Samsung is poised to redefine smartphone display technology with the upcoming Galaxy S26 Ultra. By integrating innovative OLED advancements, Samsung promises a brighter and more power-efficient display that enhances user experience without compromising battery life.
Without the traditional bulky polarizers that regulate light emission in OLED screens, the new display design boasts increased thinness and flexibility. This modern technology incorporates a black Pixel Define Layer (PDL), which prevents light reflection inside the panel. These enhancements collectively allow a larger amount of light to pass through the display, resulting in an exceptionally bright image while simultaneously optimizing power consumption. As a result, less energy is required to achieve heightened brightness in the OLED display.
The new OLED technology eliminates polarizing plates, boosting power efficiency by 25%. Image credit-Samsung
Transitioning to a black PDL necessitated the replacement of the orange photosensitive polyimide (PSPI) material. The PSPI is known for allowing light leakage between the red, green, and blue sub-pixels, leading to decreased contrast and color fidelity. In contrast, the black PDL significantly reduces stray light, thereby enhancing black color depth and improving the overall contrast ratio. Additionally, a color filter (CF) is printed at a low temperature on a thin film encapsulation (TFE) layer.
Samsung initially introduced the CoE (Color on Encapsulation) technology with the Galaxy Z Fold 3's foldable OLED display. With the Galaxy S26 Ultra, it will mark the debut of this advanced OLED panel in a "candy bar" smartphone format. Current reports remain uncertain whether the Galaxy S26 and Galaxy S26+ models will also feature CoE OLED displays.
Given these advancements, the Galaxy S26 Ultra may outperform this year's Galaxy S25 Ultra display in terms of brightness. Samsung may also choose to maintain the peak brightness levels at 2,600 nits while simultaneously enhancing the device's battery life.
