Thairath Online had the chance to try the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, the flagship smartphone for the first half of 2026. This year, Galaxy AI has been upgraded by incorporating Perplexity, in addition to partnering with Google's Gemini.
The first noticeable difference is the curvature of the Galaxy S26 Ultra. This year’s design curves more ergonomically to fit the palm compared to the Galaxy S24 Ultra and Galaxy S25 Ultra. Handling the actual device, the more rounded shape eliminates the uncomfortable sharp edges that dug into the hand previously.
The standout feature this time is the Privacy Display, a screen privacy technology. Unlike software filters that block side views of sensitive information, this uses hardware-level technology called Flex Magic Pixel. Users can toggle it on or off quickly via Quick Settings or the device’s main Settings menu.
When Privacy Display is enabled, the pixels "compress the viewing angle" immediately. People sitting beside you—for example, on the train—will see your screen as a dark blur, as if the device is off, while you looking straight on still see a perfectly clear image.
Additionally, Privacy Display can be customized to turn on or off per app, blocking sensitive information from onlookers on a case-by-case basis.
Samsung has moved beyond the AI wars by positioning itself as an open ecosystem brand, not limiting itself to Google’s Gemini alone. It has added Perplexity, another AI player in the market, which can be voice-activated with the command “Hey Plex.”
Regarding Perplexity’s arrival, this AI excels in deep information retrieval. It is favored by researchers and those who value accuracy, functioning like a search engine by scraping data from the internet to provide immediate answers. It’s well-suited for urgent news, sports results, and stock prices.
Perplexity also stands out for its intelligence in narrowing broad user questions to deliver the most relevant questions and answers.
The Galaxy S26 Ultra’s S Pen is somewhat disappointing as it lacks embedded Bluetooth technology. This means the S Pen functions solely as a stylus for writing and drawing, without the exciting features found in previous models or the legendary Samsung Galaxy Note. Remote control functions like shutter release or presentation control are no longer available.
Regarding design, only the S Pen tip color matches the phone’s color, while the pen body itself is available only in black and white.
The Galaxy S26 Ultra focuses heavily on night photography, or Nightography, featuring an aperture of f/1.4—the widest ever in the Ultra series.
The rear camera lenses appear slightly larger and more protruding than before. Testing photos and videos shows much smoother noise reduction and stabilization so effective that using a gimbal is almost unnecessary.
During hands-on time with the Galaxy S26 Ultra, one practical feature stood out: Call Screening. If you don’t want to answer a call—perhaps worried it’s a scammer who might record your voice—AI can answer the call on your behalf.
There is also a photo editing feature called Photo Assist, which supports commands in both Thai and English. For example, you can instruct it to change a building background to the Colosseum in Rome or Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium.
