Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2026: How to watch and what to expect

Curious why we're talking about Samsung's next Galaxy Unpacked so early, when they usually launch their flagship phones in January? Well, there have been a ton of Galaxy S26 leaks lately, and we thought you'd want all of it in one spot! From how to watch to what we're expecting, we've got you covered right here.

This year, we expect to see a possible shuffle in the Galaxy S26 lineup with rumors about Samsung giving up the S26 Plus variant for a more premium Edge model. Other than that, we expect to see some software upgrades, possibly the Galaxy Buds 4, and of course, we're hoping to see Samsung's most hyped tri-fold device, which could launch soon in select countries.

How to watch the 2026 Galaxy Unpacked

This one seems simple and most predictable. While a lucky few journalists and influencers get to attend Samsung's Unpacked events in person, the rest of us have to make do with a live stream of the launch on its official website and YouTube platforms. Samsung will likely release its live stream link in the days leading up to the event, and you can click the "notify me" button to receive a heads-up before the live stream begins.

It's too early for us to know exactly when and where the event will take place, but if Samsung sticks to its usual timeline, it'll probably be in the second or third week of January. Lately, we've heard some chatter that Samsung could be delaying the launch of its next flagship by several weeks! A new leak suggests that we may see these devices only in March 2026, which is way off schedule for the Korean OEM.

So, what can we expect from the Galaxy Unpacked event, and will Samsung's new offerings level up this year? Let's "Unpack" it for you.

Samsung Galaxy S26 Pro, Plus, Ultra, and Edge

Word on the street once was that Samsung might be switching things up with its next flagship lineup, giving up the Plus variant for the Edge, and adding a "Pro" moniker to its base device. However, later rumors suggested that Samsung was retaining the Plus model, making it a four-phone lineup.

Rumors then suggested that Samsung allegedly halted production of the S26 Edge while holding onto its basic trio — the Galaxy S26, S26 Plus, and S26 Ultra, ditching the "Pro" moniker on the base model. More recently, leaks indicate that Samsung could keep both the Edge and Plus models, retaining a four-phone lineup.

As for the main trio's design, Samsung doesn't seem to be making drastic changes to it, at least according to the latest leaks. The devices appear to resemble their predecessors; however, they might feature a thinner profile, similar to the recent Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7. If the Korean OEM is chasing thinness, it could end up using thinner camera modules integrated into the rear panel, making the frame sleeker. CAD renders of Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy S26 lineup confirm that the base and Ultra models won't look different.

However, the Galaxy S26 Edge could show up with its rear panel dominated by a camera island that spans nearly the phone’s entire width, much like Apple’s iPhone 17 Pro.

Speaking of cameras, the Galaxy S26 would retain its predecessor's camera array. On the other hand, the Galaxy S26 Ultra might get a fresh set of lenses. Leaks suggest a larger 200MP Sony main sensor, while others suggest minimal hardware changes for the quad-camera setup with a new 200MP main, 50MP ultrawide, 10MP 3x telephoto, and 50MP 5x periscope lens.

Rumors also indicate that the new Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip could power phones in some regions, while others could get the Exynos 2600 processor. All models are rumored to feature a base of at least 12GB of RAM, with a possible jump to 16GB as an option. The series will launch with Android 16 and Samsung's One UI 8.5.

As for the battery, the base version could feature a 4,300 mAh battery, the Edge variant might have a larger 4,200 mAh battery, and the Ultra is expected to get a massive 5,500 mAh battery. S Pen fans can also breathe a sigh of relief as the phone will likely keep the S Pen, adopt a slimmer build, and support faster 60W charging.

But it's important to note that these are still preliminary leaks, and not all of these features may make it onto the actual device. We'll know more about these flagship models in the coming months.

One UI 8.5

Samsung launched One UI 8 much earlier than scheduled with its foldables this year, a move that comes as the Korean OEM usually delays major UI upgrades for its flagships. That said, the next lineup is rumored to get major features with One UI 8.5.

