Samsung's New OLED Tech Solves A Smartphone Problem You Didn't Know You Had

By Chris Smith
Samsung Display's Flex Magic Pixel OLED screen shown off at MWC 2024. Chris Smith/BGR

In February 2026, Samsung's Galaxy S26 Ultra may debut with a new OLED panel that contains a built-in privacy layer. The screen can adjust its viewing angle so people other than the smartphone user can't see what's on it. The Galaxy S26 Ultra may be the only Galaxy S26 model to feature the new display.

Called Flex Magic Pixel, the technology was first demoed at MWC 2024. Samsung Display's booth showcased several OLED panel innovations at the show, including foldable display prototypes for phones and laptops, rollable screens like a wristwatch that turns into a phone, and large ultrathin OLED panels that may be used in foldable laptops. Flex Magic Pixel was one of those innovations, but it didn't seem as appealing then as it is today.

The Flex Magic Pixel display in Samsung's demos didn't look like a smartphone component. Instead, it seemed that the company was targeting devices with larger displays. Also, like the other concepts, it was unclear whether Samsung would add the Flex Magic Pixel screens into commercial products. Fast-forward to mid-January, and well-known Samsung insider Ice Universe claims the Galaxy S26 Ultra's rumored private display technology may be the phone's "most marketable feature." He shared Samsung Display's video on X to prove his point.

How the Galaxy S26 Ultra's private OLED panel may work

"If you still don't have a clear idea of what the private screen on the Galaxy S26 Ultra is, just watch this video," the leaker wrote. "Once you do, you'll immediately understand why this is easily the most marketable feature of the S26 Ultra." He was probably referring to recent Galaxy S26 Ultra privacy rumors that claimed the "Privacy Display" feature was already in development ahead of the phone's launch. In August 2025, reports from Korea claimed that only the Galaxy S26 Ultra display would get the privacy of Flex Magic Pixel OLED panels in 2026.

The infographic below explains how Samsung's private OLED screen works. The display contains a privacy layer that can be turned on and off to adjust the direction of light emitted by the OLED layer. Turning on privacy features activates the Flex Magic Pixel layer, which narrows down the viewing angle so only the user sees the content. Samsung explained at MWC 2024 that AI may be used to enable the privacy layer when the feature is needed.

"For example, when a smart device user runs a banking application in a public place, AI technology can automatically recognize the environment and initiate additional security features," Samsung wrote in a press release. While the company made the Flex Magic Pixel display innovation seem designed for large-screen devices like computers and payment terminals, the press release suggests Flex Magic Pixel can be adapted for smartphone displays. Having a privacy layer built into the phone's OLED panel and using it only in crowded places can improve the overall smartphone experience. You wouldn't have to use a privacy screen protector, which can reduce screen brightness. You may still want to buy a regular screen protector to prevent accidental damage. Until this feature is released, if you need to use your phone in a crowded place and don't want others to see your apps or read your text messages, you need to install a privacy screen protector, which will also make it almost impossible for someone next to you to see what's on your smartphone screen.

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