Samsung is a technology conglomerate based out of South Korea that makes some of the world's most popular smartphones.
Samsung is a technology conglomerate based out of South Korea that is responsible for some of the most popular smartphones in the world, including the Galaxy S and Galaxy A series devices. Beyond smartphones, Samsung also manufactures and sells laptops, wearables, home appliances, and more.
The company was founded in 1938 as a trading company dealing with local produce, fish, noodles, and more. It wasn’t until the 1960s that Samsung entered the electronics business with its first product, a black and white television. In the 1990s, the company expanded its electronics efforts by producing displays and chips for processing and storage, core components of the business today. In the 2000s, the company established itself as a big player in cell phones, which later evolved into the Samsung Galaxy smartphone lineup.
Off the back of successful feature phones, Samsung quickly became a dominant player in the smartphone industry. The original Galaxy device was launched in 2009, which ran Android 1.5 “Cupcake” out of the box. Just a year later, the “Galaxy S” brand made its debut, selling 24 million units of its original model and 40 million of its sequel. The Galaxy S III was its first massive hit, though, selling 70 million devices starting in 2012. The success of that mainstream flagship propelled Samsung to be a major player in the premium smartphone market.
The latest Samsung flagships include the Galaxy S26 series, as well as foldable smartphones such as Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Flip 7.
The flagship market is only a fraction of the company’s total smartphone sales. It’s actually more affordable devices such as the Galaxy A series that really earn Samsung its spot in the industry. The Galaxy A series has produced some of the best-selling Android smartphones in the world for the past few years, for instance, with the Galaxy A50 and Galaxy A51 both topping the charts in their respective release windows.
To say Samsung’s smartphones have been influential is an understatement, as the brand has produced some of the biggest trends in the industry. Most memorable is the rise of large-screen smartphones. In 2011, just two years into the rise of its Android-based Galaxy line, Samsung debuted the original Galaxy Note, which was ridiculed for its large 5.3-inch display. The phone went on to sell 10 million units and spawn nine popular sequels leading up to the Galaxy Note 20 series in 2020. In 2016, Samsung famously released the Galaxy Note 7, which was recalled due to batteries that were bursting and catching fire. The phone was discontinued, and fans ultimately had to wait until the Note 8 was released a year later. In 2021, Samsung reportedly canceled its Galaxy Note 21 series due to the ongoing chip shortage, and the best of the Note has now been merged into the ongoing Galaxy S “Ultra” release.
Galaxy Note 20 UltraGalaxy S26 Ultra
In 2019, Samsung announced its first foldable smartphone in the Galaxy Fold. The book-style foldable had high-end specs and an inner display that was far larger than what could traditionally fit in a pocket, but its launch was met with negativity as several early reviewers faced major issues with the inner display. The company opted to cancel the launch and redesign the product, relaunching it months later with several solutions. In 2020, the Galaxy Z Flip debuted with much better reception and solutions for problems that plagued the Fold, though with a new flip-phone style design. The Galaxy Z Fold 2 took those same ideas and applied them to the original design while improving the displays both inside and out.
Samsung has continued to build on this form factor each year, often with big improvements, including water resistance, better hinges, upgraded cameras, and more.
Galaxy Z Fold 7, especially, proved to be a major update, offering a much thinner form factor that finally caught up to other foldable makers. It was successful, too, with Samsung reporting record sales after the device was released.
What other products does Samsung sell?
Beyond its extremely successful smartphones, Samsung sells a plethora of other products. There are TVs, home appliances, and more. The company also products and sells electrical components, AMOLED displays, and more to other companies.
Relating closely to its smartphones, though, are Samsung’s tablets, laptops, and smartwatches. Android tablets are fairly rare on the market, but the Galaxy Tab series has stuck around as an affordable option as well as a flagship one, the latter usually including support for DeX. The company also products laptops using both Microsoft’s Windows and Google’s ChromeOS, the former linking to Galaxy phones using the “Your Phone” integration that is deeply built into One UI.
Finally, the Galaxy Watch lineup has been one of the best options for an Android-compatible smartwatch, and each model pairs best with a Galaxy smartphone.
Check out our up-to-date coverage of everything Samsung below.
Samsung’s standout color for the Galaxy S26 series is its “Cobalt Violet,” and while I’m always down for purple smartphones, this one is underwhelming simply because it can’t decide what it wants to be.
