Galaxy S26 Leak: AI-Focused Unpacked Event Delayed to Feb 25

Samsung's Galaxy S26 event is coming to San Francisco. It's all about AI.

Leaked Galaxy S26 Ultra render from OnLeaks showing the new design. Image: OnLeaks x AndroidHeadlines

The tech world has been holding its breath for the first concrete details on Samsung's 2026 flagship, and now, a significant leak has surfaced. Mark your calendars, but use a pencil: the Galaxy S26 Unpacked event is now rumored to be happening on February 25, 2026.

This new date, a shift from Samsung's recent late-January launches, comes from a MoneyToday report. But it's not just the date that's telling, it's the location. Samsung is reportedly bringing its biggest event of the year back to San Francisco, a city that has become the undeniable global hub of artificial intelligence.

This shift is no accident. The delay and the location are deeply connected, pointing to a major strategic pivot for the Galaxy S26 series. Let’s break down what these rumors really mean for Samsung and for you.

A Strategic Delay: Why San Francisco and a Later Launch?

For the past few years, Samsung has kicked off the tech year with Unpacked events for the Galaxy S24 (Jan 17) and S25 (Jan 22). A move to late February, while only a few weeks, is a significant adjustment in the fast-paced smartphone world.

The "why" appears to be twofold.

First, the location. By choosing San Francisco, Samsung is planting its flag and making a powerful statement. This isn't just a phone launch; it's being positioned as an AI-focused Unpacked event. The company is signaling that the Galaxy S26 will be its most intelligent, context-aware device ever, and it wants to launch it in the very heart of the AI revolution. This will be Samsung's first S-series launch in the city since the Galaxy S23.

Second, the delay is reportedly due to managing a major change in the device lineup itself.

S26 Edge Scrapped? Samsung Reverts to Its Classic Strategy

Here’s the real story behind the schedule change. You may recall the rumors and subsequent launch of the Galaxy S25 Edge last year. That slim, specialized model was a gamble. According to industry whispers, that gamble didn't pay off, with the S25 Edge reportedly seeing disappointing sales.

As a result, Samsung is allegedly scrapping plans for a "Galaxy S26 Edge."

This last-minute decision to revert to the traditional, successful three-phone structure (Galaxy S26, Galaxy S26+, and Galaxy S26 Ultra) has likely caused a ripple effect, forcing a delay to finalize the new lineup. For consumers, this is likely good news. It shows Samsung is listening to the market and focusing its efforts on refining the models that users know and love, rather than stretching its resources thin on a niche product.

However, the story might have a twist. Rumors persist that a slim model, a potential Galaxy S26 Edge successor, may not be canceled entirely. Instead, it might be teased at the February 25 event, with an official product release following later in the year. This would mirror the S25 Edge's launch strategy, which also saw a brief announcement at Unpacked before a separate, later release.

Under the Hood: The 2nm Chipset War Heats Up.

The Galaxy S26 isn't just about AI software; it's getting a monumental hardware upgrade to power it. The latest leaks detail a dual-chip strategy that could create the most interesting performance debate in years.

• For the S26 & S26+ (Most of the World): The Exynos 2600
  
  Samsung is reportedly ready to unleash its first-ever 2nm-class smartphone chip, the Exynos 2600. This is a technological milestone. Leaked specs point to a powerhouse 10-core CPU paired with an AMD RDNA-based Xclipse 960 GPU. This 2nm process should deliver a massive leap in both power and battery efficiency—critical for running the intensive on-device Galaxy AI models that the San Francisco event is set to highlight.
  
  
• For the S26 Ultra (Globally): The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5
  
  The top-tier Galaxy S26 Ultra will reportedly use the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy chip exclusively in all markets. This chip, built on TSMC's 3nm process, will be Qualcomm's custom-tuned beast for Samsung's flagship. This split ensures that Ultra buyers get the absolute peak of Snapdragon performance, while the standard models get to showcase Samsung's own cutting-edge 2nm silicon.

As per tradition, all S26 models sold in the USA, Canada, and China will likely feature the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, regardless of model.

What This Means for Samsung Fans

Let's put this all together. The Galaxy S26 launch date delay to February 25 isn't a sign of trouble. It's a sign of focus.

Samsung is taking a few extra weeks to get this right. They are doubling down on what works (the classic S/S+/Ultra lineup) and betting the company's future on next-generation AI. By launching in San Francisco, they are telling Google, Apple, and the entire world that "Galaxy AI" is not just a feature; it's the new standard.

While the delay may be a small test of our patience, all signs point to a more polished, powerful, and intelligent flagship worth waiting for.