Samsung just unveiled its Galaxy S26 lineup at Unpacked, but the base models are drawing criticism for a familiar pattern: incremental updates paired with higher prices. While the S26 Ultra scores exclusive hardware like a Privacy Display without a price increase, the standard S26 and S26 Plus are essentially software refreshes that cost more than their predecessors. The move raises fresh questions about whether AI-powered features alone can justify premium smartphone pricing in 2026.
Samsung pulled back the curtain on its Galaxy S26 lineup today, and the reaction from early reviewers is mixed. The company's betting big on AI-driven software features to justify higher prices on its base models, even as the most interesting hardware innovation gets reserved for the Ultra tier.
The Galaxy S26 and S26 Plus both carry higher price tags than the S25 generation, despite what The Verge describes as mostly software updates. Meanwhile, the S26 Ultra not only gets exclusive hardware features like a new Privacy Display but also avoids a price hike entirely. It's a curious product strategy that suggests Samsung sees its mainstream customers as more willing to pay extra for AI capabilities than flagship buyers are to absorb another price increase.
The software updates aren't trivial, to be fair. Audio Eraser now works across third-party apps, letting users filter background noise and enhance voices during calls or video playback. It's the kind of feature that sounds modest on a spec sheet but could genuinely improve daily use, especially for anyone who takes calls in noisy environments or struggles to hear dialogue in videos.
But the real story is Google's deeper Gemini AI integration. The assistant is finally getting agentic, performing multi-step tasks like booking an Uber ride without constant hand-holding. According to Samsung's presentation, users can now ask Gemini to handle complex requests that previously required jumping between apps. Need a ride to the airport at 6 AM and a reminder to check in for your flight? Gemini's supposed to handle both.
