The Privacy Display on the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is designed to make sure that no one can spy on what’s on its screen. The problem is that while it might disguise what’s written there in black and white, the display itself is turning red.
Device owners are complaining that their screens have developed a red cast in the middle, posting images on social media and on Samsung’s community forum.
Korean site Newsway said that Samsung is investigating the issue. A spokesperson told the publication: “We are currently examining the matter internally to confirm the cause.”
While a cause has not been identified, it is possible that the reddish cast is a side effect of the way Privacy Display works.
In order to prevent anyone from getting a glimpse of the screen unless they are looking directly at it, the display dims pixels on the sides and boosts them in the center, exactly where the discoloration is showing up.
However, there is no evidence so far that the Privacy Display is or is not to blame.
An unfortunate issue to add to a few others
In his review of the Galaxy S26 Ultra, Android Police writer Andy Boxall noted three controversies surrounding the phone: the screen that emulates but does not offer 10-bit color performance (it’s actually 8-bit), a detectable screen flicker (likely caused by either the emulation or the Privacy Display technology), and a switch from the periscope telephoto for a 50-megapixel camera used for 5x zoom shots to an All Lenses on Prism (ALoP) type.
Nevertheless, he gave the Galaxy S26 Ultra an 8/10 and, as he said in his original hands-on with the device, he felt that though brightness does suffer a bit because of it, the Privacy Display is its standout feature from previous models.
Whether existing and potential customers feel that the phone is worth it given this latest news remains to be seen and likely largely depends on whether or not Samsung solves it.
