The majority of Samsung Galaxy S26 series leaks point to it being a modest upgrade over the S25 series. But the Ultra model looks set to receive a big display enhancement that I know would improve my experience of using the phone every single day.
While not confirmed, all signs point to the Galaxy S26 Ultra featuring a new ‘Privacy Display’ option, with even Samsung itself confirming that the feature is “coming soon”.
In theory, this will drastically limit the viewing angles on your phone screen. We’ll have to wait for the as-yet-undated Galaxy Unpacked to know for sure how this works, but the gist is that it’ll stop nosy eyes from glimpsing what’s on your screen.
On paper, that seems like a rather small tweak rather than a massive upgrade over the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, but in practice, I can see a feature like this having massive benefits for my day-to-day phone experience. For example, the idea of being able to look at confidential information while out and about will make my work day a lot less complicated.
The privacy upgrade I’ve been waiting for
Reporting on tech, I often get sent important information about upcoming gadgets – but because the world of smartphones is rife with public-transport-related leaks (the Galaxy S10 Plus was first photographed over someone’s shoulder on a bus, and an early Pixel 3 XL prototype was left in a Lyft), I always play it safe and check these messages at home.
I’m just as cautious about sensitive messages from friends or family. Even though I know none of my co-commuters care about my friends’ romantic lives, I still want to respect their privacy, so I don’t read these messages in public. But if the Galaxy S26 Ultra can guarantee that people around me won’t see over my shoulder, I’ll have a way to work or communicate without any worry.
Sensitive WhatsApp messages aren’t the only thing I avoid checking when out and about. I know loads of people, myself included, who don’t check tools like banking, dating or healthcare apps in public for the exact same reason: you never know who’s watching.
It’s not all about protecting data, though. I’m a big fan of my guilty pleasures, and if I’m on a packed train, I don’t want people to know that I’m listening to Abba, watching Seinfeld or playing Old School Runescape Mobile.
A Privacy Display feature on the Galaxy S26 Ultra wouldn’t totally rule out people around you seeing your phone’s screen. But if it is implemented – and done so effectively – it’d really give me peace of mind when doing my important (and less-than-important) daily tasks when out and about.
Luke Baker
A more advanced solution
You can already buy privacy stickers online, which limit visibility when not looking at the screen directly, but having a built-in solution could be much more customisable. It looks like Samsung’s Privacy Display feature will allow you to block only certain parts of the display.
It’s a feature that’d make a lot of sense on tablets as well. Slates like the Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 are great for working in coffee shops or pubs, but a larger screen means it’s even easier for people around to see what you’re doing.
Unfortunately, there’s no word on this kind of screen tech coming to the Tab S12 series. In fact, only the Galaxy S26 Ultra is slated to have it, with leaks suggesting the regular Galaxy S26 and S26+ will miss out.
We probably don’t have long to wait to find out for sure, with the Galaxy S26 series launch rumoured to take place around the end of February. As always, Tech Advisor will be providing extensive coverage of the event.
Author: Tom Bedford, Contributor, Tech Advisor
Tom Bedford is a freelance contributor, who has been writing about technology since 2019. His bylines have appeared in publications like TechRadar, Digital Trends, BGR, GamesRadar and WhatToWatch, covering a range of topics from audio kit, mobile phones, fitness, gaming and entertainment. Prior to going freelance he was on-team at TechRadar and WhatToWatch, and before that he studied American Literature and Creative Writing at the University of East Anglia.