Samsung has officially confirmed exciting details about its upcoming Galaxy S26 smartphone series during its Q3 2025 earnings call. The tech giant teased significant advancements in artificial intelligence, overall performance, and camera capabilities. A senior executive indicated that this new flagship lineup, which is expected to debut the Galaxy S26 series, will introduce cutting-edge AI features, a powerful second-generation custom chipset, and enhanced imaging technology. This announcement marks Samsung’s first formal confirmation of the substantial hardware and software improvements slated for the Galaxy S26 series, positioning it to spearhead Samsung’s AI-driven smartphone strategy for 2026.
Samsung Galaxy S26 Series: Ushering in a New Era of AI
Samsung is clearly preparing for a major leap with its Galaxy S26 series. Daniel Araujo, Vice President of Samsung’s Mobile Experience Division, affirmed that the next flagship smartphones will bring groundbreaking enhancements across AI, chipset power, and camera innovation. He stated that the Galaxy S26 series is designed to “revolutionize the user experience” through advanced AI, a next-generation custom processor, and superior camera sensors.
The reference to a “second-generation custom AP” is widely believed to point to the Exynos 2600, which is expected to be Samsung’s next top-tier mobile chipset. Rumored to be the company’s first 2nm processor, the Exynos 2600 is anticipated to deliver considerable improvements in both power efficiency and raw performance. Furthermore, Samsung is likely to maintain its strategy of offering devices with dual chipsets, with certain regional versions featuring Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor specifically optimized for Galaxy devices.
Initial reports suggest that the standard Galaxy S26 model might come equipped with the Exynos 2600, while the Galaxy S26+ and S26 Ultra variants could utilize Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip. However, Araujo clarified that the chipset evaluations for the entire lineup are still in progress, meaning the final configurations are not yet set in stone. His statements also imply that the “custom AP” could potentially refer to a collaborative Snapdragon variant developed uniquely for Galaxy devices.
Anticipate a Price Hike for the Samsung Galaxy S26 Series?
Moving forward, Samsung has declared its commitment to leading the charge in AI-powered mobile experiences and exploring innovative device form factors. The company also issued a word of caution, indicating that rising component costs, particularly for memory, might lead to higher price tags for its upcoming flagship models. This suggests that the Galaxy S26 series could indeed launch with an increased price, reflecting the investment in its advanced hardware and new AI functionalities.
In addition to its flagship smartphone plans, Samsung reiterated its dedication to expanding its popular foldable phone lineup in 2026. The company aims to refine its Galaxy Z Fold and Z Flip series to “strengthen its product portfolio and provide new experiences to a wider customer base.” Samsung also unveiled intentions to integrate more sophisticated health-focused AI features into its Galaxy Watch range and to introduce new true wireless earbuds, further enhancing its growing ecosystem of connected devices.
During the earnings call, Samsung noted consistent demand for its premium products, including smartphones, tablets, and wearables, despite minor dips in sales observed in North America and South Korea. The company emphasized strong performance in other global markets, highlighting sustained consumer interest in its flagship and foldable devices as a positive outlook leading up to the Galaxy S26 launch.