Summary created by Smart Answers AI
In summary:
- Macworld debunks viral TikTok videos with 10M+ views falsely claiming iPhones have Samsung’s “Privacy Display” feature, which limits screen visibility from angles.
- These fake iOS 26.4 beta demonstrations capitalize on strong user demand for enhanced privacy features that prevent shoulder surfing.
- The privacy technology requires new hardware, not software updates, and Apple would heavily promote and uniquely brand such a significant feature if real.
One of the flagship features of the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra phone is a new feature called Privacy Display. It displays the pixels on-screen in such a way that people at an angle can’t see what’s on your phone, but you can see it clearly straight-on. It’s a handy feature for those times you don’t want people to know that you’re captivated by Horse Race Test videos, or you want to discreetly text your bestie about the stench from the person next to you on the bus.
It’s such a cool feature that we think Apple needs to copy it. To reiterate what Macworld’s Mahmoud Itani said, Apple touts itself as a privacy advocate, so this feature is perfect for the iPhone. Actually, I wonder why Apple didn’t think of this feature in the first place–another point Itani makes in his article, but that’s for another day.
Privacy Display is a feature iPhone users would love, and social media “influencers” are well aware of this fact. The more unscrupulous ones are taking advantage of this desire, and they’re making fake videos that supposedly show off the Privacy Display feature in iOS 26.4 beta. Most of these videos show an iPhone and a screen labeled “Privacy Display,” and then the camera or phone moves away from a straight-on shot to an angled shot, where the screen or a portion of it goes black.
You’ve been had. You’ve been took. You’ve been hoodwinked. Bamboozled
The video above has more than 10 million views and 450,000 likes. If you see it, don’t fall for it. It’s fake. Apple does not have such a feature in the current version of iOS 26, nor is it being tested in the iOS 26 beta. This “influencer” made this videos to capture your attention, get a valued view added to their tally, and hopefully, a “like” and a follow. It may be really well done, but it’s fake. F-A-K-E.
How do we know it’s fake? For one, such a feature requires completely new screen tech and cannot be added through software. Second, if Apple did make such a feature, it would promote the heck out of it because it is that cool. And lastly, here’s the biggest tell: the “influencers” who make these videos gave the feature the same name Samsung did. Apple wouldn’t do that. They’d give it some name like “Personal Privacy” or something, something that reminds you that the data you’re protecting is your data.
This feature doesn’t exist for the iPhone right now, but I won’t be surprised if Apple does eventually come up with its own version of it. And as I said, when it does, you’ll definitely know about it from Apple itself and not some TikTokker.
