What you need to know
- YouTuber Sahil Karoul purchased the Galaxy S26 Ultra early in Dubai and shared hands-on videos across social media.
- The leak shows off the Privacy Display feature that darkens at off-angles, mimicking the effect of a privacy screen protector.
- The S Pen remains without Bluetooth support after the feature was removed from the Samsung flagship lineup last year.
- Leaked photos also show the new device alongside the iPhone 17 Pro Max and a damaged unit of the previous S25 Ultra.
We’re just days away from the Galaxy S26 series launch, but that has not stopped the leaks. A massive new leak has given us a full look at the Galaxy S26 Ultra just ahead of its official debut.
YouTuber Sahil Karoul took to X to claim they managed to purchase a retail Galaxy S26 Ultra unit in Dubai days before launch. The YouTuber says they paid $3300 for early access, which likely will not reflect the final retail price. Still, the leak offers a detailed look at the device ahead of the event.
In a series of posts, the YouTuber shared images of the Galaxy S26 Ultra box, which looks largely similar to last year’s packaging. The images also show the phone alongside devices like the iPhone 17 Pro Max and a Galaxy S25 Ultra, though the latter is in a damaged condition.
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(Image credit: Sahil Karoul on X)(Image credit: Sahil Karoul on X)(Image credit: Sahil Karoul on X)
Another video highlights the new Privacy Display feature. Samsung has been teasing this feature, which is designed to limit screen visibility from side angles. The video shows the display turning noticeably darker when viewed from the side.
There also appears to be a ‘Maximum privacy protection’ option that presumably increases the effect further, though the video doesn’t fully demonstrate it in use.
In another post, Sahil confirms that the S26 Ultra will continue without Bluetooth support in the S Pen. Samsung removed Bluetooth functionality from the S Pen starting with the Galaxy S25 Ultra, and that appears to remain the case here.
A video shows Sahil attempting to use the S Pen button to trigger the camera shutter, a feature that worked previously, but it no longer responds. This suggests the S Pen once again lacks Bluetooth connectivity, removing a feature many users found useful.
The YouTuber also shared a few sample photos taken with the Galaxy S26 Ultra, though they don’t reveal much in terms of quality differences. Even so, it is fair to say this leak has undercut much of Samsung’s launch surprise ahead of the February 25 event, where we will get a closer look at everything officially.
Android Central’s Take
This is a massive leak. Retailers and partners often get early access to devices, but this level of exposure before launch is unusual. It does raise questions about how Samsung allowed this to happen, and whether the company will respond publicly.
As for the Galaxy S26 Ultra itself, it appears to be a minor upgrade over the Galaxy S25 Ultra, assuming the leaks are accurate. That said, we will reserve final judgment until we have had proper hands-on time with the device.
