Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra could feature built-in privacy screen - Here's what's coming

Using a phone in public often comes with an uninvited audience - someone trying to sneak a glance at your screen. Most users depend on privacy screen protectors to tackle this, which blur the display from side angles. But Samsung appears to be taking things further. The upcoming Galaxy S26 Ultra is reportedly getting a built-in privacy display, offering the same protection without any external accessory.
A Smarter Way to Keep Prying Eyes Away
According to a post by @Achultra on X, Samsung’s One UI 8.5 build includes a new toggle called ‘Privacy Display’ in the settings menu - a feature expected to debut exclusively on the S26 Ultra.



The leak suggests that users will be able to automate the privacy mode, allowing the phone to detect public environments and automatically hide sensitive content. In other words, your Galaxy S26 Ultra could dim or mask on-screen information when you’re surrounded by others - without needing a separate screen protector.

For those who prefer control, there will reportedly be a manual mode too. Users can choose to activate the feature while entering passcodes, browsing photos, or viewing private messages. The mode also dims the display brightness for added discretion.

Samsung’s upcoming privacy display relies on its Flex Magic Pixel technology, a hardware-based feature, which means it will be exclusive to the S26 Ultra model next year and won’t appear on the standard S26 or Plus variants.

The S26 Series: What Else to Expect
Samsung’s Galaxy S series continues to dominate the Android flagship space, and the S26 Ultra will remain the top-tier model.

This time, the Ultra is tipped to feature rounder edges, moving away from its boxier design for a sleeker look in line with the rest of the S26 lineup. Under the hood, it’s likely to be powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, with a redesigned rear camera module and the signature S Pen intact.

Meanwhile, reports from South Korea’s The Elec suggest Samsung may retain the Plus variant after dropping earlier plans to replace it with the “Edge” model, following weak S25 Edge sales. The base S26 may even get rebranded as the S26 Pro, signaling a shift in Samsung’s naming strategy.

There’s also talk of Exynos 2600 (2nm) chips being used in select regions - continuing Samsung’s tradition of mixing Qualcomm and in-house processors depending on the market. Generally, Galaxy devices have a custom Qualcomm processor, which is dubbed ‘For Galaxy’.

Launch Timeline
The Samsung Galaxy S26 series is expected to be unveiled early next year, with the S26 Ultra likely leading the lineup.