Our phones hold our most personal details, and we use them everywhere. It is very annoying when we encounter shoulder surfing – when someone else looks over your shoulder as you enter your phone’s password and other sensitive information, or is constantly gleaning over what we’re browsing. Samsung is taking steps to address these concerns with a Privacy Display in its latest flagship – Galaxy S26 Ultra. Unlike screen protectors that dim the display constantly, this is a hardware-software hybrid feature that darkens the display edges when viewed from angles to prevent peeking. Users can set it for specific apps or websites, notifications or PIN entry.
Beyond Anti-Peeking
As mobile experiences become more personalised thanks to AI, protecting privacy becomes increasingly critical. Samsung is doing a lot on this front. The S26 Ultra has AI-powered Call Screening that identifies unknown callers and summarises intent, helping users manage calls safely. Also, Privacy Alerts notify users in real time when apps request access to sensitive data so permissions can be managed with clarity and control. Honestly speaking, over the last two weeks, I have enjoyed an extra level of comfort knowing that there’s no one seeing anything on my screen.
The S26 Ultra features a 6.9-inch Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X display with a 120Hz refresh rate and a peak brightness of 2600 nits. It is protected by Gorilla Glass Victus 3 on both the front and back, providing a high-quality, durable visual experience, similar to its predecessor’s design.
Beyond the display, the S26 Ultra offers a well-rounded experience. The handset has rounded corners and is much slimmer and lighter than its predecessor. It comes with an integrated S Pen stylus. A customised mobile processor – Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 – delivers performance gains across CPU, GPU and NPU to support faster, smoother experiences throughout the day. For real-world testing, I streamed a good amount of movies and music, engaged in moderate gaming sessions, besides undertaking the usual daily tasks, and there’s really not much to complain about. It is smooth and brisk and manages the thermals well. The 5,000-mAh battery provides full-day usage, supported by Super-Fast Charging 3.0 that hits 75% in 30 minutes.
On the imaging front, we are looking at a quad-rear camera system highlighted by a 200MP main sensor with improved light collection, a 50MP 5x periscope telephoto lens, a 50MP ultra-wide camera, and a 10MP 3x telephoto lens. The camera system emphasises enhanced low-light performance with faster lenses and advanced AI for improved photo/video quality. The 12MP front-facing camera offers improved low-light performance via better AI processing, delivering clearer details and better skin tones, while offering improved stabilisation for video calls and selfies.
When it comes to editing photos and videos, there are plenty of AI-powered tools available for users to unlock their creativity without design expertise. For instance, Enhanced Nightography Video keeps footage clearer and more vibrant even in dim scenes. I also liked the Horizon Lock feature that keeps video footage perfectly level and stable, even when the phone is rotated, shaken, or turned 360 degrees. It acts like a software-based gimbal to ensure a straight horizon during high-movement, such as running or action filming.
On the AI front, Perplexity is now preinstalled, so is ChatGPT – but you’re largely dealing with Samsung’s suite of Galaxy AI features alongside Gemini and Google’s own AI tools in its preinstalled apps. With Now Nudge, timely and relevant suggestions help users stay in the flow without being distracted. Also, Circle to Search has been upgraded with enhanced multi-object recognition, so users can now explore more deeply on multiple parts of an image at once.
Overall, the S26 Ultra is a top-tier phone with a big and bright display and an efficient quad camera system. The battery life is good too, but it’s the AI-powered features that really steal the show.
SPECIFICATIONS
Display: 6.9-inch Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X display
Processor: Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5
Operating system: Android 16, One UI 8.5
Memory & storage: 12/16GB RAM, 256/512/1TB storage
Cameras: 200MP+10MP+50MP+50MP (rear), 12MP front camera
Battery: 5000mAh, 60W wired/25W wireless charging
Estimated street price: Rs 1,39,999 (12GB/256GB)