Samsung’s Privacy Display is seemingly ‘better’ at privacy than rivals, but at what cost?
Four-way blocking gives the S26 Ultra an edge over HUAWEI and Xiaomi, but display quality and user comfort take a hit.
Credit: Stephen Radochia / Android Authority
Ice Universe, a leaker and display enthusiast, claims Samsung leads in Privacy Display technology. They achieve this by employing four-way baffles that block views from above, below, and on the sides, whereas HUAWEI and Xiaomi only obstruct horizontal views. However, Samsung's rigorous hardware approach results in decreased brightness, diminished image quality, and potential eye strain or discomfort for some users.
Xiaomi, for instance, compensates for these downsides by incorporating software features like voice commands, location-triggered activation, and even detection of shoulder surfers. Samsung was the pioneering Android brand to integrate a Privacy Display, starting with the Galaxy S26 Ultra this year. Since then, other Android brands have followed suit, with HUAWEI's Mate XT 2 and Xiaomi's 18 Pro series adding their own variations to the Privacy Display.
Despite this widespread adoption, Samsung appears poised to maintain its position as the undisputed champion of the most private Privacy Display implementation. According to Ice Universe, Samsung's hardware implementation currently outperforms competitors from both HUAWEI and Xiaomi. The key to Samsung's superiority lies in its unique ability to conceal content from not just the sides, but also the top and bottom, a feat HUAWEI and Xiaomi cannot match.
Written by urgent.news from Android Authority's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
