Future MacBooks May Hide Your Screen From Strangers

[MacRumors]

Apple is set to bring built-in privacy screen technology to future MacBooks within the next three years, according to a report from market research firm Omdia (via Ice Universe).

The technology Apple is planning to adopt restricts off-axis viewing angles so only someone sitting directly in front of the display can see its contents, while onlookers to the side see a darkened or obscured image. It's similar to the concept behind Samsung's upcoming privacy display feature, which is set to debut on the upcoming Galaxy S26 Ultra.

Samsung says it took over five years to develop the feature, which works at the pixel level, combining Flex Magic Pixel OLED hardware with software controls. Rather than applying a blanket filter, users can customize when the privacy mode kicks in – for specific apps, password entry, or notification pop-ups – and adjust the intensity of the viewing angle restriction. Samsung describes it as an extension of its Knox security platform, calling it "privacy you can see and security you can feel."

Going on patents, Apple has already explored a similar idea – in 2023, the company filed two aimed at preventing "shoulder surfing." One describes a privacy film for curved displays like iPhones that limits light emission to a narrow forward angle, while another outlines adjustable viewing-angle technology for flat screens like Macs uses louvres or liquid crystal elements to restrict side-on visibility.

The Omdia report suggests that MacBooks will adopt similar technology by 2029, a timeline that tallies with broader expectations that Apple will transition its MacBook lineup to Samsung-supplied OLED panels over the next few years. The MacBook Pro is widely expected to adopt OLED displays later this year or in early 2027, while the MacBook Air is believed to be next to follow suit.

Omdia's projections are based on analyst forecasting rather than insider knowledge, and Apple's patents are no guarantee of a shipping product. However, with Samsung about to debut the technology this year, the pressure is now on Apple to follow.

Article Link: Future MacBooks May Hide Your Screen From Strangers

 

[Rradcircless]

Interesting. I'm interested in those privacy screen protectors but I don’t know who sells the best kind.

 

[Kylo83]

I don’t like the fact of angle it looks worse. I don’t like it.

 

[kalsta]

The technology Apple is planning to adopt restricts off-axis viewing angles so only someone sitting directly in front of the display can see its contents

Now it’s actually true to say, cheap PCs have had this feature for decades!

 

[chucker23n1]

I kind of hope they make this an opt-in $100 thing, because while I can see the use case, for me it would be a downgrade. Leaving aside that it's probably going to generally lower brightness and clarity, it'll also, by necessity, lower viewing angles.

 

[klasma]

I don’t like the fact of angle it looks worse. I don’t like it.

Well, the Samsung tech can be switched on and off, and adjusted in its intensity.

 

[titanium alloy]

oh that’s cool, can’t wait to see it take shape

 

[dominiongamma]

Now it’s actually true to say, cheap PCs have had this feature for decades!

Funny because I haven’t seen most PC users never use it

 

[SpotOnT]

So much for gathering around a laptop to watch things together…..

 

[Ben11]

Yes Apple=Privacy by the way I think this is a very cool feature if it’s built the way everybody says it’s going to be

 

[adrianlondon]

So much for gathering around a laptop to watch things together…..

If it can be turned on and off, like the poster above said about the Samsung version, then it sounds great.

My MBP M4 is the non-nano texture one as I didn't like what it did to the vibrancy, but hopefully this is totally adjustable.

 

[ForkHandles]

Account vacated.

 

[Madonepro]

Meanwhile, in other news, Apple releases the third edition of its Apple Watch Ultra. with a screen upgraded from LTPO2 to LTPO3 OLED, which improves off-angle viewing. 😂

 

[Haiku_Oezu]

I saw one of these in the wild and it was really freaky, you literally cannot see anything from an off angle - it’s like watching someone pretend to use a laptop in a movie

 

[Seanm87]

My work laptop has this and it’s awful. Makes the screen so dull and lacking in clarity. And that’s without the feature turned on btw.

 

[Nyx1]

Really, display?
why not make use advantage for face id to make same thing

 

[kalsta]

Funny because I haven’t seen most PC users never use it

Wha…? 🫤 Does that mean you have seen most PC users sometimes use it? 🤔 Not sure why that’s ‘funny’, but since you downvoted my comment, I assume you didn’t realise mine was a joke.

 

[StrangeNoises]

old enough to remember when narrow viewing angles were a limitation of the technology, not a feature. like others hoping it's an opt-in expense so i can not opt into it.

 

[macabrumorsab]

MR says:

It's similar to the concept behind Samsung's upcoming privacy display feature, which is set to debut on the upcoming Galaxy S26 Ultra.

The quoted source says it is:

...Samsung Electronics’ latest privacy display technology, introduced in the Galaxy S26 Ultra

 

[cmChimera]

I kind of hope they make this an opt-in $100 thing, because while I can see the use case, for me it would be a downgrade. Leaving aside that it's probably going to generally lower brightness and clarity, it'll also, by necessity, lower viewing angles.

It’s something you can turn on and off via software.

 

[zhtfreak]

Macs and iPhones and iPads have been able to do something like this for more than a decade... if you use accessibility. VoiceOver lets you turn your screen black because a person who is blind doesn't need it unless they're showing someone something, and they don't always know what other people can see depending on how their device is positioned. I use it all the time and have forgotten many times that I have it enabled and I need someone to see something on on my phone. lol Good to see the mainstream catching up with something like it.

 

[The Game 161]

Certainly sounds like very useful on upcoming s26 ultra

Wonder when it comes to the iPhone

 

[Asthmatic Kitty]

Rather than applying a blanket filter, users can customize when the privacy mode kicks in – for specific apps, password entry, or notification pop-ups – and adjust the intensity of the viewing angle restriction.

This is very cool — I wonder if it can be applied to only specific parts of the screen at a time, e.g. the Passwords window, while leaving the rest of the display unchanged.

 

[nt5672]

I can see this being important to some people.

With that said, it needs to be optional.

Why?

Because I work in my home office and do not have the need or the willingness to pay extra so that my invisible friends that watch me work cannot see my computer screen.

 

[TFrank2]

My work laptop has this and it’s awful. Makes the screen so dull and lacking in clarity. And that’s without the feature turned on btw.

This would be my concern too. Every screen I’ve seen at work with this is also dull and grey tinged as well