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Apple's Foldable iPhone Will Have a Samsung-Made OLED Display

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Apple has agreed to source foldable OLED panels exclusively from Samsung for the next three years, reports The Elec.

iphone-fold-text.jpg

Apple will not use foldable panels from other display suppliers as part of the agreement, according to the Korea-based outlet. The company is said to have accepted the terms given the lack of viable alternative suppliers.

This year, Apple is expected to release a book-style iPhone that unfolds to reveal an inner display similar in size to an iPad mini. Samsung has been a display pioneer in the foldable market, and it will reportedly supply Apple with foldable OLED panels equipped with CoE (Color filter on Encapsulation) technology, which removes the polarizer and forms a color filter layer on top of the encapsulation layer. Polarizers can cause cracking at bending points, making CoE a requirement for foldable devices.

The screen will use the same M14 OLED materials as the iPhone 17 Pro Max instead of switching to something new. The choice is said to be based on reliability and lower costs – Apple is sticking with a design that's already been tested and works well.

According to Bloomberg, Apple's foldable iPhone development is progressing smoothly and the device is set to launch during the standard September iPhone timeframe. That contradicts a recent Nikkei report that suggested ‌iPhone Fold‌ engineering delays could push the device's launch into 2027.

An industry source cited by The Elec said that regardless of potential delays in final device assembly, Samsung Display's production of foldable OLED panels for Apple will begin in the second quarter of this year as originally planned, with an initial shipment of 3 million units.

Away from iPhones, Apple already uses OLED displays in the iPad Pro and Apple Watch. There are apparently no plans to add OLED to the low-cost iPad, but the iPad mini could get one in 2026. Meanwhile, the ‌MacBook Pro‌ is expected to be updated with an OLED display when it is redesigned later this year, and it will also include touchscreen functionality. Apple will also reportedly update the MacBook Air with an OLED display in 2028.

Article Link: Apple's Foldable iPhone Will Have a Samsung-Made OLED Display
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2026/04/08/apple-foldable-iphone-samsung-oled/
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Samsung produces the highest quality display so it should not be a surprise, but since this is a first generation device, and demand may be higher than expected, expect the possibility that Apple would source from other display manufacturers as well since Samsung may not be able to handle the demand.
 
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winxmac said:
Samsung produces the highest quality display so it should not be a surprise, but since this is a first generation device, and demand may be higher than expected, expect the possibility that Apple would source from other display manufacturers as well since Samsung may not be able to handle the demand.
Click to expand...

At $2,000 to $2,500 I can't see demand being as high as say the iPhone Pro series. I think over time if prices come down demand will probably increase. Foldables are still not the majority.
 
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ChrisMac47 said:
If Apple sources from Samsung, why should the display on the iPhone "fold" be any better than that on Samsung's own folding phones? In particular. why the should join/crease be any less noticeable?

Is it because Samsung will make a higher-spec display for Apple?
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Samsung consists of many independent companies that basically have nothing to do with one a other besides it's name and being part of the same group. Samsung mobile for example is sourcing parts from other manufacturers cuz Samsung is too expensive for themselves
 
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Dave245 said:
At $2,000 to $2,500 I can't see demand being as high as say the iPhone Pro series. I think over time if prices come down demand will probably increase. Foldables are still not the majority.
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Foldable iPhone is the major design and user experience changes and evolution. The major changes with “Apple” high quality and famously known reputation brand and “iPhone” product enough drive up the high demand. With carriers’ deals, make this phone affordable. I trust Apple has to prepare the high demand situation similar to MacBook Neo which is also major design and user experience changes for non MacBook users.
 
winxmac said:
expect the possibility that Apple would source from other display manufacturers as well since Samsung may not be able to handle the demand.
Click to expand...
From the articel: “Apple has agreed to source foldable smartphone organic light-emitting diode (OLED) panels exclusively from Samsung Display for the next three years, according to multiple industry officials.” Apple is very unlikely to breach such a contractual agreement.
 
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winxmac said:
Samsung produces the highest quality display so it should not be a surprise, but since this is a first generation device, and demand may be higher than expected, expect the possibility that Apple would source from other display manufacturers as well since Samsung may not be able to handle the demand.
Click to expand...
"Apple will not use foldable panels from other display suppliers as part of the agreement, according to the Korea-based outlet. The company is said to have accepted the terms given the lack of viable alternative suppliers."
 
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ChrisMac47 said:
If Apple sources from Samsung, why should the display on the iPhone "fold" be any better than that on Samsung's own folding phones? In particular. why the should join/crease be any less noticeable?

Is it because Samsung will make a higher-spec display for Apple?
Click to expand...
The crease has also a lot to do with the hinge/folding mechanism engineering and Apple designs that. So it could be better than Samsung once assembled.
 
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Although I hope Apple surprises me, this thing will probably be at a price point unattainable for mass market adoption like the iPhones. So they don't have to produce nearly as many to be considered a success. Net out scalper and YouTube reviewer returns, and stock might be ok for what it is.
 
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contacos said:
Samsung consists of many independent companies that basically have nothing to do with one a other besides it's name and being part of the same group. Samsung mobile for example is sourcing parts from other manufacturers cuz Samsung is too expensive for themselves
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On top of that, the manufacturer of a part doesn’t necessarily develop the part, fully or partially. It is totally possible for Apple to work together with Samsung’s display division, without that tech ever being available for Samsung’s mobile phone division. Similar to how Apple designs their own chips, manufactured by TSMC. That doesn’t mean TSMC has the knowhow to develop a similar chip for someone else.

Disclaimer, this is all theoretical - I don’t know how deep Apple’s own display development goes.

In any case, simple things like choices in calibration can make the displays visibly different for the end user, even if the technology is identical. Add to that things like software scaling etc.
 
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CoE makes sense for durability, but I’m more curious about crease control and long-term reliability. Apple waiting this long suggests they want it “invisible” in daily use. If they nail that, it could finally push foldables mainstream.
 
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Dave245 said:
At $2,000 to $2,500 I can't see demand being as high as say the iPhone Pro series. I think over time if prices come down demand will probably increase. Foldables are still not the majority.
Click to expand...
Never underestimate novelty and FOMO even if the price point is a bit higher considering Apple, people will pay and I suspect a waiting period and shipping delays.
 
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