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YouTuber Showcases Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra Ahead Of Unpacked Event, Netizens In Shock

· Free Press Journal

Samsung Galaxy S26 series is all set to launch today, but ahead of the event, the most premium Ultra variant is already in the hands of several influencers across the globe. And this is not a review unit under embargo, these are proper retail units shopped from a Dubai market, and videos of the device are now parading the Internet, causing shockwaves. Industry observers are calling it a high-severity security failure.

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Tech YouTuber Sahil Karoul took to X to claim he managed to purchase a retail Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra unit in Dubai days before launch, paying $3,300 for early access - a figure that likely does not reflect the final retail price. He then did what YouTubers do - posted hands-on images and videos across his social media accounts, giving the world a full, unfiltered look at Samsung's as-yet-unannounced flagship. Karoul was under no embargo obligation, nor did he reveal his unit source.

The scale and brazenness of the leak raised serious questions about Samsung's internal controls and distribution security, undermining much of the Unpacked event's impact as the device's design and key features became public knowledge well before the curtain rose.

Where did the unit come from?

The unit Karoul received was a Samsung store Africa-bound variant. He paid around $3,300 to a person supposedly working at the Samsung store in an undisclosed Dubai location. More information later confirmed that the seller was handing over units without concern for consequences.

After further posts, Karoul revealed that the device had already dropped 4,000 AED in price within a single day, bringing it to around 8,000 AED on the grey market - still roughly 1.5 times more expensive than its expected real-world cost. He also noted that the 512GB variant had since made its way to market too.

The unit is an international variant made in Vietnam, featuring 12GB RAM and 256GB storage, presented in a white colour. The retail box contains a USB Type-C to USB Type-C cable, a SIM card ejection tool, and a Quick Start Guide - with no charger included, in line with current industry norms.

Karoul shows off the Privacy Display

The most anticipated feature of the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, and the one Samsung was almost certainly counting on to generate Unpacked headlines, is the Privacy Display - and Karoul put it front and centre.

The footage shows the display going noticeably darker when viewed from off angles, resembling the effect of a privacy screen protector. It is an optional toggle - once activated, content remains perfectly visible when viewed straight on but appears dark or blank from the side.

The display settings on the Galaxy S26 Ultra feature a Privacy Display toggle. Next to it is a secondary mode labelled "Maximum privacy protection," which switches on the maximum level of on-screen content security on the device.

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra design revealed

Beyond the Privacy Display, Karoul's footage confirmed several meaningful design evolutions from the S25 Ultra.

The Galaxy S26 Ultra's rear looks flatter and more unified, with individual camera rings removed and a circular periscope module that stands out subtly against the white finish. Rounded edges return, prioritising in-hand comfort.

One notable absence: the S Pen continues to lack Bluetooth support. A clip shows Karoul pressing the S Pen button to try to trigger the camera shutter - a feature that previously worked when Bluetooth functions were present - but the phone does not respond.

Internet reactions: "A high-severity security incident"

The leak drew an unusually pointed response from prominent Samsung insider Ice Universe, who called it something far more serious than a typical pre-launch render drop.

"The seriousness of this leak is far beyond the usual leaked official renders," Ice Universe wrote on X. "Render leaks are still, at their core, an information-level exposure. This time, it is a physical prototype-level loss of control. Completely different tier. Once a real device is exposed ahead of launch, it means: design details are fully confirmed, key selling points are prematurely revealed, launch event freshness takes a direct hit, and competitors gain real intelligence. This is no ordinary leak. This is a high-severity security incident."

Ice Universe also revealed that attempts to sell the unreleased S26 Ultra were detected well before the current wave of leaks, suggesting Samsung had ample time to intervene but seemingly failed to act decisively.

The YouTuber has been unapologetic throughout. His defence rests on a simple premise: he bought a retail unit through a legitimate transaction, with no exclusivity agreements or NDAs signed. He has no strings attached, he argues, and therefore no obligation to stay quiet.

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