On the smart smartphone comes the magic display that protects privacy

What is the new frontier of  smartphone luxury, especially if we are talking about a two thousand euro device in its top variant? Artificial intelligence? With all its mind-blowing ability to manage photos and information with help that looks human but isn't? Yes, it is true that Ai takes centre stage, but it is only partly so if we are talking about the newly unveiled Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra. On the one hand, it is an evolution of the AI Smartphone concept, but on the other hand, it introduces something new. It is not about software and algorithms, but hardware: light handled like an invisible hand that intelligently covers to protect privacy and sensitive data. And that is no small thing. It is called Privacy Display and it works by acting on a single pixel to hide the content you are looking at from others, but it does not degrade the display quality and can be activated at will on certain apps, by location or according to set times. It can also be activated in dual screen mode, with one app protected from prying eyes and the other not. We can call it visual silence, elegance and respect for our intimate responding to messages. The personal benefits are obvious, but also professional.

On the new Galaxy S26s (three models: a basic, a plus and an Ultra, the one with the pen and the most powerful) there is a whole arsenal of artificial intelligence, but the appeal of a screen on which your seat neighbour on the train and plane or the colleague next to your desk cannot peek is unique.

Apart from the magic display, the new models exhibit limited evolution (how could it be otherwise?). In fact, beyond minor hardware updates and styling tweaks, we find only improvements in the AI software with more intuitive solutions that will cascade with the updates of the previous series. Fortunately, the colour rumours have been disproved: the colour palette is restrained, and there is no orange version, which has become a symbol of the smartphone of those who want to look good and would probably buy it even if it were made of cardboard.

Jokes aside, the styling marks a slight upgrade on the front of the camera plateau with a configuration similar to that of the unsuccessful S25 edge, while the edges are even more rounded - too much so - compared to the S25 Ultra, which smoothed out the (distinctive but somewhat awkward S24 Ultra) edges. The result is that viewed from the front it looks a little more like an iPhone. The S pen, unfortunately deprived since the S25 Ultra of bluetooth functions, is smaller, and at first seems very uncomfortable to hold between the fingers. That's the price you pay for being a notch (0.3 mm) thinner.

As for the hardware, we find a 6.9-inch (6.7 if the bevelled edges are taken into account) QHD+ Amoled display, with adaptive refresh rate of 120 hz. The processor is a new Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 in a special edition for the Galaxy (the S26 and S26+ with 6.3 and 6.7-inch screens instead run an Exynos 2600). Gone, deo gratias, are the improbable 256 GB storage versions and everyone starts with 256 GB. It has to be said that the 256GB Ultra, with its arsenal of cameras, makes little sense, just as the 12GB of Ram is acceptable on the base model and the Plus, but out of place on the S25 Ultra. In fact, the 1 Tb version has 16 GB, a feature I would have liked on all models. I'm not saying they are useful, but the luxury of an exclusive object also lies in the exaggeration of the technical sheet, especially given the prices. We are faced with the most expensive Galaxy S Ultra series ever: 1500, 1700 and 2000 euros for the 256/12, 512/12 and 1 TB/16 versions. Two thousand euros is really a lot, despite the improved and more intuitive AI (photos can be enhanced with a text prompt, thanks to Gemini hidden in the editor) and the fantastic privacy display. It must be said that there are promotions, but only until 9 May. Basically you get the 512 for the price of the 256 and the one tera for €1,800. Galaxy S25 was cheaper, and the promotions for first-time buyers more generous.