Galaxy S26 Ultra’s Privacy Display arrived a year later than it was meant to
Source: Android Authority
TL;DR
- Samsung had initially planned to launch Privacy Display on the Galaxy S25 Ultra last year.
- The feature wasn’t complete, so Samsung waited until the Galaxy S26 Ultra’s launch to actually release it.
- A Samsung executive suggests it could also come to more devices in the future.
Privacy Display is one of the coolest and most widely discussed features on the Galaxy S26 Ultra. Not only does it make the display feel like an upgrade, but it also redeems Samsung from accusations of not innovating. While the feature is uniquely developed by Samsung for the S26 Ultra, it has been under development longer than you might think—it was almost added to the Galaxy S25 Ultra.
The chief operating officer of Samsung’s MX (Mobile Experience) arm, Won‑Joon Choi, recently told Bloomberg that Samsung was prepared to deploy Privacy Display on the Galaxy S25 Ultra last year. However, the plan was halted due to last‑minute snags. Choi said Samsung had to “solve a couple of the last challenges,” which took another year to resolve. Based on limited pre‑launch time with the S26 Ultra, Samsung appears to have succeeded.
The idea was proposed about three to four years ago by a Samsung engineer, and the company has been working on it ever since. Despite the long development period, Samsung managed to keep details about Privacy Display under wraps until close to launch.
While the feature is currently limited to the Galaxy S26 Ultra, Samsung could bring it to other phones in the future and perhaps expand it beyond the Ultra line. “If we believe it’s time to propagate it to other models, we’ll consider doing so,” Choi said.
Other Chinese phone manufacturers are reportedly exploring ways to replicate the functionality on their flagship devices. It remains to be seen whether they will contract a display vendor capable of cracking Samsung’s technology or source the displays directly from Samsung.
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
- Privacy Display • Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy • Power AI features
- MSRP: $1,299.99
The S26 Ultra is Samsung’s slimmest and lightest Ultra yet, pairing a 6.9‑inch 10‑bit display with the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy and a redesigned cooling system. It doubles down on imaging with a brighter 200 MP main camera, upgraded zoom, advanced 8K video features, and Ultra‑exclusive privacy and Galaxy AI tools.
Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus
- Powerful performance • New Galaxy AI features • Faster wireless charging
- MSRP: $1,099.99
The S26 Plus sits in the sweet spot of the lineup, offering a large display, a 4,900 mAh battery with faster wireless charging, and the same powerful Galaxy AI features as its siblings, without stepping up to Ultra pricing.
Samsung Galaxy S26
- Powerful performance • New Galaxy AI features • Bigger battery
- MSRP: $899.99
The compact flagship of the lineup pairs a slightly larger display with solid battery life, fast performance, and the full suite of Galaxy AI features in a more affordable package.