Samsung has teased a new privacy-focused display feature for its upcoming Galaxy S26 smartphones.

The company says the technology is designed to prevent “shoulder surfing” by blocking strangers from viewing sensitive content in public spaces.

Samsung announced on Tuesday that it plans to “unveil a new Galaxy privacy layer” aimed at protecting users in public environments.
While specific technical details were not disclosed, the company suggested the feature goes beyond traditional plastic privacy screen protectors.

The announcement included short demo videos showing the feature in action. In the clips, the display becomes dimmed or fully obscured when viewed from a side angle.

How privacy feature works

The new technology appears capable of selectively cloaking pixels when the screen is viewed off-axis. This makes on-screen content difficult or impossible to read unless the phone is viewed straight on.

App-level privacy controls

Samsung said the privacy feature can be customized for specific applications.
Users will be able to enable higher protection when entering sensitive information or using private areas of the phone.

“With multiple settings for adjusting visibility, you can limit what others can see based on the level of privacy protection you need,” the company said.

The feature appears to be built on Samsung Display’s “Flex Magic Pixel” technology, first introduced in 2024.
The system uses AI algorithms to selectively dim OLED pixels, effectively narrowing the screen’s viewing angle.

Samsung says the technology blends hardware and software to deliver privacy without disrupting everyday phone use.

According to Samsung, the feature has been more than five years in the making.
The company said it studied user behavior, perceptions of privacy, and real-world security needs throughout the development process.

“The result is a fusion of hardware and software expertly calibrated to protect you without getting in your way,” Samsung said.