Galaxy S26 Ultra could use new display tech, but there’s bad news for the rest

We’re looking forward to Samsung’s next set of flagships, the Galaxy S26 series, and most leaks indicate that we’re in for some shakeup. There’s likely to be a Galaxy S26 Pro (instead of the base Galaxy S26), the Galaxy S26 Edge (no Galaxy S26 Plus), and the Galaxy S26 Ultra. We recently spotted clues for Galaxy S26 Ultra’s new Private Display feature, and now new leaks are shedding light on the display technology used on the upcoming flagship.

Galaxy S26 Ultra could get M14 OLED panel and CoE tech

South Korea’s ET News reports that the Galaxy S26 Ultra is expected to have a brighter and thinner display as it will use an OLED panel with new materials and display technology. Citing industry sources, the report notes that the Galaxy S26 Ultra could sport Samsung Display’s new M14 material and CoE technology, eliminating the polarizer on the display. This is expected to improve luminous efficiency, resulting in a brighter display and a longer lifespan.

The report notes that Samsung had been using the previous generation M13 material for the Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S25 series, and says this is the first upgrade in three years (which is a bit misleading since the S24 did upgrade to M13 from the S23’s M12, and the phone was released in 2024, which would be about two years, and not three, when the Galaxy S26 series releases).

The Galaxy S26 Pro and Galaxy S26 Edge will miss out

Don’t celebrate just yet, though. The report notes that the Galaxy S26 Pro and the Galaxy S26 Edge are expected to continue using the same M13 material as the previous generation. Also note that all the iPhone 17 series phones have long been rumored to use the M14 panels, though we haven’t been able to confirm yet on the retail units that have freshly gone on sale. In a way, the Galaxy S26 Pro and Galaxy S26 Edge will be a step behind the iPhone 17 series, while only the Galaxy S26 Ultra will be at par or ahead.

We’ve heard the CoE tech rumors before for the Galaxy S26 Ultra

This report isn’t the first time we have heard of CoE tech adoption on the Galaxy S26 Ultra. A different report from earlier in the year noted that Samsung plans to apply Color-filter-on-thin-film-encapsulation (CoE) technology to the Galaxy S26 Ultra. CoE is a tech that replaces the polarizing plates in OLEDs with a color filter and changes the general Pixel Define Layer (PDL) to a black one.

The polarizer layer in an OLED eliminates reflections and improves visibility, but adds some thickness to the OLED. Worse, it blocks some of the emitted light, reducing the perceived brightness or forcing the use of more power to reach the same brightness level (which in turn also affects the product’s lifespan). So display manufacturers have been striving for a way to remove the polarizer while still keeping its benefits.

When the polarizer layer is removed, the display panel becomes thinner, and its light transmittance increases, which can help reduce power consumption. Color reproduction is also improved since a color filter is used in its place. The black PDL then takes up the duty of preventing light from reflecting inside the panel.

This entire display tech stack is called CoE, as the color filter is printed on a Thin-Film Encapsulation (TFE) that protects the OLED from moisture and oxygen. Samsung has already used CoE tech on its foldables since the Galaxy Z Fold 3, including the new Galaxy Z Fold 7.

This would be the first time Samsung will use CoE tech on a conventional, non-foldable smartphone. The report notes that Samsung is moving ahead with using the tech on the Galaxy S26 Ultra as the company wants to take the lead ahead of Apple’s rumored adoption of CoE tech on the 20th anniversary iPhones, scheduled for 2027, i.e., the iPhone 19 series.