealed that the Galaxy S26 will support Perplexity AI technology, allowing users to quickly access their AI assistant by voice command “Hey Plex.” According to a Perplexity spokesperson, the collaboration goes beyond that; Perplexity is also providing improved support for Samsung’s self-developed Bixby assistant’s real-time web answer feature.

Samsung states that Bixby now better assists users through natural conversations to adjust settings or find niche functions. Perplexity views this as the first such collaboration, with Samsung embracing multi-agent AI concepts, granting deep system permissions, and integrating with notes, calendar, gallery, clock, reminders, and other apps. In the coming months, Perplexity will be deeply integrated into Samsung’s browser.

Meanwhile, Google Gemini remains a key feature in the S26 series. It is not only the default assistant but also allows users to trigger automation apps via voice commands, such as “Call me an Uber to San Francisco Airport.” Gemini will gradually execute these requests, with users able to observe, intervene, or cancel at any time. Before finalizing the ride, Gemini will ask for user confirmation. Uber is currently the exclusive launch partner, with plans for Instacart and DoorDash to join later.

Sami Sammat, president of Google’s Android ecosystem, said in an interview before Samsung’s launch that Gemini’s automation features will be a focus of Android 17 later this year. Google is currently collaborating with Samsung to offer early previews in the US and Korea. Google’s “Instant Search” feature has also been updated to support multi-selection, which will debut on the S26 series and soon be available on Pixel phones.

Samsung is also trying to enhance the practicality of its “Now Brief” feature. This AI-powered feature displays relevant reminders and other information throughout the day but has had limited success so far. Now, it can extract data from app notifications and, based on usage habits, provide more precise daily summaries on the lock screen.

Notably, on the new phones, design and camera upgrades are almost secondary to enhanced AI software features. This strategy carries risks, as many consumers tend to upgrade only when there are substantial hardware changes. A typical example is Apple’s record-breaking sales last quarter, coinciding with a visual refresh and new colors for the iPhone 17 series. Nonetheless, Samsung aims to demonstrate that even without significant exterior changes, users can be persuaded to upgrade. The shift from design to AI will be a high-stakes gamble on user upgrade willingness.

The models announced by Samsung and their features are as follows:

S26 Ultra: Privacy Screen

The flagship Galaxy S26 Ultra’s biggest hardware highlight is Samsung’s so-called “privacy screen protector.” When activated, the 6.9-inch display becomes difficult to read from the sides, top, or bottom. Its effect is similar to using a third-party privacy film, but Samsung achieves this by directly controlling pixel light emission angles, embedding privacy protection into the screen itself.

Users can choose to keep the privacy screen always on or set it to activate automatically for specific apps (such as banking apps, Gmail, Slack, etc.) that handle sensitive data. Another mode blocks notifications and can be triggered automatically when the user enters a password or PIN. Since no additional film is needed, S26 Ultra users can fully enjoy the anti-reflective benefits of the screen, which in recent on-site comparisons outperformed the iPhone 17 series in glare resistance.

Similar to Apple’s modifications to its Pro models, Samsung has abandoned titanium side rails for aluminum, making the device lighter. Samsung claims this is the lightest and thinnest Ultra model to date.

In terms of cameras, the main and telephoto lenses retain 200MP and 50MP sensors, respectively, but with larger apertures to increase light intake, potentially improving low-light photography. The night video mode has been optimized to recognize noise patterns in each lens and automatically remove grainy segments in dark scenes.

Charging speeds include 65W wired fast charging (0 to 75% in 30 minutes) and 25W wireless charging, with upgraded internal heat dissipation plates for faster, more efficient cooling. The iconic S Pen stylus remains built-in, but no new features have been added this year.

S26 Plus and S26: Fun Software

The 6.7-inch S26 Plus and 6.2-inch S26 are more modest. Both feature Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chips, with no major changes to camera hardware but introducing fun new software features. In super-stable video mode, a new “horizon lock” function keeps the horizon level during recording, even if the phone is rotated by hand, creating gimbal-like effects—appealing for social media content creators.

Similar to recent Google Pixel phones, Samsung has introduced natural language image editing in the S26 series. After taking a photo, users can describe modifications or additions in a few words, and generative AI will implement the changes. The new models also include call screening and scam detection during calls.

Galaxy Buds 4 Pro: Catching Up with Competitors

The high-end Galaxy Buds 4 Pro aims to compete with Apple AirPods Pro 3, while the more affordable Galaxy Buds 4 competes with AirPods 4 and other similarly priced earbuds. Both support active noise cancellation. Samsung claims the Buds 4 Pro deliver deeper bass and continue to offer high-resolution wireless streaming not yet supported by Apple. However, in voice detection and gesture controls like head nodding to answer calls, Samsung is still catching up with AirPods.

Battery life with ANC enabled is up to 6 hours for the Buds 4 Pro per charge, and 7 hours without ANC; with the charging case, total usage extends to 26 or 30 hours, depending on ANC. The smaller battery in the Buds 4 results in slightly shorter playback time.