At Samsung’s Galaxy S26 event on Wednesday, the company unveiled a new display technology enabling users to activate privacy mode and stop “shoulder surfing” on a per-app basis. This display offers a smarter alternative to privacy films, which dim screens and complicate sharing.
Samsung’s new display tech, termed Black Matrix, employs narrow and wide pixels to control light visibility precisely. When privacy mode is off, standard pixels work with narrow ones to spread light.
The Privacy Display feature is customizable, allowing specific apps or notifications to trigger the mode. For example, messaging or banking apps can always be shown privately while others are normal. Notifications can also be selectively blacked out.
Samsung offers “maximum privacy protection” to enhance the effect by adjusting light levels.
Initially available on the Galaxy S26 Ultra, this display includes upgraded AI and a custom chipset. The privacy screen was demoed live by Miles Franklin during the event, showcasing its effectiveness, even with smaller screen elements like notifications.
The company had previously hinted at this technology but provided details on its functionality during the event, emphasizing compatibility with specific apps to safeguard PINs and passcodes.