At the MWC 2026 trade show in Barcelona, Samsung dominated the headlines by presenting a wide range of innovations, from sliding smartphones to advanced Galaxy AI features. The company announced the introduction of global satellite communication for the Galaxy series and showcased new Privacy Display technology in the S26 Ultra model. Simultaneously, the industry is buzzing with leaks about upcoming device generations, indicating a complete shift to Exynos processors and revolutionary changes in the optics of the upcoming S27 Ultra.
Global Satellite Connectivity
Samsung Galaxy smartphones will receive worldwide satellite communication support, enabling contact in emergencies outside cellular network coverage.
Samsung's Sliding Smartphone
During MWC 2026, a prototype device with an expandable screen was presented, increasing the working area without the need for a folding body.
Nvidia's Investment Offensive
Nvidia allocates 2 billion USD for collaboration with Coherent and Lumentum, strengthening its market share in infrastructure for artificial intelligence.
This year's MWC 2026 in Barcelona became a testing ground for the future of mobile technologies, where Samsung played a key role. The South Korean giant officially confirmed the deployment of satellite communication support for Galaxy smartphones worldwide, significantly enhancing user safety in areas without traditional cellular network coverage. This innovation goes hand in hand with the development of the Galaxy AI ecosystem, which is set to be more deeply integrated with the system interface, facilitating daily communication and media management. The hardware presentations caused the biggest stir. Samsung showed a prototype of a sliding phone, whose screen expands in the hand, offering a new alternative to current foldable designs. The Galaxy S26 Ultra, equipped with a "Privacy Display" feature that limits viewing angles to protect user privacy in public spaces, was also in the spotlight. Despite the enthusiasm, testers point to some difficulties in using this mode without delving into deep system settings. Parallel to the official launches, information surfaced about abandoning Snapdragon processors in favor of proprietary Exynos units in future flagships. Since 2011, when the first Galaxy Note was presented, Samsung has consistently built its position as an innovation leader in the large-screen smartphone segment, setting trends later copied by competitors.The long-term perspective suggests that a true revolution in mobile photography will only occur with the launch of the Galaxy S27 Ultra, which is set to receive drastically improved optics, similar to solutions known from Xiaomi flagships. The industry also notes the activity of other players: Nvidia is investing billions of dollars in optical infrastructure (Coherent and Lumentum), which may herald a new era in AI data transfer speeds. Lenovo, in turn, is experimenting with modular laptops and new forms of portable consoles, such as the Legion Go Fold, confirming the trend towards increasingly flexible personal devices. „Our vision for the integrated Galaxy AI ecosystem isn't just about software; it's about redefining how hardware responds to human needs.” — Samsung Representative2 mld USD — is Nvidia's investment in Coherent technologyIn summary, the trade show demonstrated that the arms race has shifted from pure computing power towards intelligent AI-supported features and new physical device forms. Although some features, like full satellite connectivity in every model, still require time, the direction of change is irreversible.