Samsung held its annual Unpacked event last week and introduced a fresh wave of Galaxy devices for 2026. Alongside updates to its audio lineup with the Galaxy Buds 4 and Galaxy Buds 4 Pro, the company officially revealed its latest flagship smartphones: the Galaxy S26, Galaxy S26+, and Galaxy S26 Ultra. Pre-orders for all three models are now open through major retailers, though Samsung is pushing several incentives for customers who purchase directly from its own website.
The biggest promotion centers on Samsung’s trade-in program. Customers who pre-order an S26 series device through Samsung can receive up to $900 in trade-in credit when they send in an eligible older smartphone. The exact value depends on the device being exchanged, but high-end recent models can significantly offset the cost of upgrading. In many cases, the credit removes a large portion of the retail price, making the newest Galaxy phones far more accessible for longtime Samsung users ready to replace an aging handset.
Samsung has also accounted for buyers who don’t have a suitable trade-in available. Pre-orders placed without a device exchange still qualify for a $150 Samsung credit. That credit does not reduce the phone’s purchase price directly, but it can be applied toward other products in Samsung’s ecosystem when added to the same order. For anyone already considering some accessories, the credit effectively lowers the cost of expanding their Galaxy setup.
One use for the credit sure to be popular is towards Samsung’s newly announced Galaxy Buds 4. The wireless earbuds are already discounted to $162 on Samsung’s website, meaning the $150 credit leaves just $12 remaining to pay.
New to the S26 Lineup
Hardware changes across the Galaxy S26 lineup remain relatively modest this year. Battery sizes remain consistent with the previous generation, storage configurations carry over, and Samsung continues to rely on the same processor platform used in last year’s models.
One notable upgrade appears at the top of the storage range. Customers selecting the 1TB Galaxy S26 Ultra receive a bump to 16GB of RAM. That configuration was not available with last year’s Galaxy S25 Ultra.
The most distinctive feature in the new lineup arrives exclusively on the Galaxy S26 Ultra. Samsung has introduced a built-in Privacy Display that protects on-screen content from people viewing the device at an angle. Traditional privacy screen protectors use physical filters that dim the display from side perspectives. Samsung’s implementation works directly within the display hardware itself.
Because the feature operates at the pixel level, users can enable or disable the privacy filter through system settings. Samsung also allows the feature to activate automatically for specific apps. Messaging, banking, or email applications can trigger the privacy mode when opened helping prevent nearby onlookers from reading sensitive information. Then you can have it turn off when you’re going to who you’re buddy something on TikTok.
Samsung’s direct pre-order deals also include a couple exclusive color options. Anyone ordering through the company’s website can select the finishes Silver Shadow or Pink Gold, shades not always available through third-party retailers.
Pre-orders for the Galaxy S26 lineup remain open until the official release date on March 11. Customers planning an upgrade may find the strongest value through Samsung’s trade-in offers or accessory credits, especially when bundled with newly released Galaxy devices.
