The Galaxy S26 Ultra has made TIME's list of the Best Inventions of 2026. Samsung's top phone got in largely thanks to its Privacy Display, a screen that hides what you're doing from the people next to you. Two other Samsung products made the list too. Here's what TIME recognizes, what sets the phone apart and what it means if you're thinking about buying one.
What TIME's Best Inventions List Recognizes
TIME's annual list highlights what Samsung describes as “the year's most significant new products and ideas.” The magazine builds it from nominations by its editors and correspondents around the world, Yonhap reported. According to Samsung, entries are judged on originality, efficacy, ambition and impact.
Samsung placed three products on the 2026 list:
- Galaxy S26 Ultra
- Bespoke AI Family Hub refrigerator with AI Vision, which can recognize more than 2,000 packaged foods, according to Yonhap
- Odyssey G8 (G80HS) gaming monitor, a 32-inch display that runs at 6K and 165Hz, or 3K at up to 330Hz
The S26 Ultra is the fourth Galaxy device to appear on TIME's list, Samsung said.
Why the Galaxy S26 Ultra Made the Cut
TIME pointed to two things. The first is the Privacy Display, which limits what people can see from the sides. The second is sales: TIME called the S26 Ultra “the world's fastest-selling Android smartphone of the year despite carrying a price tag of more than $1,000,” Yonhap reported.
Samsung calls Privacy Display “the world's first built-in Privacy Display for mobile phones.” It's built into the panel itself, a technology Samsung calls Flex Magic Pixel, rather than added with a stick-on filter. When it's on, the phone turns off the pixels that send light out at wide angles. That narrows the viewing angle and lowers brightness, so people looking from the side see a dark screen while you still see yours head-on.
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How to Use Privacy Display
You can turn it on in Settings, then Display, then Privacy display, or with the Privacy display button in the Quick panel. Samsung's support page also lets you set conditions so it switches on only when needed:
- Apps. Turn it on automatically in supported apps that handle sensitive information, such as banking apps.
- PIN, pattern and password. Hide the screen while you type these in Settings, on the lock screen or in Secure Folder.
- Notification pop-ups. Hide incoming notifications from people nearby.
Samsung is upfront about the limits. Depending on viewing angle and brightness, some content may still be visible to others, and the PIN option doesn't cover password screens inside third-party apps. The feature is also exclusive to the S26 Ultra, so the regular Galaxy S26 models don't have it.
The Rest of the Phone
Beyond the screen, the S26 Ultra is a typical Samsung flagship. It has a 6.9-inch display, a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip and a 5,100mAh battery. The camera system pairs a 200MP main sensor with a 50MP ultrawide, a 10MP 3x telephoto and a 50MP 5x telephoto. Samsung also highlights its Super Steady video mode with a horizontal lock option.
What It Means for Buyers
An award doesn't change what the phone does, but it does confirm that Privacy Display is more than a gimmick. If you often check your bank account on the train, type passwords in public or work on a crowded flight, it solves a problem no other Galaxy phone does.
The catch is the price. In the US, the S26 Ultra launched in March at $1,299.99 for 256GB, $1,499.99 for 512GB and $1,799.99 for 1TB. If privacy is your main reason to buy it, that's a lot to pay for one feature. If you were already set on a top-tier Samsung phone, it's a real reason to pick the Ultra over the standard models.
