Samsung unveiled its new Galaxy S26 lineup on Wednesday, March 11th, aiming to solidify the integration of artificial intelligence into smartphones and broaden its adoption among users. The line includes the Galaxy S26 Ultra, Galaxy S26+, and Galaxy S26 models.
The launch signals a growing trend of AI-powered features becoming standard in flagship devices, as manufacturers seek to differentiate their products through intelligent capabilities. During a presentation in Bogotá, the company emphasized its goal of democratizing access to AI and extending these capabilities to a wider range of devices within its portfolio.
Samsung currently has 400 million devices worldwide with AI functions, and the company expects to double that number to 800 million by 2026, according to Álvaro Mazo, director of Samsung Colombia’s Mobile Experience division. “Today in the world Notice 400 million Samsung devices with artificial intelligence. The company’s objective is to reach 800 million during the year 2026, that is, to double the number of users who are using these experiences,” Mazo explained.
Most Used AI Features
The event revealed that, while the devices incorporate over 20 AI-based functions, three tools are the most popular among users in Colombia.
Circle to Search is the most widely used, with 86% of users utilizing the feature. “86% of people use ‘circle to search.’ It has become a daily tool where the consumer simply takes a photo, marks the object and immediately obtains options to find or buy it,” the company noted.
Photo editing is the second most popular function, used by 39% of users, while the writing assistant, which facilitates text creation, summaries, and note organization, ranks third.
“These are the three functionalities out of more than 20 that are being used the most in Colombia in the AI part,” the company added.
A key strategic objective for Samsung is to expand access to these tools. “For us it is key to democratize the use of artificial intelligence. That is why all our devices, from the Galaxy A series to the S series, incorporate AI capabilities,” Mazo affirmed.
The company also highlighted that it will offer up to six years of updates for the Galaxy A series and seven years for the Galaxy S series, extending the lifespan of the devices.
S26 Features
Tatiana Lozano, Samsung’s product manager, explained that the new generation of smartphones was designed to deliver AI-optimized performance. “The Galaxy S26 is characterized by AI-optimized performance, with the most advanced camera system in the Galaxy and a fluid and simple user experience,” she stated.
The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra incorporates the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 for Galaxy processor, with improvements in power and AI processing capabilities. “There is a 19% improvement in CPU and 24% in GPU, which allows you to run demanding multitasking and AI processing quickly and without interruptions,” Lozano explained.
Camera Innovations
One of the main advances of the device is in the photographic system. The 800-megapixel main camera now captures 47% more light, resulting in sharper images with better colors.
The device also includes new AI-powered editing features that allow users to remove or add objects to images and generate creative content directly from the phone.
“The new photo assistant suite integrates artificial intelligence to facilitate image creation, allowing you to add objects or generate creative elements with natural language,” she explained.
On-Screen Privacy
Samsung also presented new tools called “life agents,” designed to anticipate needs and automate tasks. “What we are looking for is for context to become action in simple steps,” Lozano explained.
These functions can automatically suggest creating events in the calendar from conversations, organizing photos to share with contacts, or generating personalized daily summaries.
the device includes security tools such as a fraud call detection system, which alerts the user to potential spam calls.
Samsung also presented what it called the world’s first mobile privacy screen, which controls the dispersion of light from the pixels to prevent others from seeing the content from the sides. The function can be configured from the quick panel and applied only to certain applications, such as messaging or banking.
With the launch of the new Galaxy series, Samsung seeks to position itself in the transition to a new generation of smartphones focused on artificial intelligence.
“We went from talking about the first AI phone in 2024, to an ideal companion in 2025, and now we present a true smartphone with artificial intelligence, simpler and more fluid than ever,” Mazo noted.
The new Samsung devices are now available in several Latin American markets. In Colombia, they will be available at the following prices: Galaxy S26 Ultra 512GB: $6,999,000; Galaxy S26+ 512GB: $6,049,000; Galaxy S26 512GB: $5,079,000.
Photo: Laura Suárez
