Galaxy S26 preorders set new record in South Korea
Samsung Electronics Co. announced Friday that preorders for its Galaxy S26 series smartphones in South Korea had reached 1.35 million units, setting a new record for the flagship S lineup, Qazinform News Agency reports, citing Kyodo.
The figure surpasses the approximately 1.3 million preorders placed for the Galaxy S25 in 2025, the company said.
Among the three models - the Galaxy S26, Galaxy S26+, and Galaxy S26 Ultra - the premium Ultra edition accounted for 70% of total preorders, underscoring strong demand for high-end devices. White and black were the most popular colors for the Ultra and base models, while the S26+ was most frequently ordered in black and violet.
The Galaxy S26 Ultra introduces the industry’s first built-in privacy display and is powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy processor, which delivers a 39% improvement in neural processing unit performance compared with its predecessor.
Consumers who preordered the devices can activate them through local mobile carriers starting Friday. The official release is scheduled for Wednesday in South Korea, the United States, Britain, and India.
Earlier, Qazinform reported that Apple had introduced the new iPhone 17e, a more affordable model in the iPhone 17 lineup. The device combines a faster processor, upgraded camera system and expanded base storage, starting at $599.