Samsung’s Galaxy S26 series may not have built-in magnets, but that hasn’t stopped the company from going all-in on magnetic accessories. The latest is a neat little magnetic case for Galaxy Buds 4.
Whether it’s because of increased chip costs, inflation, or a combination of both, Samsung is putting users in a tough spot. The Galaxy S26 series is filled with technically excellent devices, but the only one worth buying might be the one that costs $1,299.
t’s now been over half a decade since Samsung folded its Galaxy Note lineup into the mainline Galaxy S-series, but fans of the original “phablet” aren’t ones to let go so easily. If you’re still holding onto your Galaxy Note 20 Ultra — a device first released in August of 2020, believe it or not — Samsung is willing to give you a pretty sweet deal to part ways with it.
While there’s no new hardware on the Galaxy S26 series in terms of their cameras, there are some new software tricks. One of those is “Super Steady Video” with “Horizon Lock” on the Galaxy S26 Ultra, which is basically like having a gimbal just a software toggle away.
Samsung’s new Galaxy S26 series is now available, but one perk that we’ve enjoyed in years past is missing, as Samsung.com isn’t offering its usual doubled storage upgrade. There is a way to get it back, though.
The overall design of the Galaxy S26 Ultra is mostly familiar, but some subtle tweaks such as rounding the corners really make for a nice hardware upgrade.
Starting on Google Pixel and extending to Samsung Galaxy with last year’s Galaxy S25 series, “Audio Eraser” features have proven pretty handy for recording videos. Starting with the Galaxy S26, Samsung is expanding Audio Eraser beyond recording, and applying it in real-time to videos from YouTube and other apps on your smartphone.
The Galaxy S26 series is official, and as always, there are certain places to order the new phones before they become publicly available. This quick guide will direct you to the best deal, even though two of the three phones are slightly more expensive.
The Galaxy S26 trio is finally here, and with it comes One UI 8.5. Samsung might be waiting until the summer to roll out its next big shake-up for its version of Android, but that doesn’t mean we aren’t seeing some new visual elements in this mid-cycle release. As we’ve come to expect, at least one element on the S26’s software is ripped right from Samsung’s closest rival.
The Galaxy S26 lineup is a pretty familiar upgrade, which means Samsung is once again calling on its AI platform to make these devices stand out from the pack. This year’s big difference is an actual vision for what Galaxy AI should be aiming to accomplish — though whether that holds up in practice remains to be seen.
Smartphones have felt somewhat stagnant over the past several years, with truly “new” features being fairly rare. There’s plenty of innovation in software, but on the hardware front, you’re largely just looking at refinement and improvement of what’s been around for ages. While Samsung’s Galaxy S26 series might be one of the biggest offenders ever of leaning on refinement, the Galaxy S26 Ultra delivers one of the first truly new smartphone features in years with its new “Privacy Display,” and I think it’s awesome.
The Galaxy S26 Ultra is official, and despite its shockingly stable price point, the flagship phone is hiding some significant camera upgrades. That includes enhanced “nightography” and lossless 8K video capture.
Samsung’s earbud lineup has, for years, been very solid. Clean hardware, useful software, and an affordable price. Plus, they long had their own identity in a market dominated by AirPods. Samsung tried something “new” in the Galaxy Buds 3 series a couple of years ago, and by that I mean, they basically just copied the AirPods. Still a solid product, but not what I’d come to like about past generations. Over the past few days, I’ve been trying the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro, and I think Samsung has something special here.
The Samsung Galaxy S26 series might not add a ton of new functions and features, but there are a few software functions and features being lifted right from Pixel phones.
Samsung has confirmed that, yes, the Galaxy S26 series is getting faster charging rates both wired and wireless, but skipping out on Qi2 magnets yet again.
Very few changes, I think that sums up the Galaxy S26 series. Has Samsung dropped the ball? Is there anything really worth talking about here? Yes, let’s get into it.
After weathering a barrage of leaks, RAM shortages, and an abandoned overhaul, Samsung is finally ready to unveil the Galaxy S26 series. As we expected, this is a boring upgrade even by Samsung’s own standards, and combined with higher prices on two of the S26 models, some fans might be left waiting for something a little more exciting down the road.
