- Samsung has set its next Galaxy Unpacked event for February 25, 2026
- Galaxy S26 line expected to be unveiled at event
- Galaxy AI will once again be a major focus
After months of rumors and speculation, Samsung has finally set the date for its first Galaxy Unpacked event of 2026, and all signs point to the Galaxy S26 line.
It will be the first Galaxy Unpacked of 2026, taking place on February 25 at 10am PT / 1pm ET / 6pm BST (5am AEDT on the 26th), broadcast live from San Francisco, California. Samsung teases that the event will usher in “its latest Galaxy innovations,” which we’re almost sure point to the Galaxy S26 line.
Samsung is expected to lead with the ultra-premium Galaxy S26 Ultra, along with the Galaxy S26 Plus and standard Galaxy S26. This Unpacked event from earlier in the year traditionally focuses on Samsung’s flagship non-foldable Galaxy S smartphone, although the company has occasionally thrown in a surprise, such as the first formal tease of the Galaxy Ring in 2024.
If you’re waiting for the next Galaxy Z Fold, Z Flip, or especially a new Z TriFold, don’t get your hopes up. We likely won’t see new foldables until summer 2026, and Samsung only started shipping the Z TriFold in the US last month, in January.
arrive early
Still, if you’re looking for a new Candybar smartphone, the Galaxy S26 line is shaping up to be a still impressive, if more iterative, trio of devices. As in previous years, Samsung is already allowing fans to pre-order anything it announces on February 25, and it’s completely free.
You can pre-order the “next Galaxy” on Samsung’s site to enter to win a $5,000 Samsung gift card, while also earning an exclusive $30 credit toward devices you submit. This is a smaller incentive than in previous years, but it can be accumulated with a trade-in credit of up to $900, depending on the device and Samsung’s rating.
Interestingly, Samsung is also offering a $150 no-trade credit, apparently in addition to the $30 bonus, if you order directly from the company, which certainly sweetens the deal.
Considering that pre-ordering costs nothing and doesn’t require a credit card, it’s definitely worth doing, even if you’re only mildly interested in the Galaxy S26. Samsung has also teased that Best Buy and AT&T will offer similar pre-order deals, although details have not yet been shared.
Along with the invite, Samsung released a short teaser video for Galaxy Unpacked, and it looks like the brand is feeling lucky. The invitation image shows Samsung’s Galaxy AI logo emerging from a transparent cube that appears to have burst open, projecting prismatic shades of blue, pink and purple that could hint at new colorways for the S26 line.
Beyond the “Galaxy Unpacked” branding, date, time, and livestream URL, the image doesn’t reveal much. The teaser video adds a bit more flair, showing the glowing Galaxy AI cube rolling across the screen before opening, with the four stars of the Galaxy AI logo taking center stage, reinforcing that Galaxy AI will play a major role in Samsung’s upcoming flagship phones.
On the hardware side, the Galaxy S26 line is expected to offer another performance boost thanks to a new processor, likely a Qualcomm Snapdragon for Galaxy, while staying fairly close to the design language of the current Galaxy S25, S25 Plus and S25 Ultra. However, one rumored feature to stand out is a new privacy mode for the Galaxy S26 Ultra, which would allow users to turn screen privacy on and off instantly. It’s a small touch, but one that could be especially helpful when viewing sensitive information in public.
Either way, we’re just a few weeks away from Samsung’s February 25, 2026 Galaxy Unpacked event, and TechRadar will be on the ground, breaking down everything revealed (err, unpacked) as it happens. Let us know if you plan to pick up the Galaxy S26, or what you think of the invite, in the comments below.
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