Ryan Haines / Android Authority
TL;DR
- Samsung is reportedly exploring a display upgrade for the Galaxy S26 Ultra, using the CoE tech it first used on the Galaxy Z Fold 3.
- CoE tech removes the polarizer layer in the OLED and adds a color filter and a black PDL.
- This display technology helps make the display panel thinner, brighter, and more efficient, possibly opening the door to a thinner smartphone.
The Galaxy S25 series has not even launched yet, and we’re already starting to hear more rumors about the Galaxy S26 series. A new report suggests that Samsung is exploring a display upgrade on the Galaxy S26 Ultra, possibly making it thinner, brighter, and more efficient.
A report from the Korean publication The Elec states that Samsung is planning to apply Color-filter-on-thin-film-encapsulation (CoE) technology to the Galaxy S26 Ultra, which will be released in 2026. 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 it also adds some thickness to it. 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 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. Since a color filter is used in its place, color reproduction is also improved. The black PDL then takes up the duty of preventing light from reflecting inside the panel.
OLED with polarizer vs. OLED with COE
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 Galaxy Z Fold 6, released last year.
With CoE on the Galaxy S26 Ultra, Samsung could look at making the phone thinner without compromising the display. This would position the Galaxy S26 Ultra flagship as a thinner competitor to rumored products like the iPhone 17 Air and Samsung’s own Galaxy S25 Slim. It remains to be seen how Samsung approaches CoE tech on the next-gen flagship and just how much thinner we can expect it to become.