Samsung is holding its Galaxy S26 launch event later than last year’s Unpacked, but it’ll still be streamed live nonetheless. Here’s how to tune in and watch the company announce the Galaxy S26, S26+, and S26 Ultra.
Check your Samsung account – some users have reported that Samsung sent them store credit to use at its online market. This comes literally hours before the Galaxy S26 series is launched, which means a little extra savings if you’re lucky.
Samsung’s foldables — and, really, foldables in general — have come a long way since their first couple of generations, and nowhere is that clearer than in the durability realm. This summer’s upcoming Galaxy Z-series, including that newly-added “Wide Fold,” might come with a new software trick that helps keep that inner display from potential debris.
Samsung
Samsung is a technology conglomerate based out of South Korea that makes some of the world's most popular smartphones.
Samsung is a technology conglomerate based out of South Korea that is responsible for some of the most popular smartphones in the world, including the Galaxy S and Galaxy A series devices. Beyond smartphones, Samsung also manufactures and sells laptops, wearables, home appliances, and more.
The company was founded in 1938 as a trading company dealing with local produce, fish, noodles, and more. It wasn’t until the 1960s that Samsung entered the electronics business with its first product, a black and white television. In the 1990s, the company expanded its electronics efforts by producing displays and chips for processing and storage, core components of the business today. In the 2000s, the company established itself as a big player in cell phones, which later evolved into the Samsung Galaxy smartphone lineup.
Table of contents
Why are Samsung smartphones so popular?
Off the back of successful feature phones, Samsung quickly became a dominant player in the smartphone industry. The original Galaxy device was launched in 2009, which ran Android 1.5 “Cupcake” out of the box. Just a year later, the “Galaxy S” brand made its debut, selling 24 million units of its original model and 40 million of its sequel. The Galaxy S III was its first massive hit, though, selling 70 million devices starting in 2012. The success of that mainstream flagship propelled Samsung to be a major player in the premium smartphone market.
The latest Samsung flagships include the Galaxy S26 series, as well as foldable smartphones such as Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Flip 7.
The flagship market is only a fraction of the company’s total smartphone sales. It’s actually more affordable devices such as the Galaxy A series that really earn Samsung its spot in the industry. The Galaxy A series has produced some of the best-selling Android smartphones in the world for the past few years, for instance, with the Galaxy A50 and Galaxy A51 both topping the charts in their respective release windows.
To say Samsung’s smartphones have been influential is an understatement, as the brand has produced some of the biggest trends in the industry. Most memorable is the rise of large-screen smartphones. In 2011, just two years into the rise of its Android-based Galaxy line, Samsung debuted the original Galaxy Note, which was ridiculed for its large 5.3-inch display. The phone went on to sell 10 million units and spawn nine popular sequels leading up to the Galaxy Note 20 series in 2020. In 2016, Samsung famously released the Galaxy Note 7, which was recalled due to batteries that were bursting and catching fire. The phone was discontinued, and fans ultimately had to wait until the Note 8 was released a year later. In 2021, Samsung reportedly canceled its Galaxy Note 21 series due to the ongoing chip shortage, and the best of the Note has now been merged into the ongoing Galaxy S “Ultra” release.
In 2019, Samsung announced its first foldable smartphone in the Galaxy Fold. The book-style foldable had high-end specs and an inner display that was far larger than what could traditionally fit in a pocket, but its launch was met with negativity as several early reviewers faced major issues with the inner display. The company opted to cancel the launch and redesign the product, relaunching it months later with several solutions. In 2020, the Galaxy Z Flip debuted with much better reception and solutions for problems that plagued the Fold, though with a new flip-phone style design. The Galaxy Z Fold 2 took those same ideas and applied them to the original design while improving the displays both inside and out.
Samsung has continued to build on this form factor each year, often with big improvements, including water resistance, better hinges, upgraded cameras, and more.
Galaxy Z Fold 7, especially, proved to be a major update, offering a much thinner form factor that finally caught up to other foldable makers. It was successful, too, with Samsung reporting record sales after the device was released.
What other products does Samsung sell?
Beyond its extremely successful smartphones, Samsung sells a plethora of other products. There are TVs, home appliances, and more. The company also products and sells electrical components, AMOLED displays, and more to other companies.
