With the launch of Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, a new anti-spy feature debuts. The flagship is the first with Privacy Display, which allows obscuring the phone’s screen for people on the side — without the need for third-party screen protectors.
This hardware feature could also find space on other phones: Chinese manufacturers are always attentive to rivals’ innovations, and this time it is no exception. Xiaomi 18 and vivo X500 could be the first flagship Made in China with the much-talked-about anti-spy screen.
Xiaomi 18 and vivo X500 against display snoops, like Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra
The operation of Privacy Display is already widely explained: through a combination of hardware and software, the user can obscure the display (or parts of it) as needed. The effect is not visible for someone facing you, but it is designed specifically to counter indiscreet side glances.
To understand it better, just take a look at the clip below: the new Galaxy S26 Ultra is already in someone’s hands and in a hands-on video the most interesting feature is shown.
According to the insider Digital Chat Station, September’s top Chinese flagships could arrive with this feature. Privacy Display is currently in testing, with two likely candidates: the Xiaomi 18 series and vivo X500.
The Lei Jun company’s lineup is certainly coming in September (as is tradition for China) while this year there are rumors of the addition of a rival. It could be vivo phones but in reality it could also be the OPPO Find X family.
In short, it seems Chinese manufacturers are intent on launching the alternative to Samsung’s Privacy Display and the thing is not surprising. The various companies on one hand experiment with novel features (like silicon-carbon mega batteries) but on the other hand are very attentive to rival features.
Awaiting official information, we left you with Xiaomi 18’s presumed specs sheet (to be taken with a grain of salt), well ahead of the release.
Presumed technical specs
- Dimensions and weight: /
- Color options: /
- Certification: IP68
- Display: Flat OLED 6.4″ 1.5K, LiPo, LTPO refresh rate at 120 Hz, touch sampling at 300 Hz, 12-bit color, DC Dimming 2,160 Hz and peak brightness up to 3,500 nits
- Security: under-display fingerprint sensor (ultrasound)
- Liquid cooling with vapor chamber
- SoC: UNRELEASED – Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6, 2 nm TSMC (N2p)
- CPU: octa-core (2 + 3 + 3)
- GPU: Adreno
- RAM: 12/16 GB LPDDR5X
- Storage: 256/512 GB/1 TB UFS 4.1 non-expandable
- Battery: above 7,000 mAh
- Charging: /
- Camera: triple 50 + 50 + 200 MP (f/?) with Light Fusion, OIS, ultra-wide and periscope telephoto with OIS | Leica optics
- Selfie camera: 50 MP (f/2.2), FOV 90°, autofocus
- Connectivity and more: Dual SIM 5G, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6.0, NFC, Dual GPS, stereo speaker, USB-C 3.2 Gen 1
- Operating system: Android 17 with HyperOS 4
