- Samsung just announced a new camera system
- It will surely be part of the anticipated Galaxy S26 lineup
- The camera system update should more seamlessly integrate all those Galaxy AI imaging tools
What was once separate could become one, and what was once confusion could finally offer clarity – that’s the potential promise of Samsung’s next big camera system for its anticipated upcoming Galaxy S26 line of smartphones.
After announcing last week that it will hold its big Winter Unpacked event in New York on February 25, where it is expected to reveal new Galaxy S26 smartphones (along, possibly with Galaxy Buds and a Galaxy Watch update), Samsung is now revealing some details about the big launch.
In a brief statement backed by a handful of revealing video demos, Samsung said it plans to “reveal a new Galaxy camera experience designed to unify photo and video capture, editing and sharing into one intuitive system.”
Among the promised features are:
- Convert a photo from day to night
- Restore missing parts of objects.
- Capture detailed photos in low light
- Merge multiple photos into a single image
This sounds like a mix of old and new features. We could now draw on images to create new elements, like the spaceship on the cow in this GIF.
However, quickly replacing a bite of a cupcake to make it whole again is an improvement in AI capabilities.
What’s more interesting here is the ability to have Galaxy AI’s image editing and enhancement tools more deeply integrated with the base camera system. Right now, for example, the AI editing features are located under a Galaxy AI button, and even there, Sketch-to-Picture and Generative Editing are separate elements in the tool.
Could all of these disparate pieces be merged into a cohesive camera system? Could they appear as tools? during image capture?
Here’s how Samsung describes it: “The latest Galaxy AI experiences will bring advanced creative tools to one place, eliminating the need to switch between apps and navigate complex editing software.”
Like its partner Google, Samsung has leaned into generative image manipulation in a way that, for example, Apple and its iPhone have not. There is the “Clean” tool in iOS. 26, but that item removal tool is as far as Apple is currently willing to go in the AI space. For years, we’ve been able to draw a rudimentary dog on any Galaxy image and let Galaxy AI generate a realistic dog that looks like it’s always been part of the photo.
The integration of these powerful AI tools isn’t unexpected, but it does indicate that Samsung is willing to let the AI experience become more fluid until they are no longer seen as separate and perhaps esoteric things – it’s all just part of the Galaxy S26 phone’s capabilities.
I’m curious if this new camera system also means tighter integration of all those tools currently hidden in the “More” menu of the Galaxy Camera app. This includes the “Pro” tools, “Video Proi”, “Single Take”, “Panorama” and more.
Similarly, I wonder to what extent Samsung plans to integrate video recording and editing. While it mentions video, Samsung did not offer details on what changes we can expect in handling moving images.
Whatever these changes entail, one thing is clear: The Samsung Galaxy S26 line will combine its hardware camera upgrades (no one expects major lens changes) with a new camera platform, one that could be equal parts optics and artificial intelligence.
Samsung Galaxy Unpacked is sure to be a fascinating presentation. Stay with TechRadar, which will be in San Francisco on February 25 at 10am PT / 1pm ET / 6pm BST (5am AEDT on the 26th).
Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to receive news, reviews and opinions from our experts in your feeds. Be sure to click the Follow button!
And of course, you can also follow TechRadar on YouTube and tiktok for news, reviews, unboxings in video form and receive regular updates from us on WhatsApp also.
