The anti-spy screen technology on Samsung’s Galaxy S26 Ultra is being hailed by international media as a hardware breakthrough that Apple should learn from immediately.

Security features and display innovations on the Galaxy S26 Ultra are drawing significant attention from the global tech industry and press. In particular, the Privacy Display technology, which protects personal data by controlling viewing angles directly at the hardware level without the need for an external screen protector, has received positive assessments.

According to experts and foreign media on February 26, the technology on the Galaxy S26 Ultra has set a new milestone in smartphone security.

The feature works by restricting side viewing angles through direct control of light diffusion from individual pixels at the hardware level. Integrated with high precision from the design stage and combined with software optimization, it effectively prevents screen exposure in public spaces without compromising the user’s viewing experience.

Charles Uptegrove, product director, said Samsung spent five years developing the technology. The feature can also help extend battery life, as turning off certain pixels requires less power.

The US financial newspaper The Wall Street Journal described the innovation as a “hardware victory” and stressed that “Apple should copy Samsung’s new screen security technology as soon as possible.” The newspaper urged Apple to adopt it quickly, noting that anti-spy features are becoming essential tools for protecting modern users.

Media reviews have been similarly positive. PCMag editor-in-chief Eric Zeman praised the device after hands-on experience at the launch event: “I was impressed by the level of hardware refinement equipped on the Ultra model.” Mashable highlighted its practicality in public settings: “Hardware-based viewing angle control without the need for a privacy screen protector is truly remarkable.”

International media predict that Samsung’s security technology could become an industry standard in the future.

“Samsung’s anti-spy display is innovative enough that even Apple has to pay attention,” commented Phone Arena. “There is a strong possibility that similar technologies will be applied to future Apple products such as the iPhone and MacBook.”

UK tech site T3 forecast that this could be “the most coveted smartphone feature of 2026,” while citing past rumors that Apple had considered bringing related technology to the MacBook and expressing expectations that it may eventually integrate it into the iPhone.

Previously, Samsung Electronics held the Galaxy Unpacked 2026 event in San Francisco, the US, on February 25 local time to unveil its third-generation AI smartphone lineup, including the Galaxy S26, S26+ and S26 Ultra.

Everything about Galaxy S26 Ultra’s anti-peep display

In the early hours of February 26, Samsung unveiled the Galaxy S26 trio - Galaxy S26, S26+ and S26 Ultra - with the Ultra once again positioned as the most premium model. According to the Korean electronics giant, Galaxy S26 Ultra is the world’s first smartphone to feature a built-in Privacy Display.

The Privacy Display technology on Galaxy S26 Ultra works by controlling the direction of light emitted from individual pixels, ensuring content appears sharp when viewed head-on and gradually blurs when seen from either side.

Unlike traditional privacy screen protectors, this system maintains original display quality, brightness and color accuracy for the primary user. The feature functions in both portrait and landscape orientations and can be disabled to restore the standard wide viewing angle mode.

In operation, users can configure the screen to automatically activate its privacy layer when performing sensitive tasks such as entering passwords, PIN codes or opening banking applications.

Samsung provides two main options: Partial Screen Privacy, which shields notifications appearing on the display, and Maximum Privacy Protection, which maximizes content concealment from surrounding viewers. The company states that deep hardware integration enables stable performance without significantly affecting battery life.

Why is the anti-peep screen exclusive to Galaxy S26 Ultra?

As noted, Privacy Display is a hardware-level feature rather than one that can be added via a software update. It operates through the Flex Magic Pixel OLED panel integrated into the S26 Ultra. Since this specific display technology is not present on other S26 versions or previously released Galaxy smartphones, the feature is limited to the top-tier model in the S26 lineup.

Although it remains unclear whether Samsung will expand the anti-peep feature to future flagship devices, other brands have recognized its practicality and are reportedly researching similar technologies for their own products.

For example, Apple is rumored to adopt comparable technology on MacBook models expected to launch in 2029. A well-known leak source, Digital Chat Station, recently revealed that several high-end Chinese smartphones scheduled for release in September this year will also feature capabilities similar to Privacy Display.

In Vietnam, Galaxy S26 Ultra starts at VND36.99 million (approximately US$1,500) for the 256GB version and goes up to VND51.99 million (US$2,100) for the 1TB model. The device features a 6.9-inch display, Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor and a 200MP camera system. Pre-orders begin on February 26, with deliveries expected from March 6.

Du Lam - Hai Phong