The official launch of the Samsung Galaxy S26 family of smartphones dominated the technology market in February 2026. While the manufacturer emphasizes proactive artificial intelligence features and new video stabilization, industry media point out a lack of significant hardware changes compared to predecessors. Simultaneously, aggressive pricing policies by carriers and retail chains have led to record-breaking discounts and offers for free devices with contracts immediately after the market debut.
Controversy over lack of magnets
Samsung explains the lack of a magnetic accessory mounting system as a desire to keep promises regarding compatibility, which has met with criticism from reviewers.
Aggressive launch promotions
Retail chains and carriers are offering discounts exceeding 250 euros and free devices with contracts immediately after the official launch.
Innovative Privacy Display
The new screen privacy protection technology aims to prevent content from being viewed by third parties, increasing user security.
Debut of next-generation Galaxy AI
The system of proactive user support is intended to be the main distinguishing feature of the S26 series compared to the competition, including the upcoming Xiaomi 17.
The market entry of the Galaxy S26 series and its accompanying accessories, such as Galaxy Buds 4, is taking place in an atmosphere of mixed reviews. Samsung promotes its new flagships as devices of the proactive AI era, set to revolutionize interaction with the phone. However, Polish and foreign reviewers note that the physical construction of the S26, S26+, and S26 Ultra models is largely an evolution of already known solutions, leading them to be labeled as 'reheated cutlets.' Controversy is especially stirred by the lack of support for magnetic accessories, which the manufacturer explains as fulfilling earlier promises regarding backward compatibility, though for users it constitutes a significant functional drawback. Since the launch of the first Galaxy S series in 2010, Samsung has consistently built its position as the Android market leader, transitioning from copying Apple's solutions to setting trends in mobile photography and OLED displays. Also noteworthy is the debut of a new privacy protection technology, the so-called Privacy Display, designed to protect users from onlookers in public places. This innovation appears in the context of reports about work on the Galaxy S27 model, which is set to receive a new S Pen stylus. Meanwhile, the current generation must contend with strong competition, particularly from the Xiaomi 17 series. The Chinese manufacturer has challenged Samsung by offering models with similar performance at more competitive prices. In response, global carriers such as AT&T and T-Mobile have implemented aggressive subsidy systems, enabling acquisition of the S26 Ultra with almost no upfront costs, and European retail chains reduced prices by over 200 euros on launch day. In recent years, the smartphone market has been affected by innovation stagnation, forcing leading players to shift focus from processor specifications to proprietary software and service ecosystems. Simultaneously with the new models, Samsung presented a new generation of batteries aimed at improving the energy efficiency of devices. Despite skepticism from some media regarding the pace of innovation, initial tests of the new video stabilization suggest Samsung has maintained its leadership position in mobile cinematography. There is also speculation about plans to revive older product lines in a new guise, which could expand the manufacturer's portfolio in lower price segments. Currently, the giant's strategy focuses on convincing users of S24 and S25 models to upgrade to the latest generation through attractive trade-in programs, whose value reaches up to 40% of the price of a new device.