There is no official word yet on when Samsung will unveil the Galaxy S26, but the company has already begun teasing its upcoming flagship lineup. Even better, it has shared official details about the device, including what appears to be a breakthrough smartphone feature.
Last year, rumors surfaced that Samsung would utilize a new AMOLED panel in the Galaxy S26. And this is not just an ordinary display. It is believed to be the first with a built-in privacy feature that mimics third-party privacy screen protectors. Now, the company is spilling even more information about this technology.
Customizable Privacy Screen Effect
In an official press release, along with a series of teaser clips, Samsung describes this as a “new layer of privacy” designed to block shoulder surfing in public spaces. It claims the feature helps protect sensitive content on your screen from strangers and prying eyes, such as messages and lock-screen passwords. More importantly, it enhances security when entering passcodes in financial apps and services.
Samsung highlights that this does not degrade the user experience, as the feature is fully customizable. For instance, you can select a specific pop-up area to have the privacy effect added or choose to apply it only to certain apps. Additionally, users can adjust the “privacy blanket,” or the level of screen blackening.
While Samsung has not shared further technical details on how it achieved this, we can expect to learn more at the Unpacked event. We should also learn if there are any significant tradeoffs to display quality, such as impacts on brightness levels or color accuracy.
Ultra Features in Samsung’s Lineup
It is likely that this will be an exclusive feature for the Galaxy S26 Ultra, while the standard Galaxy S26 and S26+ models may settle for traditional AMOLED displays. Of course, those variants will likely have their own sets of upgrades.
In addition to the new privacy display, a fresh rumor from prolific leaker Ice Universe suggests that Samsung is adopting a 10 bit panel for the Galaxy S26 Ultra. This would allow the screen to show more realistic colors, with up to 1.07 billion colors compared to the 16.7 million colors supported by current 8-bit panels, such as in the Galaxy S25 Ultra (review). The result would be significantly more accurate and natural-looking images.
Are you excited to see the Galaxy S26 series? Do you think a built-in privacy display is a feature you would consider for your next smartphone? Tell us in the comments below.
We mark partner links with this symbol. If you click on one of these links or buttons–or make a purchase through them–we may receive a small commission from the retailer. This doesn’t affect the price you pay, but it helps us keep nextpit free for everyone. Thanks for your support! Prices are based on the date of publication of this article and may be subject to change.
