On September 20, 2025, the world of smartphones was abuzz with privacy talk, but not for the usual reasons. Both Apple and Samsung, two titans of the tech industry, found themselves at the center of a heated debate—one that’s as much about innovation as it is about the right to keep personal data personal. With Apple introducing its highly anticipated iPhone 17, complete with a suite of artificial intelligence tools dubbed Apple Intelligence, and Samsung’s Galaxy S26 Ultra leaks revealing a new Privacy Display feature, the question on everyone’s mind is simple: Can cutting-edge AI and privacy really coexist?
Apple’s iPhone 17 launch was met with the kind of fanfare one might expect, but it also attracted a fair share of scrutiny. According to Legal Maestros, the new Apple Intelligence tools—ranging from advanced text summarization to real-time image generation—are designed to make life easier and more intuitive for users. But these features come with a catch: they require deep access to personal data. That’s a big ask, especially from a company that’s long prided itself on its privacy-first reputation.
Apple’s answer? On-device processing. The company touts the A19 Bionic chip’s Neural Engine, which handles data locally on the user’s iPhone, iPad, or Mac. Tasks like summarizing lengthy emails or sketching images are performed without ever sending raw data off the device. This, Apple claims, ensures that sensitive information—think photo libraries or health data—never leaves the user’s control. "This model of decentralized AI processing is designed to deliver a powerful user experience while minimizing the risk of a data breach," Legal Maestros reports.
But, as with most things in tech, there’s a catch. Some AI tasks are just too complex for even the most powerful smartphone chip. Enter Private Cloud Compute (PCC), Apple’s solution for handling these heavy-lifting requests. Data sent to PCC is processed on Apple-designed silicon servers and, crucially, is "stateless"—used only to fulfill the immediate request and then deleted. Apple insists that not even its own employees can access this data. To back up its claims, the company has released the PCC server software for independent security review, a move aimed at bolstering public trust.
Yet, despite these privacy safeguards, Apple hasn’t managed to sidestep controversy. Just before the iPhone 17’s debut, the company was hit with a copyright lawsuit alleging that it used pirated books from so-called shadow libraries to train its generative AI models. As Legal Maestros notes, this legal action shines a spotlight on the murky world of AI training data and the need for more transparency. Meanwhile, child safety activists staged protests at the iPhone 17 launch, accusing Apple of not doing enough to combat the spread of child sexual abuse material on its platforms. These incidents underscore the complex terrain Apple must navigate as it pushes deeper into AI.
From a regulatory standpoint, Apple’s privacy policy is crafted to comply with the world’s toughest data protection laws—the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and California’s Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). The company says it requires explicit user opt-in for any data sharing with third-party AI models, such as ChatGPT, and offers transparency logging so users can see exactly what, if anything, is being sent to PCC. "It is critical to this level of user control and transparency to meet these newer standards of data protection frameworks and give consumers the confidence that data privacy is not a post-thought consideration anymore," Legal Maestros observes.
While Apple’s privacy efforts are under the microscope, Samsung is making headlines of its own—though in a very different way. Leaked builds of One UI 8.5, Samsung’s next-generation software, have revealed a feature called Private Display (or Privacy Display, depending on the string you read). According to Android Authority, this technology is set to debut on the upcoming Galaxy S26 Ultra, expected in early 2026.
So, what is Private Display? In short, it’s a screen technology powered by Samsung’s Flex Magic Pixel AI that limits the viewing angle of your device. Only the person directly in front can clearly see what’s on the screen, making it a boon for anyone worried about shoulder surfing in crowded places. As Android Authority explains, the feature offers two levels of protection: Maximum Privacy, which dims the display for added security, and Manual Settings, which let users fine-tune when and how the feature is triggered.
But that’s not all. The leaked code, analyzed by Android Authority, suggests users will be able to set up custom conditions—like enabling Private Display only for sensitive apps (think banking or messaging) or according to a schedule. "Automatically use Private display when you use sensitive apps and when you’re in crowded places," reads one of the feature’s descriptions. This level of granular control could be a game-changer for privacy-conscious users.
It’s worth noting that the Privacy Display feature may require specific hardware—namely, the Flex Magic Pixel technology—and could initially be exclusive to the Galaxy S26 Ultra. However, there’s speculation that it might eventually roll out to other models in the S26 series. As Android Authority puts it, "We have also exclusively uncovered a bunch of features slated to arrive with the launch of the series. Given that there is still time and this is based on a leaked build, we can expect more features and changes before the official launch."
Both Apple and Samsung are clearly betting big on AI, but their approaches to privacy couldn’t be more different. Apple is doubling down on local processing and transparent cloud solutions, all while wrestling with legal and ethical challenges. Samsung, meanwhile, is focusing on hardware-based privacy features that put control directly in the hands of users—literally, in the case of the Galaxy S26 Ultra’s screen.
For consumers, these developments are both exciting and daunting. On the one hand, the promise of smarter, more personalized devices is undeniably appealing. On the other, the risks—whether it’s data misuse, copyright infringement, or the ever-present threat of surveillance—are impossible to ignore. As regulators, privacy advocates, and tech giants continue to spar over the future of digital privacy, one thing is clear: the next generation of smartphones is as much about trust as it is about technology.
As the dust settles from the iPhone 17 launch and anticipation builds for the Galaxy S26 series, the industry finds itself at a crossroads. The choices made by Apple and Samsung in the coming months will not only shape their own fortunes but set the tone for privacy and AI in the years to come.
