The Galaxy S26 Ultra adopts Samsung’s once-exclusive Ocean Mode

One year ago, Samsung revealed a unique camera feature for Galaxy S Ultra phones called Ocean Mode. At the time, it wasn’t publicly available. Now, with the launch of the Galaxy S26 Ultra, Samsung is rolling Ocean Mode out through its specialized camera app, Expert RAW.

Samsung originally developed Ocean Mode to support communities working to maintain and restore coral reefs. Over the past couple of years, Ocean Mode has been used with the Galaxy S24 Ultra by communities in Fiji, Indonesia, and the USA to scan coral reefs and create 3D models.

Ocean Mode relies on a clever algorithm to capture high-quality photos without the distortion, unnatural colors, and lensing effects that usually occur when shooting underwater photos with non-specialized gear.

Although Ocean Mode in itself is a great addition to the Galaxy S26 Ultra, you should keep in mind that the phone itself wasn't made for ocean diving.

Granted, the Galaxy S26 Ultra has an IP68 dust and water-resistance rating, and if it's anything like the S25 Ultra, it should be able to survive for up to 30 minutes at depths of up to 1.5 meters.

However, an IP68 rating doesn’t mean the phone can handle all types of water. Water resistance can deteriorate over time as seals and adhesives wear down.

Regardless of the IP rating, submerging your Galaxy phone in saltwater or water with high chlorine or detergent content isn’t recommended. So, you shouldn't go out in the ocean with your Galaxy S26 Ultra if it doesn't have extra protection.

Notably, the coral reef communities mentioned earlier kept their Galaxy S24 Ultra units safe by encasing them in watertight transparent housings before diving to capture Ocean Mode images.

With that in mind, Galaxy S26 Ultra users shouldn't treat the inclusion of Ocean Mode as confirmation that the device can safely handle seawater diving without proper protection. Still, Ocean Mode is certainly a welcome addition to an already impressive flagship phone.