Category: Technology | Published: 2026-03-06
Hardware-Level Screen Privacy Comes to Smartphones
Samsung has unveiled a new display technology on its Galaxy S26 Ultra that allows users to activate a built-in privacy mode on a per-app basis, limiting what can be seen from side angles without the need for stick-on screen filters.
How the Privacy Display Works
The feature, branded "Privacy Display", was introduced at Samsung's Galaxy S26 launch event in San Francisco and will initially be available only on the Galaxy S26 Ultra, which goes on sale from 11 March in the UK starting at £1,279.
Unlike traditional privacy films that sit over the screen and dim the display, Samsung's approach is integrated at the pixel level. The company says the technology uses two types of pixels, described as narrow and wide, within what it calls a "Black Matrix" architecture. When privacy mode is enabled, the light path from each pixel is narrowed so that content remains visible when viewed directly but appears dark or obscured from side angles. When disabled, the display behaves like a standard screen, dispersing light in all directions.