The best Galaxy S26 Ultra feature could end up on this mighty flagship smartphone

The Galaxy S26 Ultra has plenty of features to brag about, but the new privacy display is probably the most impressive of them all. Like every other good smartphone idea, this one may also quickly show up on competing devices, starting with the Xiaomi 18 Pro phones.

Xiaomi 18 Pro to borrow Samsung’s privacy display feature

Xiaomi is already testing a brand-new display for its upcoming Pro series smartphones, according to a new report (source in Chinese) from Weibo leaker Digital Chat Station. The company is reportedly working on a 2K display, which will incorporate a technology similar to the privacy display of the Galaxy S26 Ultra.

Unlike Samsung, Xiaomi may have a more comprehensive approach to the feature. The Chinese company is reportedly combining privacy display features based on software and hardware, which are meant to protect the on-screen content from prying eyes.

The rumor doesn’t go into details about what the software and hardware features may be, but claims they’ll end up on the Xiaomi 18 Pro and Xiaomi 18 Pro Max phones. Those are expected to launch in China in September.

Spreading like a wildfire

Privacy display was introduced on the Galaxy S26 Ultra as its highlight new feature, and even today no other phone supports anything like it. Thanks to that technology, you can make the display visible only when looked at head-on, while limiting the visibility from the side.

Unlike physical privacy protectors, the feature gives extra control and allows blocking visibility only partially. That way you could activate it only over a text field or with your banking apps, but have it deactivated when reading the news. The Xiaomi 18 Pro phones will probably be only the first of many Android phones to get some sort of privacy display, and for a good reason. 

The feature turned out to be quite popular among users, despite the initial worries of a lower image quality. On Reddit, most Galaxy S26 Ultra users say they love the privacy display and use it much more than they ever expected. Funnily enough, many people say they use it to stop nosy coworkers from peeking at their screens.

Another mighty flagship duo

Devices like the Xiaomi 17 Ultra and the Xiaomi 17 Pro series are among the most intriguing Android smartphones right now. The company’s 17 Pro phones came with rear displays, which are rumored to grow to 4 inches on the new models.

Besides that, the Xiaomi 18 Pro is expected to feature a 6.3-inch display and at least a 7,000 mAh battery. The larger 18 Pro Max model is rumored to get a 6.9-inch display, with both phones getting the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 Pro chipset and dual 200MP cameras.

Apple should follow, too

Since everyone is copying everyone, I’d like to see Apple copying this feature, too. I doubt that’ll happen with the iPhone 18 Pro, but I’d be happy to see it on the anniversary iPhone 20 next year.

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