Forward-looking: The arrival of another AI feature in a new phone does little to excite people these days, but Samsung's next-gen Galaxy S26 Ultra could have something very useful: an integrated privacy display that ensures only the user sees what's on the screen.
Privacy screen protectors are often used by those who want to keep snoopers' eyes off their screens. The thin film or tempered glass has a microlouver filter that allows light to pass through at certain angles, usually straight on, ensuring anyone trying to view a display from the side will see only a dark or black screen.
According to reports, Samsung will be introducing a similar privacy technology called Flex Magic Pixel to its flagship Galaxy S26 Ultra handset, which is expected to launch early next year.
The system gives the same effect as a privacy shield, but it works by using AI to adjust the screen's OLED pixels and narrowing the viewing angles so only the user can see what's on the screen, according to DealSite (via Jukan).
Samsung is also expected to introduce Color Filter on Encapsulation (CoE) to the display. Instead of using traditional polarizing plates, CoE integrates color filters directly onto the thin-film transistors. The result is a slimmer panel that lets more light through, reduces power consumption, and delivers richer colors. A black pixel definition layer (PDL) further cuts down internal light reflections. Samsung has already been using CoE in its Fold and Flip series, but this marks the technology's debut on a standard flagship design.
The use of CoE means that the phone's brightness will be balanced when the privacy mode is activated. This should stop screens looking dimmer and affecting the overall image quality, which are usually issues when using regular privacy screen protectors.
Samsung Display previously said that Flex Magic Pixel can sync with AI to adjust the level of security depending on the open app, so if it recognizes that a banking app is being used in a public place, the security feature will be enabled.
As Samsung so often does with its most premium features, the Flex Magic Pixel technology is expected to be reserved for the top-tier Ultra model in the S26 series. However, it's believed the company will also introduce this mode to next year's Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Z Flip 8.