During Samsung’s Galaxy S26 live presentation on Wednesday, the firm unveiled an innovative display technology that enables users to activate a privacy mode, thereby preventing so-called “shoulder surfing” on an app-by-app basis. This display technology will provide a more intelligent and adaptable alternative to privacy films, which are placed over a smartphone’s screen to restrict viewing unless you’re gazing directly at the device.

As highlighted by Samsung, these conventional privacy films have drawbacks — such as dimmer displays or increased challenges when attempting to show something to another person on your device.

Their answer is a novel display technology for mobile devices employing two distinct types of pixels: narrow and wide pixels. This arrangement, termed Black Matrix by Samsung, will constrict the path of light emitted from each pixel to accurately manage the light visible to you when the privacy mode is activated. When deactivated, a widened standard pixel collaborates with the narrow pixels to distribute light in every direction.

The Privacy Display function is also adjustable, permitting you to configure certain apps or alerts to initiate privacy mode, while others are displayed in a regular manner. For example, you might set your messaging or banking application to always appear in private mode, while disabling it for other apps where privacy is less critical. This adaptability likewise applies to notifications, effectively obscuring specific alerts when seen from a side perspective.

Samsung claims there’s an additional setting for “maximum privacy protection,” which enhances the privacy effect by reducing the brightness of lighter areas and elevating the darker ones.

The latest display will first be featured on the premium Galaxy S26 Ultra smartphone, which additionally supports enhanced and quicker AI alongside a specialized chipset.

The privacy screen was demonstrated live on stage during the event on Wednesday, with creator Miles Franklin (from MilesAboveTech) showcasing the technology in action. During the demo, the feature appeared to function as expected, including for smaller elements on the display such as specific notifications.

The company had hinted at the technology prior to Wednesday’s event, but had not yet detailed how it would function. It mentioned that the feature would work with certain apps, ensuring user protection when entering PINs, patterns, or passcodes.