Leak Claims Galaxy S26 Launch Event Set For February 25

Several reports last month claimed that Samsung made a few big changes to the Galaxy S26 lineup, which will lead to launch delays. One report said that the Galaxy S26 series might launch as late as March, or more than a month later than Samsung's usual mid-January to early February release schedule for the Galaxy S series. A new report from Korean news site MT seems to confirm the previous reports and speculation surrounding the Galaxy S26 launch. Samsung will reportedly unveil the Galaxy S26 series in San Francisco on February 25. Preorders usually start after the Unpacked event, with the phones shipping about two weeks later. If the information is accurate, the Galaxy S26 release date — when preorders ship and the devices are available in-store — will be set for the first half of March.

MT notes that Samsung has decided the Unpacked date, and the company is making preparations accordingly. Samsung hasn't announced the event publicly, however. Samsung launched the Galaxy S23 series in San Francisco in 2023. It's reportedly returning to the city as the Bay Area is now at the center of AI, and Samsung will continue to position its phones as AI-first devices. Samsung unveiled its Galaxy AI platform in early 2024 alongside the Galaxy S24 series. Samsung has upgraded Galaxy AI since then, turning every flagship phone release into a Galaxy AI-ready device.

Previous reports mentioned two significant changes for the Galaxy S26 series. First, Samsung decided to bring back the Plus model and discontinue the Edge. Initially, Samsung wanted to release three models next year: Galaxy S26 Pro, Galaxy S26 Edge, and Galaxy S26 Ultra. The poor reception of the Galaxy S25 Edge made Samsung reconsider the strategy. The Galaxy S26 series is now expected to feature the same three models as the previous generations: standard, Plus, and Ultra. The late Galaxy S26 Plus development is one potential cause for delays, and the MT report acknowledges that the lineup reshuffle is responsible for the launch delay.

Also, a few recent reports detailed a notable development on the chip front. The Exynos 2600 is apparently very powerful and easier to mass-produce. As a result, Samsung will use its own chip to power more Galaxy S26 models, including the Ultra. This decision might also lead to launch delays. MT mentions the chip strategy, saying the Galaxy S26 Ultra might be the first Ultra model since the Galaxy S22 series to get an Exynos chip.

Finally, the MT report notes that Samsung has big ambitions for the Galaxy AI features on the Galaxy S26 series. Samsung apparently wants to outperform its rivals when it comes to built-in AI capabilities. The new phones might feature built-in AI agents on top of the expected Galaxy AI and Gemini capabilities. It's unclear what these agents might do for the user. On that note, any launch delay caused by hardware changes should be beneficial to Samsung's AI team, which can use the extra time to refine new Galaxy AI experiences.