Galaxy S26 Ultra, Buds 4 Pro: 5 Unpacked Rumors

• Key Takeaways:
• Rumors point to a major camera and optical zoom upgrade for the Galaxy S26 Ultra, plus stronger on-device AI in One UI.
• Samsung may split chipset duties again: a new Snapdragon variant in some regions and an upgraded Exynos elsewhere.
• Buds 4 Pro are expected to bring improved ANC, longer battery life and higher-fidelity audio codecs.
• Samsung could tease AR-capable smart glasses or a new wearable to expand its Galaxy ecosystem.

What Samsung might unveil at Unpacked 2026

Samsung's Unpacked events traditionally mix hardware polish with headline-grabbing features. Based on leaks and sector chatter, five themes keep showing up around the Galaxy S26 Ultra, earbuds and possible smart glasses.

1) Galaxy S26 Ultra: Camera overhaul and optical zoom

Multiple leaks suggest the S26 Ultra will focus on photography: a redesigned camera island, larger sensors and an improved periscope telephoto module that targets higher optical zoom without sacrificing image quality. If true, this would put Samsung back in the spotlight for long-range mobile photography.

Higher base sensor sizes could also improve low-light shots, while upgraded image processing in One UI would aim to make those gains visible in everyday use.

2) Stronger on-device AI in One UI

Expect Samsung to highlight more on-device AI features — faster text processing, smarter photo editing and system-level assistants that reduce cloud dependency. These changes are likely presented as battery- and privacy-friendly enhancements built into One UI.

3) Chip strategy: Snapdragon and Exynos variants

The familiar split between Snapdragon and Exynos chips is likely to continue. Rumors point to a fresh flagship Snapdragon for major markets and a revised Exynos in others, with both optimized for AI workloads and power efficiency.

4) Buds 4 Pro: better ANC, battery and codecs

Samsung's next flagship earbuds are expected to improve active noise cancellation, extend battery life and support higher-quality wireless codecs for lossless or near-lossless audio. A refined fit and improved mic arrays could also target clearer calls and better ANC performance in noisy environments.

5) Smart glasses: a possible teaser

Speculation around lightweight AR-capable smart glasses has resurfaced. Samsung may use Unpacked to tease hardware or a developer preview rather than ship a final consumer product, signaling a long-term play into mixed reality and wearable displays.

Why it matters

If these rumors hold, Unpacked 2026 will emphasize photography, on-device AI and an expanding Galaxy ecosystem that ties phones, earbuds and potentially wearables closer together. The mix of hardware and software upgrades could shape Samsung's mobile strategy for the year ahead.