Samsung Galaxy S26 Series May Integrate Google's AI-Powered Scam Detection

New evidence indicates Samsung's Galaxy S26 series might incorporate Google's scam detection technology, marking a significant expansion beyond Pixel-exclusive features. Code discovered within the Google Phone app references model numbers SM-S942 (Galaxy S26), SM-S947 (S26+), and SM-S948 (S26 Ultra) alongside "sharpie" – the codename for Google's scam detection system.

Google's scam detection uses Gemini Nano, an on-device AI model currently exclusive to Pixel 9 and Pixel 10 devices. This technology analyzes call patterns in real-time to identify potential fraud attempts without sending data to external servers. Currently available only in Australia, Canada, India, Ireland, the UK, and the US, the feature requires specific hardware capabilities. An alternative machine learning-based version (without Gemini Nano) exists for older Pixel 6-8 series.

The discovery raises technical questions since Samsung devices typically use the proprietary Samsung Phone app rather than Google's dialer. While users can install Google's Phone app via the Play Store, third-party apps lack system-level permissions needed for on-device AI processing. This suggests Samsung might be considering deeper integration – potentially replacing its native dialer with Google's solution in One UI 8.5, the software update expected to debut on the S26 series.

Such a move would represent a notable shift in Samsung's software strategy. It would extend advanced AI-powered security to millions of users beyond Google's hardware ecosystem while leveraging Gemini Nano's local processing advantages. For consumers, this integration could provide automatic warnings about suspicious calls directly within the dialer interface.

Technical implementation details remain speculative pending Samsung's official announcement. The company faces decisions about balancing its software independence with Google's ecosystem advantages, particularly regarding AI feature development timelines. Market availability of the scam detection feature would likely mirror Pixel's current regional restrictions initially.

Samsung typically unveils Galaxy S series flagships in February, suggesting imminent clarification about this potential collaboration. If confirmed, this integration would signal growing convergence between Android manufacturers and Google's AI capabilities at the operating system level.