Samsung first teased the idea of a privacy screen as early as 2018, but until now, it remained more of a lab demo than a real feature. That changes with the Galaxy S26 Ultra.

This time, the display comes backed by Galaxy AI, enabling dynamic, situation-based activation. For example, the privacy mode could automatically turn on when you're opening sensitive apps like mobile banking, work emails, or e-wallets.

The AI could even detect someone nearby trying to peek - say, in a café or on a subway - and blur the content from their side angle without the user lifting a finger.

From straight on, the screen remains crystal clear. But from the side? It’s blank, distorted, or fully dark - depending on your settings.

Privacy without compromise

Of course, physical privacy screen protectors have existed for years, but they often come with major trade-offs: reduced brightness, altered colors, and permanent filtering.

Samsung’s new screen solves that with on-demand activation. When privacy mode is off, the screen performs like any Ultra-level display - vivid colors, crisp resolution, and no visual distortion. When on, it shields your content without affecting how you see it directly.

And crucially, it still works in sunlight.

Reports suggest that even when the screen is operating at peak brightness outdoors, the side-angle cloaking remains fully functional. That solves a long-standing weakness of privacy filters, which often break down in high-luminance conditions.

Color accuracy, sharpness, and contrast are said to remain intact - even in privacy mode.

The rest of the Ultra upgrades

Beyond the screen, the Galaxy S26 Ultra brings meaningful hardware improvements. The camera system is expected to return to a protruding lens design, housing a larger aperture for better low-light photography - producing sharper, more detailed images.

Charging is also getting a long-awaited boost. Leaks indicate the S26 Ultra will support 60W wired fast charging, up from 45W in the previous model, and 25W wireless charging, significantly faster than last year’s 15W limit.

But it’s the screen, not the specs, that’s getting the most buzz. Samsung’s recent wins in display tech - like the anti-reflective coating on earlier Ultra models - have even influenced Apple’s design on the iPhone 17. Now, with smart privacy screens, Samsung is once again redefining what a premium screen should offer.

Setting a new industry standard?

If successful, this feature could trigger a new wave of privacy-first screen technologies across the smartphone market - similar to how in-display fingerprint sensors and high refresh rate displays became norms.

In the end, Galaxy S26 Ultra isn’t just about being powerful. It’s about being practical.

For users tired of strangers catching glimpses of their messages, work files, or financial info, this display is more than a spec sheet highlight - it’s peace of mind.

What’s left for Samsung? Perhaps learning from rivals on battery tech - especially silicon-carbon cells, which are gaining traction among other high-end brands. Should that materialize, the S26 Ultra could well be the most complete flagship Samsung has ever built.

Hai Phong