This is sponsored content for Samsung.
The 2026 internet feed is already at a breaking point.
Between the 'cheatgate' scandals at Italy's Winter Olympics, the viral heartbreak over Jessie Buckley's Hamnet, and Bad Bunny's historic Super Bowl takeover, we're swimming in the thick of it.
But it's time to get prepared for another tidal wave, as Samsung hosted its annual Unpacked Event on February 26 AEDT in San Francisco, ushering in a new era of 'Agentic AI'.
If the concept of Agentic AI is foreign to you, it essentially refers to an advanced form of Artificial Intelligence (AI) which can act independently and adapt over time to achieve objectives with minimum supervision.
In other words, it's akin to a personal assistant that can take cues - from text exchanges, calendars, emails, daily behaviours - and learn from them to preempt actions that help streamline your overall mobile experience.
Below, we reveal the highlights of the Unpacked Event launch, and what's to be expected from the new Samsung S26 and Buds4 series.
A brief look at the new S26 Series Mobile and Buds4 range
Eager to innovate and stay ahead of the curve, Samsung's Galaxy S26 Series and Galaxy Buds4 and Galaxy Buds4 Pro devices mark a leap in hardware innovation and effortless, simple AI.
"With AI entering a new phase, bridging the gap between potential and real-world experience is a key challenge fo Samsung. It frames how we think about AI, not as a premium feature, but as infrastructure people can rely on," said Eric Chou, Vice President of Mobile eXperience, Samsung Electronics Australia.
When it comes to the Galaxy S26 Series, there's plenty to 'ooh' and 'aah' about.
From upgrades to the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor [1] for Galaxy S26 Ultra, outstanding camera display quality, delivering visual precision in ultra-low light conditions, and improved video features, such as a stabilising feature that automatically corrects up to 360 degrees, the new Galaxy S26 Series is a playground for creatives.
But perhaps the most exciting feature is Samsung's first built-in privacy display [2] that can shield your screen or banking activity from the view of people around you, leaving you wondering how they did that - like a young child might at the end of a magic show.
"Users can keep their screen visible only to them, while limiting side-angle visibility for everyone else, a perfect fit for public transit, shared spaces, and everyday moments when users want a little more privacy. It works by turning off pixels that spread light widely and relies on private pixels that focus light straight ahead, limiting what people around you can see," said Nathan Rigger, Head of Product, Mobile eXperience, Samsung Electronics Australia
To support the Galaxy S26 Series, the new Galaxy Buds4 range offers exciting advancements in sound quality and innovation, with a premium and refined design, immersive audio, adaptive controls and Galaxy AI integration.
With a natural base at 24-bit/96kHz and Hi-Fi audio [3] that is true to original, the Buds4 range delivers high resonance and a deep pulse.
In addition, enhanced adaptive ANC and EQ [4] offer powerful noise cancellation and personalised sound that adapts to the user.
The Galaxy Buds4 technology can also adjust to constantly changing noise environments, making it easier to take a Super Clear Call [5], or simply shut out the rest of the world.
"Our Enhanced Adaptive ANC and EQ fine-tune frequencies based on a user's unique ear shape and wearing conditions with real-time algorithms, providing powerful noise cancellation, avoiding noise leakage and personalising sound," said Kylie Mason, Head of Wearables, Mobile eXperience, Samsung Electronics Australia.
Ultimately, the Galaxy Buds4 range is designed to deliver a personal, versatile and effortless listening experience that can be tailored to unique preferences.
Diving into an era of Agentic AI with confidence and security
While AI has been around for decades, the rapid proliferation of AI technology has meant that consumers still have fears around its safety and complexity.
For this reason, Samsung products are integrated with more security, and customers are also given more control and transparency over what data they share with Samsung's GalaxyAI [6].
"The foundation of a hyper-connected world fuelled by AI agents must be trust. At Samsung, security and privacy are at the heart of our strategy.
"This principle is increasingly critical as we enter an era of Agentic AI, where intelligent systems do not just respond to commands but anticipate needs on users' behalf.
"The power of our "One Samsung" ecosystem helps to ensure that intelligence extends seamlessly from mobile to the entire connected home via SmartThings, protected by Samsung Knox", said CU Kim, President and CEO of Samsung Electronics, Southeast Asia and Oceania.
What's next for Samsung mobile experience?
The public discourse of February 2026 isn't over yet.
Samsung's pivot to Agentic AI suggests that the next phase of our digital lives will be less about what a phone has and more about what a phone can do for us as humans.
For electronic companies like Samsung, the future of mobile experience appears to increasingly be geared towards innovation, automation, data transparency, and an ever-present dare to be creative.
The Samsung Galaxy S26 Series and Galaxy Buds4 range is available for pre order from 26 Feb with an official launch on 11 March. Prices start at $2,199 for the Galaxy S26 Series and $299 for the Galaxy Buds4 Series.
[1] Snapdragon branded products are products of Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and/or its subsidiaries. Snapdragon is a trademark or registered trademark of Qualcomm Incorporated.
[2] Privacy Display feature controls the screen's viewing angle to limit peripheral vision. Some changes in image quality may occur outside the viewing angle. When activated, some information may still be visible to others depending on the viewing environment, such as angle or brightness. Caution is advised when exposing sensitive information. Available for specific apps once they are manually enabled in Settings. Use of screen protectors may impact the performance of the feature and may not be suitable for users with vision or accessibility requirements.
[3] Ultra High Quality audio can be enabled if users turn the "Ultra high quality(UHQ) audio" on in Settings Buds4 Pro Sound quality and effects Advanced quality options.
[4] Available on Buds4 Pro.
[5] Super Clear Call (Super Wideband call) is available on Galaxy devices with One UI 6.1.1 or above. Additional devices may be supported in the future. Super Wideband (SWB) is available regardless of the Call App. SWB may not be supported depending on the mobile network between devices.
[6] Galaxy AI features are currently free of charge, with any specific plans for premium AI services to be decided in close coordination with our partners. There are currently no plans to charge for Galaxy AI features, however different terms may apply to other AI features provided by third parties.