Key points
- Samsung's Galaxy S26 Ultra made TIME's 2026 list
- Samsung also got a fridge and a monitor on it
- LG Electronics made the list with a wireless TV
- Samsung shares rose 2.62% in Seoul on Oct. 16
On Oct. 15, TIME named the Samsung Electronics (005930) Galaxy S26 Ultra one of its Best Inventions of 2026. It's the fourth time a Galaxy phone has made the list, Samsung said.
TIME also selected Samsung's Bespoke AI Family Hub refrigerator and Odyssey G8 gaming monitor. The company announced the selections in Seoul on Oct. 16. Samsung products have appeared on TIME's list every year since 2021, according to Yonhap News Agency (연합뉴스).
TIME picked the Galaxy S26 Ultra for its privacy screen
TIME called the S26 Ultra "a privacy-focused smartphone." The magazine highlighted its Privacy Display, saying the feature "can dim screen visibility from the side and make snooping nearly impossible."
Drew Blackard, Samsung's senior vice president of mobile product management, described it to TIME as a more flexible choice than a stick-on privacy screen protector. "The user can decide when it turns on," he said, "or limit visibility for specific content such as popup notifications."
TIME also wrote that not long after its spring release, the S26 Ultra became "the world's fastest selling Android phone of the year," even with a price over $1,000.
A fridge and a gaming monitor made it too
The Bespoke AI Family Hub refrigerator was picked for its AI Vision feature, which uses a camera inside the fridge to recognize food and keep track of it, Yonhap reported.
The 32-inch Odyssey G8 G80HS supports 6K resolution at 165Hz, and it can switch to 3K at up to 330Hz with one button, according to TIME. Samsung says it's the first gaming monitor to support 6K.
LG's wireless TV also made the list
LG Electronics (066570) is on this year's list with its OLED evo AI W6 wallpaper TV. The TV receives video and audio wirelessly from a separate box that can sit up to 10 meters away.
Samsung shares rose a day after a big fall
Samsung shares rose 2.62% to 215,500 won ($162) in Seoul on Oct. 16. The day before, they fell 9.48% as the Kospi dropped 7.57%. The Kospi rose 2.05% on Oct. 16, its first gain in eight trading days.
Meanwhile, TIME's 2026 list has 300 inventions and 100 special mentions.
Won figures are converted at 1,332.5 won to the dollar, the Naver Finance rate on Oct. 16, 2026.