On the UI front, users can expect an expanded dark theme, a forced icon theming option, lock screen widget support, and a universal cursor when using external displays. For media, Samsung is introducing improvements such as new Audio APIs, an HDR/SDR brightness slider, enhanced media router privacy, and personal audio sharing via the output switcher.

One UI 8.5 is also expected to heavily leverage AI heavily, as the company is supposedly developing a "Notification Summaries" feature that will provide quick recaps of lengthy messages and group conversations, which could be done with a simple toggle.

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What really excited us is the rumored "privacy display" feature that is allegedly in the works. This could be what makes the Galaxy S26 series' big product stand out from everything else out there right now. We first saw mentions of this feature back in September; however, just a few days ago, another tipster posted screenshots showing the toggle option for this "privacy display."

As the name suggests, this feature could limit how much of your screen is visible to those standing next to you, especially when you're in a crowded area and entering your banking details on your device.

Other than the above, we also have a few more leaks showing us the other features, like AI notification summaries, which summarize long conversational notifications. A new priority notifications feature was also spotted, allowing users to designate certain app alerts as important so they don't get lost among the dozen notifications you get in a day.

One UI 8.5 could also bring a game-changing feature, offering presets for Pro camera controls. This would allow users to quickly save and swap between preferred settings for ISO, aperture, white balance, shutter speed, etc., eliminating the need to manually adjust them every time. You will also be able to share these presets for collaborative projects or with family and friends.

Galaxy Buds 4

As for the next-gen Galaxy Buds, we have a few leaks so far that hint at their existence. Last month, a leak suggested that the Korean OEM has started naming its next buds, the Galaxy Buds 4 and Galaxy Buds 4 Pro, using what appear to be internal code names. The test server build supposedly holds clues in its code about the alleged earbuds, with hints to base and Pro model numbers SM-R540 and SM-R640, respectively.

Since they were found in the strings in Samsung's test server code, there's not enough information about them, so nothing on specs or features as yet. But we do know that they exist and are in the works. In another leak from tipster Alfaturk on X, it claims the company has also started developing the firmware for these alleged Buds 4 and 4 Pro models. We'll probably see more as we get closer to the launch, allegedly in January.

Galaxy Z TriFold

Samsung has repeatedly dropped hints that it is working on a tri-fold device, from the January Unpacked to MWC this year. And earlier this week (Oct. 28), we were finally privy to an official first look at the most-awaited trifold. At the APEC Summit in South Korea, the company officially unveiled the Galaxy Z TriFold.

Unfortunately, neither media nor attendees were allowed to use their phones at the event, but according to Korean outlet Dailian, the prototype was showcased behind a glass display. An animation played on the glass display, showing how the foldable would work.

The Galaxy Z TriFold will feature two hinges and three folding display parts (hence the name 'TriFold'). However, unlike the Huawei Mate XT that folds outward and inward, the Galaxy Z TriFold will use a U-shaped mechanism — meaning both outer folding screens will fold inward, as seen in the video below.

The device sports a U-shaped fold, all but confirming that Samsung’s Trifold features a central cover display flanked by two panels that fold around it. The animation also shows another interesting detail about the alleged cameras on the device, which lets you shoot selfies with the main rear cameras.

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However, it could feature a "newly developed display and film." Other alleged specifications are that the device's main internal display will be around 9.96 inches, and the external display will be 6.49 inches, which is slightly larger than the Huawei Mate XT.

As for other details, it is said to sport a titanium frame, 16GB of RAM, and a Snapdragon chipset, and without a doubt, it will come with a hefty price tag.

More recently, a "person familiar with the company's plans" told CNN that the U.S. has been a part of their launch discussions. Samsung was rumored to launch its Trifold phone first only in South Korea, before expanding it across other regions based on how the phone fares in the domestic market.

However, it's unclear if a U.S. launch will happen at the same time, if at all. A staggered release could happen, which means we'd have to wait a bit longer to see the Trifold stateside, possibly during the Galaxy S26 launch. It's conjecture at this point, but either way, we'll be keeping an eye on this one.