Samsung's Galaxy S26 family is now available, and the Galaxy S26 Ultra once again got the lion's share of upgrades. On top of a slight redesign that brings it in line with the rest of the family aesthetically, the Galaxy S26 Ultra also features a display with a new "privacy mode" and improved camera lenses.
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra plans
The Galaxy S26 Ultra is available on mobile plans from Telstra, Optus, and Vodafone. The three providers all offer the choice of 24-month and 36-month repayments. A 24-month term means you own your Galaxy S26 Ultra faster, while a 36-month term brings down your monthly cost.
36-month Galaxy S26 Ultra plans
24-month Galaxy S26 Ultra plans
Follow these links to compare plans for the rest of the Galaxy S26 family:
If you're looking to get your Galaxy S26 Ultra on a plan, there are a couple of offers to consider.
Vodafone: If you grab your Galaxy S26 Ultra from Vodafone, you'll get a $700 discount divided across the length of your repayment. This works out to be a saving of $19.44 per month on a 36-month term. This offer is available until withdrawn. Vodafone also has a $14 per month discount on its plans, which runs until March 19.
On top of this, you can get $300 in extra credit if you trade in your old phone toward your Galaxy S26 Ultra. This is on top of the phone's existing value, and is available until April 14.
Optus: If you go through Optus, you'll save $700 across the length of your term. That's a discount of $19.44 per month on a 36-month repayment. You can also score a free Galaxy Watch 8 if you add a $10 per month Watch plan to your phone. These offers run until April 4.
Telstra: If you pick a Telstra plan to go with your Galaxy S26 Ultra, you'll save $500 on the device. This is divided by the repayment term, and works out to be a saving of $13.88 per month if you go with a 36-month option. This deal runs until April 7.
How much does the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra cost in Australia?
Galaxy S26 devices all got more expensive this year, with prices increasing between $50 and $250 depending on the model. The standard Galaxy S26 Ultra's base model had the smallest increase of the three new devices, getting a $50 hike to $2,199.
Here's full pricing for the Galaxy S26 family:
| Phone | RRP | See price on | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Samsung Galaxy S26 (256GB) | $1,549 | Samsung | Amazon |
| Samsung Galaxy S26 (512GB) | $1,849 | Samsung | Amazon |
| Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus (256GB) | $1,849 | Samsung | Amazon |
| Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus (512GB) | $2,149 | Samsung | Amazon |
| Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra (256GB) | $2,199 | Samsung | Amazon |
| Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra (512GB) | $2,499 | Samsung | Amazon |
| Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra (1TB) | $2,949 | Samsung | Amazon |
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Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra features

As with recent years, Samsung saved its biggest upgrades for the Galaxy S26 Ultra. On top of a new Snapdragon Elite Gen 5 chipset, the Galaxy S26 Ultra also benefits from a display with a "privacy mode" and improved cameras.
On top of this, there are a few new Galaxy AI features across the Galaxy S26 family, however. "Now Nudge" is the big new addition, and is meant to bring up contextually useful information when performing tasks. For example, if someone texts to ask if you're free at a certain time, the Now Nudge will check your calendar.
Samsung is also upgrading Now Brief to have more personalised updates based on your usage, and Now Bar to be more proactive. For example, if you've got a meeting in your calendar and there's traffic, you might get a Now Bar prompt encouraging you to leave early.
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra design
The Galaxy S26 Ultra maintains the same 6.9-inch display size as the Galaxy S25 Ultra, but has rounded corners to make it look more like its sibling. It now also has a new camera bump that's in line with the rest of the family.
While the display itself hasn't changed, it now has a "privacy mode" that uses a combination of software and hardware to obscure content to onlookers. When privacy mode is switched on, viewing angles are reduced for anyone not directly in front of the screen.
This can be toggled via settings or automatically when using certain apps, such as a banking app. Privacy mode can also be used to hide parts of the screen, such as notifications.
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra camera
The Galaxy S26 Ultra has a similar configuration to last year's model: a 200MP primary lens, 50MP ultra-wide lens, 10MP 3x zoom lens, 50MP 5x zoom lens, and a 12MP selfie camera. The 200MP lens and 50MP zoom lens both have faster apertures, however. This allows for more light capture, which results in better low-light photography and less motion.
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra camera samples
Check out these camera samples taken on the Galaxy S26 Ultra. Click or tap on any photo to see a larger version.
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra battery
The Galaxy S26 Ultra has a 5,000mAh battery - just like the Galaxy S25 Ultra. In our testing, we found this was able to achieve up to seven hours of screen time per charge. That's enough for a full day of usage with a comfortable buffer.
