Soon, your phone's display may get new functionality. | Image by PhoneArena
In 2026, tech innovations are coming from all directions. Some brands focus on perfecting camera hardware; others push the battery capacity boundaries. And then there's Samsung, which has just turned ordinary displays into health-tracking devices.
One of the more curious innovations Samsung demonstrates is the Sensor OLED display. This groundbreaking tech can measure biometric information by analyzing blood flow with light emitted from the screen.
What really matters in a smartphone display?
Sensor OLED has big potential
Will this tech make your future smartphone smartwatch-like? | Image by Samsung
Following the prototype showcased at last year's Display Week, Samsung is presenting an improved 6.8-inch Sensor OLED screen. The new technology features 500 pixels per inch (PPI), up 33% from last year's prototype.
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The special element of this panel is its ability to measure essential health stats, such as heart rate and blood pressure. To achieve it, Samsung has combined OLED elements and organic photodiodes (OPD) within the display. It's still unclear whether this type of panel supports in-display fingerprint scanning.
Sensor OLED Display is structurally challenging to achieve high resolution, as RGB pixels and OPD pixels must be arranged within a single layer. Samsung Display was able to realize 500 PPI resolution through advanced panel design and precise process control technologies.
Samsung official
Privacy-enhanced from the ground up
According to the official press release, Samsung has incorporated Flex Magic Pixel into its Sensor OLED display. This hardware-based privacy technology first debuted with the Galaxy S26 Ultra. It allows users to protect notifications or the entire screen by limiting side-angle visibility.
In the new Sensor OLEDs, Samsung utilizes a modified version of this privacy feature to block only key information. For example, the tech can block medical data from prying eyes when viewed from the side, while the rest of the screen remains visible to everyone.
Is Samsung the only one?
Apple may be working on a similar type of tech as well. | Image by Weibo
According to Weibo leaker Momentary Digital, Samsung isn't the only one working on displays that can track health stats. The tipster claims that the brand's biggest rival, Apple, is also developing a similar type of tech.
Supposedly, both tech giants aim to bring this technology to their future smartphones. However, how long we will have to wait until we see such devices remains a mystery.
Will smartwatches be obsolete?
What does the future hold for Samsung wearables? | Image by PhoneArena
Implementing health tracking functionality right on the display of your phone will ensure everyone has access to basic medical monitoring. But will such technology eventually make smartwatches obsolete?
I think this is highly unlikely. In fact, I don't think the Sensor OLED tech will be implemented in smartphones in the coming years. Even when it does, smartwatches will probably remain essential for more comprehensive health tracking that goes well beyond basic metrics like heart rate.
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Polina Kovalakova, a News and Affiliate Content Writer, has nurtured a passion for mobile technology since the era before smartphones. With a history of exploring a variety of devices, her insights into the mobile world are both broad and nuanced. Polina's non-partisan view extends to appreciating nearly every smartphone brand, a reflection of her open-minded approach to technology. Polina is equally passionate about uncovering the best online deals, tirelessly working to ensure her readers snag top-tier tech at unbeatable prices.
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