Samsung’s New Display Tech Protects App Privacy
▼ Summary
– Samsung introduced a new privacy display technology at its Galaxy S26 event to prevent “shoulder surfing” on a per-app basis.
– The technology, called Black Matrix, uses narrow and wide pixels to precisely control light direction when privacy mode is enabled.
– The feature is customizable, allowing users to set specific apps or notifications to trigger privacy mode while others remain normal.
– A “maximum privacy protection” setting intensifies the effect by adjusting the screen’s brightness and contrast.
– The technology will debut on the Galaxy S26 Ultra and was successfully demonstrated live during the event.
Samsung has unveiled a novel display technology designed to protect user privacy on a per-application basis, offering a dynamic alternative to traditional screen protectors. This innovation, introduced at the Galaxy S26 event, allows users to activate a privacy mode that combats “shoulder surfing” by limiting the screen’s visibility to side angles. Unlike static privacy films that can dim overall screen brightness and hinder shared viewing, Samsung’s solution promises a smarter, more adaptable approach to securing sensitive information.
The core of this technology is a dual-pixel architecture called Black Matrix. This system utilizes two distinct types of pixels: narrow pixels and wide pixels. When privacy mode is engaged, the narrow pixels precisely control the path of emitted light, ensuring the screen content is only clearly visible to the person looking directly at the device. With the mode turned off, the wide pixels work in concert with the narrow ones to distribute light in all directions, providing a standard, wide-viewing experience. This eliminates the common trade-offs associated with physical privacy filters.
A key advantage is the feature’s customizability. Users can configure the Privacy Display to activate automatically for specific apps or notifications, while leaving others in a normal viewing state. For example, you could set your banking app or messaging service to always use private mode, but disable it for a video streaming app. This granular control also applies to alerts, allowing certain notifications to appear obscured from side glances.
For situations demanding the highest security, Samsung includes a “maximum privacy protection” setting. This mode intensifies the visual effect by further reducing the visibility of bright screen areas and lifting darker ones, creating an even more restrictive viewing cone. The technology was demonstrated live, showing its effectiveness even on small screen elements like individual notification pop-ups.
Initially, this new display will be featured on the high-end Galaxy S26 Ultra smartphone. The company had previously hinted at the privacy-focused feature, noting its intended use for safeguarding actions like entering PINs, patterns, or passcodes within designated applications. The S26 Ultra will also house a faster AI system and a custom chipset, positioning the privacy display as part of a broader suite of premium advancements.
(Source: TechCrunch)