Relating closely to its smartphones, though, are Samsung’s tablets, laptops, and smartwatches. Android tablets are fairly rare on the market, but the Galaxy Tab series has stuck around as an affordable option as well as a flagship one, the latter usually including support for DeX. The company also products laptops using both Microsoft’s Windows and Google’s ChromeOS, the former linking to Galaxy phones using the “Your Phone” integration that is deeply built into One UI.
Finally, the Galaxy Watch lineup has been one of the best options for an Android-compatible smartwatch, and each model pairs best with a Galaxy smartphone.
Check out our up-to-date coverage of everything Samsung below.
The Galaxy S26 in ‘Cobalt Violet’ has a bit of an identity crisis [Gallery]
Samsung’s standout color for the Galaxy S26 series is its “Cobalt Violet,” and while I’m always down for purple smartphones, this one is underwhelming simply because it can’t decide what it wants to be.
Expand Expanding CloseSamsung made a magnetic Galaxy Buds 4 case to attach to your Galaxy S26 case
Samsung’s Galaxy S26 series may not have built-in magnets, but that hasn’t stopped the company from going all-in on magnetic accessories. The latest is a neat little magnetic case for Galaxy Buds 4.
Expand Expanding CloseThe Galaxy S26 Ultra is the only model I’d buy, and that’s not right
Whether it’s because of increased chip costs, inflation, or a combination of both, Samsung is putting users in a tough spot. The Galaxy S26 series is filled with technically excellent devices, but the only one worth buying might be the one that costs $1,299.
Expand Expanding CloseSamsung put a huge Care+ ad in Galaxy S26 settings, but at least it goes away
Samsung’s One UI 8.5 update is adding a big new ad for Samsung Care+ to the settings menu starting on Galaxy S26, and… it feels a bit familiar.
Expand Expanding CloseSamsung’s best Galaxy S26 Ultra offer is begging Galaxy Note holdouts to upgrade
t’s now been over half a decade since Samsung folded its Galaxy Note lineup into the mainline Galaxy S-series, but fans of the original “phablet” aren’t ones to let go so easily. If you’re still holding onto your Galaxy Note 20 Ultra — a device first released in August of 2020, believe it or not — Samsung is willing to give you a pretty sweet deal to part ways with it.
Expand Expanding CloseGalaxy S26 Ultra ‘horizon lock’ keeps video stable no matter what – you have to see it [Video]
While there’s no new hardware on the Galaxy S26 series in terms of their cameras, there are some new software tricks. One of those is “Super Steady Video” with “Horizon Lock” on the Galaxy S26 Ultra, which is basically like having a gimbal just a software toggle away.
Expand Expanding CloseSamsung’s first-party magnetic Galaxy S26 cases don’t look terrible this year [Gallery]
For yet another year, Samsung has skipped native Qi2 magnets in its Galaxy S26 series, but at least the first-party cases look a whole lot better.
Expand Expanding CloseGalaxy S26 series gets free doubled storage after all, only at Amazon (+ $200 gift card)
Samsung’s new Galaxy S26 series is now available, but one perk that we’ve enjoyed in years past is missing, as Samsung.com isn’t offering its usual doubled storage upgrade. There is a way to get it back, though.
Expand Expanding CloseThe Galaxy S26 Ultra is thinner and more rounded than ever, and I love it [Gallery]
The overall design of the Galaxy S26 Ultra is mostly familiar, but some subtle tweaks such as rounding the corners really make for a nice hardware upgrade.
Expand Expanding CloseSamsung’s Audio Eraser now works with YouTube and other apps, and it’s impressive [Video]
Starting on Google Pixel and extending to Samsung Galaxy with last year’s Galaxy S25 series, “Audio Eraser” features have proven pretty handy for recording videos. Starting with the Galaxy S26, Samsung is expanding Audio Eraser beyond recording, and applying it in real-time to videos from YouTube and other apps on your smartphone.
Expand Expanding CloseGalaxy S26 trade-in values are best for Galaxy upgraders, not iPhone switchers – up to $900 off
Samsung’s Galaxy S26 series has arrived and, as per usual, the pre-order period is the best time to buy these phones.
Expand Expanding CloseWhere to pre-order the Galaxy S26 series to get the best savings, minimize price increase
The Galaxy S26 series is official, and as always, there are certain places to order the new phones before they become publicly available. This quick guide will direct you to the best deal, even though two of the three phones are slightly more expensive.
