Samsung said on November 2 that Galaxy S26 Ultra devices are being incorporated into skateboarding and taekwondo coverage at the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games. The phones are working alongside existing broadcast cameras. Samsung describes the project as a chance to test mobile perspectives, not a replacement for the main camera system.
The role Samsung describes
According to Samsung’s November 2 announcement, Galaxy S26 Ultra devices can contribute handheld, close-up and vertical views to the production. These are specific camera positions that may be difficult to capture with a traditional broadcast rig. Samsung says it will use Dakar 2026 to learn from the deployment as it explores future Games coverage.
What makes this a test
The announcement does not specify how many phones are in the camera workflow, the recording format, the transmission path, or how much of the final feed will come from them. It also does not publish a side-by-side image-quality comparison with the conventional cameras. Without those details, the defensible conclusion is narrower: phones are being trialed as supplementary cameras in two sports.
Why vertical video matters
A portrait-oriented angle can be useful for short clips viewed on a phone, while a close handheld view can bring viewers nearer to fast action. That is an editorial inference from the use cases Samsung names, not proof that every shot will work or that a phone replaces a professional operator. Fravoria has not seen the production feed or tested this broadcast setup.
Keep the devices separate
Samsung also names Galaxy Z Flip7 Olympic Edition for athlete Victory Selfies. That is a different activity from the Galaxy S26 Ultra broadcast trial. The distinction matters when a headline groups every Olympic Galaxy appearance together as one camera technology story.
Primary sources
Checked November 2, 2026. The camera workflow is described by Samsung; independent broadcast results have not yet been assessed.
Photo: Dinkun Chen / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Cropped for layout.
