Samsung Galaxy S26
Samsung Brings Support for Apple's AirDrop to S26 Series
Samsung is starting to bring compatibility with Apple's AirDrop to its Android phones via a phased software update. Google announced last November that it was adding AirDrop compatibility to Android's similar Quick Share feature. At the time, Google said rollout of the feature would start with its own Pixel 10 series, then expand to "more Android devices" over time. Quick Share and AirDrop are both designed to allow easy wireless sharing of files and content between two nearby devices, but were previously not compatible between iOS and Android. Samsung's rollout will start today with the Galaxy S26 series — the company's newest flagship phones — in South Korea. It will then expand to other regions, including North America, and then expand to other Samsung devices.
Google Beta-Testing Agentic AI in Android
Google is beginning to roll out an "agentic" version of Google Gemini AI for Android, meaning you can ask Gemini to perform multi-step tasks on its own on your phone. Gemini will carry out these steps in a "virtual window" in the background, with a live notification showing progress on the task over time (with the option to stop at any time). The feature is strictly limited to select apps and devices for now, and is only in "beta" testing status. The feature is launching first on the Google Pixel 10 series and Samsung Galaxy S26 series. Initially, it is designed to work only with "select apps in the food, grocery and rideshare categories". As an example, you could ask Gemini to "reorder your last meal on DoorDash".
Samsung's S26 Series Saves the Big Upgrades for the Top-End Ultra Model
Samsung has announced its Galaxy S26 series of flagship phones for 2026. The company has seemingly reverted to its traditional arrangement of models: S26, S26+, and S26 Ultra, with no mention (yet) of a thinner "Edge" model. All models sport updated specs, including the custom Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy chipset. The S26 base model also has a larger battery (4,300 mAh, up from 4,000) but at the expense of mmWave 5G support. Samsung has saved its biggest upgrades for the top-end S26 Ultra. This includes a first-of-its-kind Privacy Display. This feature limits visibility of on-screen content from side angles. But unlike traditional privacy films, it can be switched on and off dynamically, and works in both portrait and landscape orientations. Furthermore, it can be controlled on a pixel level, so it can obscure only your notifications (that might contain one-time codes), for example. The Ultra model also has main and telephoto cameras with wider apertures, enhancing photo quality. The Ultra also supports the new APV video codec, enabling "visually lossless video quality that stays true even after repeated editing." The S26 Ultra also sports Samsung's 60-watt "Super Fast Charging 3.0", which can reach "up to 75% charge in just 30 minutes." Most other specs of the lineup are similar to last year's models. While the Ultra still starts at $1,300, the S26 and S26+ are now $100 more expensive, at $900 and $1,100, respectively. (This increase comes as the whole industry faces skyrocketing memory prices due to the boom in AI datacenter construction.) The S26 series will come in Cobalt Violet, White, Black, and Sky Blue. Samsung.com will also exclusively offer the Pink Gold and Silver Shadow colors. The Galaxy S26 series will ship March 11th.
