The Galaxy S26 Ultra sticks to 8-bit screen technology

Before the launch, Samsung confirmed in the pre-launch forum that the Galaxy S26 Ultra will have a screen that supports 10-bit color depth. This will be a marked upgrade from the display used by the Galaxy S25 Ultra. However, this was wrong information.

In an email to Android AuthoritySamsung has now confirmed that the Galaxy S26 Ultra will instead launch with an 8-bit display. This means that the new flagship does not offer a marked improvement in color depth over its predecessor.

Find the statement we received from a Samsung spokesperson below:

The Galaxy S26 series uses an 8-bit display panel. It features the new Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 customized Galaxy chipset that provides up to 4 cores of image processing power for enhanced viewing.

Unfortunately for Samsung, the upgraded chipset doesn’t magically transform an 8-bit display into a capable 10-bit panel.

There is a significant difference between the color depth levels of 8-bit and 10-bit – close to a billion more colors are displayed with the latter. Although you won’t be able to see all of these colors individually, they do have an effect on how one shade changes to another. The few colors available mean very noticeable crossover points – or blending – where one shade changes to another. There are ways around this, but it means that the difference in theory and experience between the two display specifications can be huge.

This lack of the Galaxy S26 Ultra in this department is very disappointing, too, since 10-bit color depth is not a new feature for smartphones. A number of smartphone makers have included 10-bit panels in much cheaper devices. There should be no excuse for a smartphone asking for $1,299 to consumers, especially if early preview information indicates that the feature will be available.

The Galaxy S26 Ultra’s display is under more scrutiny this year, when its Privacy Display feature is introduced. This nifty technology uses a different pixel arrangement to blur information on the phone’s screen when viewed from certain angles. However, some users have noticed that this feature can affect the reliability of the S26 Ultra display in all situations, regardless of whether it is working or not.

Notably, if you want a 10-bit panel on a Samsung phone, you may have to wait several years. New rumors suggest that Samsung may skip the spec from the Galaxy S27 series as well, saving it for the 2028 S28 edition instead.

Whether you care about color depth or not, Samsung’s habit of asking for a spec and withdrawing it after a device is launched sets a worrying precedent. Mistakes happen, but this is pretty obvious.