Exynos moves to restore its reputation... S26 differentiates with privacy and AI

SAN FRANCISCO – Lee Byung-chulThe core features of the "Samsung Galaxy S26" series, unveiled by Samsung Electronics on the 25th (local time), are an expanded artificial intelligence (AI) experience, stronger privacy protection, and professional-grade camera performance. In particular, the company newly integrated the AI agent "Perplexity AI," greatly broadening user choice. On top of this, the return of the Samsung Exynos mobile application processor (AP) after two years is drawing strong attention in the market.
■ AI suggests what you need... side-view blocking when entering passwordsThe hallmark of the S26 series’ AI is its "proactive personalization." It first understands the user’s mobile usage context and intent, then offers support accordingly.
A representative feature that embodies this is "Now Nudge." For example, if your mother writes in a family group chat, "Send me the New Year’s bow photos for Lunar New Year," you can tap the rounded nudge icon that appears in the input field to instantly find and share the photos. Previously, you had to open the Gallery app, search for the photos, and then share them, but this process has now been streamlined.
"Now Brief," which provides personalized briefings based on user data, has also been enhanced. It offers a comprehensive overview of your day, including calendar reminders and transportation information.
The AI agents now include Bixby, Gemini, and Perplexity AI. Bixby uses natural voice commands to control device settings. For instance, if you say, "The battery is at 30%, switch to a mode that lets it last longer," it will automatically adjust the relevant settings. Gemini can handle location-based ride-hailing with a simple command such as, "Call a taxi here."
The top-tier model in the series, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, is the first in the mobile industry to feature a built-in privacy protection function. Even without applying a physical privacy film, it blocks side viewing so that people next to you cannot see your phone screen. You can set it to activate only under specific conditions, such as when entering a password or using financial apps.■ Betting on a 2-nanometer AP... the return of ExynosFor the application processor (AP), which serves as the smartphone’s brain, the base and Plus models are equipped with Samsung’s in-house Exynos 2600 chipset, while the Ultra model uses Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5.
The Exynos 2600 was designed by the System LSI business under the Samsung Electronics Device Solutions (DS) Division and manufactured by Samsung Foundry using a 2-nanometer (nm, 1 nm = one-billionth of a meter) process based on a Gate-All-Around (GAA) transistor structure. It is the first AP in the industry to adopt a 2 nm GAA process. Due to past overheating issues, Samsung Exynos was not used in the S25 series, which instead adopted the Snapdragon 8 Elite Mobile Platform for all models. With the S26 series, Samsung Electronics is bringing back the Exynos 2600 in an effort to restore the brand’s reputation.
The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 used in the "Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra" delivers a 39% improvement in NPU performance over its predecessor, while CPU and GPU performance are enhanced by up to 19% and 24%, respectively.
The S26 series also incorporates Samsung’s picture-quality enhancement solution, the mobile Digital Natural Image engine (mDNIe), to render colors with greater nuance and realism. It supports Super Fast Charging 3.0, which can charge the battery to up to 75% in 30 minutes.
Notably, this is the first smartphone to feature a "Privacy Display" that limits side viewing angles. Users can define when it activates and what it applies to, such as when entering PIN codes, passwords, or unlock patterns that involve sensitive information. It also supports selectively hiding only notification pop-up banners.
■ 200-megapixel camera and pro video codec... stronger camera capabilitiesThe camera and AI features of the S26 are designed so that everyday users can venture into what used to be the domain of professionals.
The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra comes with a 200-megapixel wide-angle camera and a 50-megapixel telephoto camera offering an optical zoom level equivalent to 10x. With a wider aperture than the previous model, it supports clear shooting even in low-light environments. However, the camera performance of the S26 and S26+ remains the same as their predecessors.
For the first time on a Galaxy device, it supports the Advanced Professional Video (APV) codec for professional video production. This minimizes quality degradation even after multiple rounds of editing. The "Super Steady" stabilization feature for video recording now adds a new horizon lock option, helping users maintain a stable composition even when shooting on the move.


pride@fnnews.com correspondent Lee Byung-chul Reporter