Samsung S26 Ultra debuts as the first phone that other people can’t see
The samsung s26 ultra is part of a newly unveiled S26 line that the company says features the world’s first built‑in privacy screen. The launch pairs that anti‑snooping hardware with a slate of AI upgrades, new chips and improved low‑light cameras.
Samsung S26 Ultra privacy screen feature
The headline change is a built‑in “Privacy Display” that the company presents as the first phone other people cannot see. The display uses precisely pointed pixels so that, when the mode is switched on, the screen is only readable to people directly in front of the phone and effectively blurs if viewed from the side.
How the privacy display works
Most of the time the display behaves like any other. But when the privacy feature is switched on, the pixels are pointed to a specific viewing angle. That mode can be switched on manually in situations such as busy cafés or buses that might allow people to “shoulder surf” and look at a device. It can also be used in more targeted ways: just notifications can be hidden, for instance, or the display can switch on when a banking app is opened.
AI upgrades, chips and cameras
The new device includes a host of internal improvements, many focused on artificial intelligence. At its introductory event the company pointed to new chips that make it quicker to generate and edit images with AI, and to improved cameras that produce better images and videos in the dark. AI is also included in the camera itself.
Other privacy tools and encryption
The company stressed additional privacy features beyond the display: a special hidden photo album and hardware tools that encrypt personal data, including data used by the built‑in artificial intelligence tools. The device also supports multiple assistant options; users will be able to choose Samsung’s own Bixby as well as Gemini and Perplexity.
Practical AI demonstrations
The AI features are designed to surface useful information from notifications and other inputs. The phone can take information from a notification and show that to a user. In its introduction the company demonstrated a scenario where someone was asked about a particular meeting and the phone checked the calendar for potential conflicts.
Availability, prices and ordering
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 samsung s26 ultra is listed among those price points and availability details for the series.
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Close coverage of the new S26 line focuses on the intersection of hardware privacy and on‑device AI, with a particular emphasis on the built‑in privacy screen and the combination of encryption tools, hidden albums and assistant choices.