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra processor
The Galaxy S26 Ultra is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 optimised for it. Samsung says this offers 19% faster processing than the Galaxy S25 Ultra and 24% faster graphics.
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra 5G
The Galaxy S26 Ultra naturally has 5G connectivity.
WhistleOut's coverage checker tool has 5G coverage maps, making it easy to see whether you can get 5G. All you need to do is pop in your address when searching for a new phone plan. After you've done so and hit Search, you can jump straight to the coverage map by tapping See Coverage Map and then tapping Click To Activate Interactive Map.
This map will show you what kind of coverage you have in your area. 5G coverage is highlighted using the darkest shade of purple, but unticking 4G and 3G can help make it clearer. The drop-down menu lets you choose between telcos.
Coverage maps are only approximate, only show outdoor coverage, and may be impacted by local conditions such as buildings.
| Galaxy S26 | Galaxy S26 Plus | Galaxy S26 Ultra | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Display | Flat 6.3-inch | Flat 6.7-inch | Flat 6.9-inch with Privacy Mode |
| Resolution | 1080p+ | Quad HD+ | Quad HD+ |
| Refresh Rate | 1 - 120Hz | 1 - 120Hz | 1 - 120Hz |
| Rear Cameras | 50MP + 12MP + 10MP | 50MP + 12MP + 10MP | 200MP + 50MP + 10MP + 50MP |
| Front Camera | 12MP | 12MP | 12MP |
| Processor | Exynos 2600 | Exynos 2600 | Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 |
| Storage | 256GB - 512GB | 256GB - 512GB | 256GB - 1TB |
| RAM | 12GB | 12GB | 12GB - 16GB |
| Battery | 4,300mAh | 4,900mAh | 5,000mAh |
| Water-Resistance | IP68
|
IP68 | IP68 |
| Durability | Gorilla Glass Victus 2 | Gorilla Glass Victus 2 | Gorilla Glass Armor 2 |
| 5G | Sub 6 | Sub 6 | Sub 6 |
| Material | Aluminium | Aluminium | Aluminium |
| S Pen | No | No | Yes |
| Price | From $1,449 | From $1,849 | From $2,199 |
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra plan providers
Telstra, Optus, and Vodafone are all stocking the Galaxy S26 Ultra. Here's a breakdown of the major benefits you can expect each provider to offer.
Telstra Galaxy S26 Ultra plans
Telstra Galaxy plans are often the priciest on the Australian market, but they do come with a host of perks.
Telstra lets you pay your Galaxy off over 12, 24, or 36 months, and all plans are free from excess data charges. If you go over your cap, your data will simply be slowed to speeds of 1.5Mbps, which is still fast enough to stream video in SD. But speeds may be slower during peak times.
Optus Galaxy S26 Ultra plans
- Discounted access to streaming services through SubHub
- $5 for 5GB of roaming data when overseas
Optus Galaxy plans come with solid data inclusions.
Higher-end Optus plans also come with unlimited international calls to selected destinations included with the plan.
All Optus plans are contract-free, and devices can be paid off across 12, 24, or 36 months.
In addition, all Optus postpaid plans are free from excess data charges. If you go over your allowance, you'll be slowed to 1.5Mbps rather than being billed $10 per gigabyte.
Vodafone Galaxy S26 Ultra plans
Vodafone Galaxy plans may not come with the kinds of freebies and perks you can get from Optus or Telstra, but they have bonuses when it comes to bundling.
If you have a Vodafone mobile plan, you can get most of the telco's internet plans - NBN, 5G home internet, and 4G home internet - at a discounted rate.
Vodafone customers also save 5% on their total mobile bill for each postpaid mobile plan on their account after the first. This discount maxes out at 20% and doesn't include handset repayments.
Vodafone postpaid plans are all free from excess data charges. When you go over your plan allowance, you'll be capped at 2Mbps.
You'll also get access to Vodafone's $5 roaming, which is still easily the best way to travel with your Australian phone number.
How to choose the best Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra plan for you
There are a few key factors to keep in mind when picking a Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra plan:
- Answering "how much mobile data do I use" can help you avoid overspending. Don't pay for more data than you need
- Decide whether you want to pay off your phone shorter on a 24-month plan or get a smaller bill over a longer period of time on a 36-month plan
- If you're a frequent overseas traveller consider any international roaming inclusions
- You may also want to make international phone calls so check if the destinations you may be calling are included in your plan
For a breakdown of the best Samsung plans - from unlimited data plans to plans with international calls - check out our guide.
These are the most popular NBN 50 plans with WhistleOut users this week:
Alex Choros
