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Android Authority's Stephen Radochia initially criticized Google's higher Pixel 11 series pricing and the base model's reduced RAM, but after a month using the Pixel 11 Pro XL he reports the phone's display, cameras, battery life, and Gemini Intelligence features justify the cost. A reader poll cited in his piece showed 59% of respondents still plan to stick with their older Pixel rather than upgrade.
Samsung quietly raised prices on the Galaxy S26, S26 Plus and S26 Ultra by $100 without an official announcement, though the Galaxy S26 FE and new foldables were unaffected. The 512GB Galaxy S26 now costs $1,200, the S26 Plus $1,400, the S26 Ultra $1,600, and the 1TB S26 Ultra jumped $200 to $2,000.
Samsung has hiked prices across its Galaxy S26, S26+ and S26 Ultra lineup by at least $100 on its website, with the Ultra's 1TB model jumping $200 to $2,000. The base Galaxy S26 with 256GB now starts at $1,000, $200 more than the equivalent Galaxy S25. The Galaxy S26 FE, released a month ago, was not affected by the increase.
Samsung has increased US pricing for the Galaxy S26 lineup, adding $100 to the 256GB and 512GB variants of the S26, S26 Plus and S26 Ultra, and $200 to the 1TB S26 Ultra. The base S26 now starts at $999.99, the Plus at $1,199.99, and the Ultra at $1,399.99, with the top 1TB Ultra model reaching $1,999.99. A Yonhap News report says Samsung has made similar increases in South Korea.
OnePlus executive Li Jie Louis announced via Weibo that the upcoming OnePlus 16 will pack a 9,000mAh battery, up 1,700mAh from the OnePlus 15. The company also confirmed 50W wireless charging with bypass support, alongside previously revealed specs including a 185Hz display, Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Gen 6 chip, a 200MP main camera, a 50MP ultrawide, and a 50MP 3x telephoto lens. The phone launches in China on October 12 but won't reach Europe or the US.
Samsung has raised US prices on nearly every Galaxy S26 model by $100, and by $200 on the 1TB S26 Ultra, according to Phone Arena. The base S26 now costs $999, bringing it $200 above the original S25 price once an earlier $100 launch-price increase is factored in. The Galaxy S26 FE is the only model in the lineup that wasn't hit by this latest increase.
Amazon has priced the 512GB Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra at $1,163.50, down from its $1,499.99 list price, a $336.49 discount. The model includes 12GB RAM, a 6.9-inch display with Privacy Display tech, a titanium frame, a 200MP main camera with dual telephoto lenses, and a 5,000mAh battery.
Samsung has released version 6.6.18.22 of the Galaxy Store, relocating the Menu option from the top-left hamburger icon to the floating bottom bar. The bottom bar now holds four items: Apps, Games, My Galaxy, and Menu. The update is rolling out globally to Galaxy devices, including those running One UI 8.5 and One UI 9.
Samsung's support pages now list stable One UI 9 builds for the Galaxy S26, S26 Plus, and S26 Ultra on T-Mobile, Metro by T-Mobile, and US Cellular, carrying build S94xUSQU4BZID with a September 5, 2026 security patch. Unlocked Galaxy S26 Ultra units are also beginning to receive the update via a smaller download, and Samsung has published a full changelog covering Galaxy AI, Samsung Health, privacy, Bixby, accessibility, and DeX features.
Android Authority writer Zac Kew-Denniss outlined features found on other Android phones but absent from Samsung Galaxy and Google Pixel devices, including ultra-fast charging, IR blasters, dual desktop modes with advanced app cloning, Moto Actions-style gestures, and Nothing's Glyph lighting system. The piece notes Samsung's Galaxy S26 Ultra tops out at 60W charging and the Pixel 11 Pro at 45W, compared to phones like the OnePlus 15 at 80W and even faster options available outside the US.
Samsung devices running Android 12 or later include a Phone Diagnostics tool under Settings > Device care > Diagnostics, letting users test individual hardware components or run all checks at once. The same diagnostics suite is also accessible through the Samsung Members app. A test run on a Galaxy S26 Ultra produced 22 separate checks covering the phone's hardware.
Multiple Samsung Galaxy device owners, mostly using the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, report that YouTube videos freeze with audio still playing after switching away from the app and back. The issue has been discussed for weeks on a Korean Samsung community forum, with some users of the standard Z Fold 8 and Galaxy S26 Ultra also reporting similar problems. Samsung has not publicly responded to the reports.