Expand Expanding CloseSamsung copies Apple’s Search button from iOS for One UI 8.5, shamelessly names it ‘Finder’
The Galaxy S26 trio is finally here, and with it comes One UI 8.5. Samsung might be waiting until the summer to roll out its next big shake-up for its version of Android, but that doesn’t mean we aren’t seeing some new visual elements in this mid-cycle release. As we’ve come to expect, at least one element on the S26’s software is ripped right from Samsung’s closest rival.
Expand Expanding CloseSamsung says the Galaxy S26 will ‘simplify your day’ through Galaxy AI, but can it?
The Galaxy S26 lineup is a pretty familiar upgrade, which means Samsung is once again calling on its AI platform to make these devices stand out from the pack. This year’s big difference is an actual vision for what Galaxy AI should be aiming to accomplish — though whether that holds up in practice remains to be seen.
Expand Expanding CloseGalaxy S26 Ultra’s Privacy Display is the best truly-new smartphone feature in years [Gallery]
Smartphones have felt somewhat stagnant over the past several years, with truly “new” features being fairly rare. There’s plenty of innovation in software, but on the hardware front, you’re largely just looking at refinement and improvement of what’s been around for ages. While Samsung’s Galaxy S26 series might be one of the biggest offenders ever of leaning on refinement, the Galaxy S26 Ultra delivers one of the first truly new smartphone features in years with its new “Privacy Display,” and I think it’s awesome.
Expand Expanding CloseSamsung’s Galaxy S26 Ultra packs these quiet, but powerful camera upgrades
The Galaxy S26 Ultra is official, and despite its shockingly stable price point, the flagship phone is hiding some significant camera upgrades. That includes enhanced “nightography” and lossless 8K video capture.
Expand Expanding CloseHands-on: I tried the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro, and I’m not sure I could ask for anything more [Gallery]
Samsung’s earbud lineup has, for years, been very solid. Clean hardware, useful software, and an affordable price. Plus, they long had their own identity in a market dominated by AirPods. Samsung tried something “new” in the Galaxy Buds 3 series a couple of years ago, and by that I mean, they basically just copied the AirPods. Still a solid product, but not what I’d come to like about past generations. Over the past few days, I’ve been trying the Galaxy Buds 4 Pro, and I think Samsung has something special here.
Expand Expanding CloseSamsung is cloning Pixel features for the Galaxy AI suite on S26
The Samsung Galaxy S26 series might not add a ton of new functions and features, but there are a few software functions and features being lifted right from Pixel phones.
Expand Expanding CloseGalaxy S26 series gets faster wired and wireless charging, but you’ll need your own Qi2 magnets
Samsung has confirmed that, yes, the Galaxy S26 series is getting faster charging rates both wired and wireless, but skipping out on Qi2 magnets yet again.
Expand Expanding CloseGalaxy S26 series hands-on: More of the same, but not in a good way [Video]
Very few changes, I think that sums up the Galaxy S26 series. Has Samsung dropped the ball? Is there anything really worth talking about here? Yes, let’s get into it.
Expand Expanding CloseSamsung launches Galaxy S26 series, and higher prices are basically all that’s new
After weathering a barrage of leaks, RAM shortages, and an abandoned overhaul, Samsung is finally ready to unveil the Galaxy S26 series. As we expected, this is a boring upgrade even by Samsung’s own standards, and combined with higher prices on two of the S26 models, some fans might be left waiting for something a little more exciting down the road.
Expand Expanding CloseHow to watch Samsung’s Galaxy Unpacked S26 launch event
Samsung is holding its Galaxy S26 launch event later than last year’s Unpacked, but it’ll still be streamed live nonetheless. Here’s how to tune in and watch the company announce the Galaxy S26, S26+, and S26 Ultra.
Expand Expanding CloseSamsung reportedly sending store credit to users right before Galaxy S26 launch
Check your Samsung account – some users have reported that Samsung sent them store credit to use at its online market. This comes literally hours before the Galaxy S26 series is launched, which means a little extra savings if you’re lucky.
Expand Expanding CloseSamsung’s next foldables might detect debris blocking the display from fully closing
Samsung’s foldables — and, really, foldables in general — have come a long way since their first couple of generations, and nowhere is that clearer than in the durability realm. This summer’s upcoming Galaxy Z-series, including that newly-added “Wide Fold,” might come with a new software trick that helps keep that inner display from potential debris.
Expand Expanding Close