Samsung has recently unveiled a trio of new Galaxy S26 smartphones, with one of them featuring an innovative new capability that surpasses the iPhone. The highlight of the S26 Ultra is its Privacy Display, designed to prevent unauthorized viewers from accessing on-screen content.
The Privacy Display function, when activated in the device settings, makes content disappear unless directly viewed. This feature ensures privacy in public settings, such as on a train, where individuals nearby cannot peek at texts or screen activities. Users can customize the Privacy Display to block specific apps or notifications selectively.
Samsung described the Galaxy S26 Ultra as the first in the mobile industry to incorporate a built-in Privacy Display, revolutionizing privacy protection on smartphones. By manipulating pixel light dispersion, the display maintains clear, bright content for the user while limiting visibility to others.
In addition to the Privacy Display, the S26 Ultra boasts a sleeker design, extended battery life, and is now powered by the latest Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 Mobile Platform from Qualcomm. Rapid charging capabilities allow the device to reach 75% battery in just 30 minutes.
The smartphone also features an upgraded quad rear camera for improved night photography and enhanced video stabilization with Super Steady technology, including a new horizontal lock option. Like its predecessors, the S26 Ultra includes an S Pen for note-taking on the 6.9-inch AMOLED screen without using fingers.
Joining the Ultra model are the standard S26 with a 6.3-inch screen and a larger 6.7-inch Plus version, powered by Samsung’s Exynos chip and equipped with triple-lens rear cameras.
Samsung’s new smartphones receive significant smart feature enhancements through a Galaxy AI upgrade, promising a more intuitive user experience with features like Now Nudge, which offers relevant suggestions to keep users focused and productive.
The company emphasizes improved user experiences, such as automatic photo suggestions from the Gallery when requested by a friend or calendar integration to check for schedule conflicts. Google Gemini support enhances web search capabilities for users.
While the updates offer enhanced functionality, the new Samsung Galaxy S26 range comes at a higher cost this year. Pricing for the UK market is as follows:
– S26: 256GB £879, 512GB £1,049
– S26 Plus: 256GB £1,099, 512GB £1,269
– S26 Ultra: 256GB £1,279, 512GB £1,449, 1TB (with 16GB RAM) £1,699
These models are set to be available in stores starting next month.
