(Image source from: Samsung)
The Samsung Galaxy S26 series is probably one of the most eagerly awaited phones in the near future. The South Korean company typically unveils its top smartphones at the beginning of each year. However, there have been talks suggesting that Samsung might push back the release this time. Now, a Korean news source called Money Today reports that the Samsung Galaxy S26 series is scheduled to be launched on February 25, 2026. According to the report, the S26 series will be introduced on February 25 in San Francisco, USA. This represents about a month delay from previous predictions. This launch would mark the first occasion that the S series has been introduced in San Francisco since the S23 was unveiled in 2023. The choice of San Francisco for the launch may be to emphasize the company’s commitment to Artificial Intelligence (AI), as the city has become a key location for AI worldwide. Major AI companies such as OpenAI and Perplexity operate in San Francisco.
The report explains that the delay is likely due to a last-minute decision regarding the S26 series. Initially, it was thought that Samsung would replace the S26 Plus with an S26 Edge model, and the regular S26 would receive a ‘Pro’ label. However, recent leaks suggest that Samsung has dropped the Edge model after unsatisfactory sales of the extremely slim S25 Edge. Instead, the company will be reintroducing the Plus model to the S26 series alongside the standard S26 and the S26 Ultra. It is also anticipated that the standard model will not feature the Pro label. Samsung has recently indicated that the S26 series will include enhanced AI capabilities and improved cameras compared to the S25 series. The S26 Ultra is also expected to showcase a more rounded shape and new colors, possibly inspired by the Cosmic Orange of the iPhone 17 Pro. The upcoming flagship series will likely utilize the new Exynos 2600 processor in some areas, while other places will probably use Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5.
The report mentions that the Exynos 2600 is anticipated to deliver six times better NPU (Neural Processing Unit) performance than Apple’s A19 Pro chip found in the iPhone 17 Pro. An NPU plays a vital role in handling AI functions on a device. This new Exynos processor is developed on Samsung’s 2nm technology, which could provide significant improvements in comparison to the Exynos 2500.
Nonetheless, it remains uncertain if the new processor will surpass the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5. According to tipster Jukan on X, the Exynos 2600 achieves a score of 3,455 in single-core tests and 11,621 in multi-core tests on Geekbench. In contrast, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 scores 3,832 in single-core tests and 12,170 in multi-core tests based on information from SamMobile.
