The flagship Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra has received the top honor at Mobile World Congress 2026 in Barcelona, winning the Best in Show award at the Global Mobile Awards. The jury recognized it as the most impressive product presented at the entire exhibition, according to GizmoChina.

Why the S26 Ultra won

Experts highlighted the way the device’s hardware integrates with the software experience, particularly the One UI 8.5 interface and the suite of Galaxy AI features.

According to the judges, these tools simplify everyday tasks while also strengthening user privacy protections.

One feature that received special attention was Privacy Display, a built-in system designed to protect the screen from side viewing. It makes it harder for nearby people to see the display while preserving brightness and image quality for the owner.

Record-breaking preorders

Even before its official release, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra series has shown extremely strong demand.

South Korean telecom operators report that preorder rates are already exceeding those of the previous generation, the Samsung Galaxy S25, which collected about 1.3 million preorders.

Roughly 70% of all preorders for the new lineup are for the Ultra model, indicating that the top-tier version has become the most anticipated device in the series.

Why the award matters

The Best in Show title at Mobile World Congress is one of the most prestigious awards in the mobile industry. It is not given for a single feature — such as camera performance or display quality — but for the overall product experience, including innovation, usability, and how effectively the device addresses real user needs.

The strong preorder numbers suggest that Samsung’s approach has resonated with consumers. The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra appears to combine several highly anticipated elements: powerful AI capabilities, strong privacy protections, and the traditional strengths of flagship smartphones such as cameras, display quality, and battery life.

In brief

The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra won the Best in Show award at Mobile World Congress 2026, with the Global Mobile Awards jury praising its combination of hardware performance, One UI 8.5, and Galaxy AI features, particularly the privacy-focused Privacy Display. Preorders are already breaking records, with the Ultra model accounting for about 70% of all orders in the series and surpassing the pace of the Samsung Galaxy S25 generation. This suggests Samsung’s latest flagship is already shaping up to be one of the most anticipated smartphones of the year.