Galaxy S26 could generate AI images in under a second with new EdgeFusion feature

There's at least one reason to choose the Exynos Galaxy S26 over the Snapdragon version, for now

The feature is expected to be called EdgeFusion and could generate 512-pixel images in "a few seconds." AI has now mutated into an integral part of our devices. But brands still use a hybrid AI arrangement, where only part of the processing occurs locally, with most of the lifting done by AI models in cloud infrastructure. On-device AI on phones, for instance, has largely been limited to processing text, while richer media, such as images, are processed online. As expected, the latter approach raises privacy concerns, but Samsung could take a step toward addressing them by bringing on-device image generation to the upcoming Galaxy S26.

Samsung Galaxy S26 might give you a freakishly fast AI image trick that works offline

Samsung is said to be adding EdgeFusion, a text-to-image tool that runs on-device. Samsung's next Galaxy S phone could get a new AI feature that's built for speed. A post from leaker Ice Universe claims the Galaxy S26 will add EdgeFusion, an on-device text-to-image tool that can spit out results in under a second, even offline. If it ships that way, Galaxy S26 offline AI image generation becomes a lot more practical. You type a prompt, the phone creates an image locally, and you're not waiting on a server or a strong signal. It's the difference between a novelty and something you might actually use. Recommended Videos The same post links EdgeFusion to a partnership with South Korea-based AI company Nota. Samsung hasn't confirmed any of this, and there's still no word on regions, model tiers, or whether it would be limited at launch. Speed is the headline feature The under-one-second claim is the hook, and it's also the part Samsung will have to prove. Real-world performance usually varies by prompt complexity, image size, and what else the phone is doing. That said, even getting close to "instant" would change how often people reach for the tool. Running it on the device also hints at a bigger shift, more AI work handled by the handset instead of offloading tasks to cloud processing. Offline changes the way you use it A local generator has obvious uses, quick sticker ideas, rough concept art for a slide, or a visual to drop into a message. But the bigger win is reliability. If you're traveling, commuting, or dealing with weak coverage, it still works. The unknowns are the usual ones. On-device image tools can heat up a phone, drain battery, and deliver lower quality than larger cloud models. The post doesn't mention output resolution, usage limits, or whether only the top model gets full performance. What to watch before you upgrade The next clues are how Samsung positions the tradeoffs. Look for talk of NPU gains, thermal controls, and battery safeguards, plus clear limits around quality and speed. Integration will matter too. If EdgeFusion is buried in a separate app, it won't stick. If it shows up inside messaging, Notes, or photo editing, it could become a daily tool. Until Samsung confirms support and rollout timing, it's smart to treat this as a promising rumor, not an upgrade reason on its own.

The Galaxy S26 could create AI images in under one second - Phandroid

Samsung's working on something that could change how fast phones generate AI images. The Galaxy S26 is rumored to feature EdgeFusion, an on-device AI tool that creates 512×512 pixel images in less than a second, even without an internet connection. If the rumors hold up, it'd blow past the current wait times on most phones. Most smartphones rely on cloud servers for AI image generation. You type a prompt, wait 10 or 15 seconds while a remote computer does the work, then finally get your result. EdgeFusion runs everything locally on the phone, killing that delay completely. You could be in airplane mode with zero signal and still generate images almost instantly. Samsung partnered with South Korean AI company Nota AI to make this happen. They've heavily optimized Stable Diffusion, shrinking the model by up to 90% so it can run directly on the Exynos 2600 chip. That's the processor expected to power the standard Galaxy S26 and S26+ in most regions. Here's where it gets interesting. The Galaxy S26 Ultra will likely use Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 worldwide, and that chip doesn't have EdgeFusion optimization yet. So the cheaper models might actually beat the Ultra in this specific area. Qualcomm's done similar work before. At MWC 2023, they ran Stable Diffusion on a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 phone and generated a 512×512 image in 15 seconds. By late 2023, they'd optimized it down to 0.6 seconds on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. EdgeFusion supposedly goes even faster. The real question is whether the hardware can handle it without overheating or destroying battery life. On-device AI processing is incredibly power-hungry. Samsung's betting the Exynos 2600's new GPU and NPU can handle the workload efficiently, but we won't know until people actually use the phones. Integration matters too. If EdgeFusion lives in some buried settings menu or standalone app, nobody will use it. But if Samsung builds it into messaging, Notes, or photo editing, it could become genuinely useful instead of just a spec sheet bullet point. Samsung's been teasing AI improvements for the Galaxy S26 lineup for months. The company already confirmed next-gen AI and a second-generation custom processor during an earnings call last year. The Galaxy S26 launch is expected February 25, with phones hitting stores in early March. Samsung hasn't officially confirmed EdgeFusion yet, so treat this as a promising rumor rather than a done deal. But if it ships as described, near-instant offline AI image generation could be the most compelling upgrade this year.

Samsung Galaxy S26 Series Tipped to Launch With This New AI Feature

* Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra might feature a Snapdragon chipset * Samsung Galaxy S26 could launch with an Exynos 2600 SoC * Nota AI is a South Korea-based tech firm Samsung Galaxy S26 series will be launched in the fourth week of February, a leaked invite to the Galaxy Unpacked event recently revealed. However, the lineup, which is expected to include the standard Galaxy S26, Galaxy S26+, and the flagship Galaxy S26 Ultra, will reportedly go on sale in March. While various specifications and features of the handsets have surfaced online recently, the company has yet to confirm the launch. Recently, Samsung unveiled a new privacy screen feature to curb shoulder surfing, which is expected to be featured on upcoming phones. Now, a tipster claims that the company has partnered with an AI firm to bring an AI image generation feature to the Galaxy S26 series. Samsung Galaxy S26 Series Might Feature AI-Powered EdgeFusion On-Device Image Generator Tipster Ice Universe (@UniverseIce) claims that the smartphone maker has partnered with Nota AI, a South Korean AI firm, to develop an AI-powered image generator called EdgeFusion. The feature is reportedly being built for the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, the Galaxy S26+, and the standard Galaxy S26. The leaker claims that the EdgeFusion feature will be capable of generating images "directly on the device in under a second". Samsung Galaxy S26 series users must enter a text prompt in EdgeFusion, and the real-time on-device AI image generation feature is said to reduce dependence on cloud-based processing for users, making the process faster, while also reportedly improving the "photography and creative experiences". This move is reportedly part of Samsung's strategy to "strengthen on-device AI image processing". This comes soon after Samsung unveiled a new privacy player for upcoming Galaxy devices. The tech giant claims that its new privacy screen feature will help in curbing shoulder surfing, where the screen will only be visible to the user. On the other hand, people standing next to the user will not be able to see what's on the screen. Samsung teased that the feature would only be effective when people are not viewing the display straight-on. Samsung's privacy screen functionality is expected to be launched with the upcoming Galaxy S26 series, which will reportedly be unveiled on February 25 during a dedicated Galaxy Unpacked event. The security feature will also allow users to customise when the feature will activate, the company says. They can choose specific apps where the feature would activate to offer a greater level of privacy.