Will Samsung’s Revolutionary Privacy Display Change the Future of Huawei and Honor Smartphones?

The smartphone industry is about to witness a significant shift in user security with the upcoming launch of the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra. This flagship is set to introduce a cutting-edge feature known as "Privacy Display." While this technology is a major win for Samsung users, it raises an important question: shouldn't Huawei and Honor also adopt this advanced hardware-level security to protect their users' data?

As the Galaxy S26 series approaches its official debut, leaks are providing a clearer picture of the lineup's most significant upgrades. While most manufacturers focus on incremental hardware and software bumps, Samsung is taking a different path by addressing physical privacy through the display panel itself.

The Innovation Behind Hardware-Level Privacy

The technology, recently showcased in a hands-on video, demonstrates how the screen becomes virtually invisible when viewed from an angle. This functions similarly to the anti-peeping features found in some Huawei devices, but with a critical technical difference: it is built into the screen's physical layers.

According to technical insights, Samsung has integrated a dual-part optical control structure. The first layer acts as a microscopic shade system positioned beneath the display. Under normal circumstances, OLED light scatters in all directions. However, when Privacy Display mode is activated, a liquid crystal layer changes its state, altering its refractive index and forcing the light to diffract, which limits side visibility.

How the Privacy Display Mechanism Works

The second layer of this Privacy Display technology is an optical refractive ramp filled with prisms. Light that has been redirected by the first layer hits this optical barrier. Rays that would normally exit at a wide angle are either distorted or reflected back into the screen. To a person sitting next to the user, the display appears completely blank or dark, while the user looking directly at the phone sees a clear image.

Huawei and Honor: The Need for an Upgrade

Currently, Huawei’s AI anti-peeping technology relies primarily on software and camera sensors to detect if someone else is looking at the screen. While effective, it often involves dimming the screen or hiding notification content. Samsung’s approach is more robust because it doesn't require software processing or specific lighting conditions to function.

For Honor and Huawei to remain competitive in the high-end flagship market, integrating a similar hardware-level privacy shield would be a logical step. It provides a sense of security in crowded environments—like subways or cafes—that software solutions alone cannot match.

What is the main difference between software and hardware privacy displays?

Software privacy features usually detect intruders using the front camera and then hide content or dim the screen. Hardware-level privacy, like Samsung's, physically restricts the light's exit angle, making the screen appear dark to anyone not looking at it directly without needing to change the content on the screen.

Does the Privacy Display affect the battery life?

While specific data for the Galaxy S26 Ultra is still pending, hardware-level optical layers typically do not consume significant additional power compared to software-based AI monitoring, which requires the processor and camera to remain active.

Can I turn the privacy feature off?

Yes, the technology is designed to be switchable. Users can choose between "Standard" mode for normal wide-angle viewing and "Maximum Privacy Protection" for when they are in public spaces.

Will this technology be available on Huawei or Honor phones soon?

Currently, there are no official confirmations, but both brands are known for rapid innovation in display technology. Given the competitive nature of the market, it is likely they will explore similar hardware solutions in future flagship releases.

🔎 In conclusion, Samsung’s Privacy Display represents a significant leap forward in mobile security. By moving privacy controls from the software layer to the hardware itself, they have created a more reliable and seamless user experience. As users become increasingly concerned about data privacy in public, it is only a matter of time before other industry giants like Huawei and Honor are forced to follow suit with their own hardware-based innovations.