Samsung S26 Ultra debuts built-in privacy screen and new AI features
The new samsung s26 ultra is part of Samsung’s S26 line-up that the company says is the first phone "other people can’t see, " combining a built-in Privacy Display with upgraded AI chips and camera improvements; the phones are available to order now and will go on sale from 11 March.
Device features world’s first built-in privacy screen
Samsung described the S26 series as featuring the world's first built-in Privacy Display. The screen uses precisely pointed pixels so that, when the mode is switched on, the display is only readable to people directly in front of the phone. Most of the time the display behaves like any other, but when the feature is activated the pixels are pointed to a specific viewing angle to block side glances.
Anti-snooping design: Samsung unveils anti-snooping phone that blurs if viewed from the side
The launch echoed another headline that summed up the idea simply: "Samsung unveils anti-snooping phone that blurs if viewed from the side. " Samsung demonstrated that the Privacy Display can be switched on manually in crowded places such as busy cafés or buses where people might "shoulder surf, " or set to activate automatically in specific scenarios, for example hiding just notifications or turning on when a banking app is opened.
Samsung S26 Ultra: price, availability and models
The phones are available to order now and will go on sale from 11 March. The S26 starts at £879, the Plus model starts at £1, 099 and the Ultra starts at £1, 279. the S26 range includes internal improvements focused on artificial intelligence and new chips intended to speed tasks like generating and editing images with AI.
AI and camera upgrades
Samsung highlighted better processors and AI built into the camera that produce improved images and videos in the dark. Users will be able to choose from Samsung’s own Bixby assistant as well as Gemini and Perplexity. The AI features can extract information from a notification and present it to the user; during the introduction Samsung showed an example of someone asking about a particular meeting and the phone checking the calendar for potential conflicts.
Other privacy tools and user controls
The company stressed additional privacy features including a special hidden photo album and hardware tools that encrypt personal data, including data used by the built-in artificial intelligence tools. Notifications can be managed in browser preferences, and Samsung showed controls that let users limit what appears on screen when the Privacy Display is active.
Site notes and reader prompts seen during the launch coverage
At the time of the product introduction, readers were invited to opt in for updates with the line: "I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice. " The rollout page also encouraged engagement with: "Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies. " Readers were told to refresh the page or navigate to another page to be automatically logged in, and to refresh their browser to be logged in.
For shoppers, the immediate next milestone is the on-sale date: the S26 series will go on sale from 11 March, with orders open now and the Ultra starting at £1, 279.
