Samsung Display Expected to Supply OLED for Apple’s 20th Anniversary iPhone
Recent supply-chain revelations from Greater China indicate that Samsung Display is poised to become the exclusive supplier of OLED screens for Apple’s upcoming 20th-anniversary iPhone, anticipated for release in 2027.
Should this arrangement materialize, it would resemble the exclusive deal established in 2017, through which Samsung secured the entire panel order for the iPhone X.
Three independent leaks over the past week have consistently pointed to a unique panel design: a custom screen characterized by gently rounded edges, constructed without the polarizing film typically found in standard OLED displays.
On Monday, renowned leaker Ice Universe shared on X that Apple might brand this innovative screen as a “Liquid Glass Display.” Notably, the curvature is expected to be quite subtle.
The optical illusion of a nearly invisible bezel will be achieved by manipulating light within the panel, allowing the screen to appear to cascade over the edges, rather than physically enveloping them.
Ice Universe further emphasized that the experience of viewing from the edges would remain authentic and unobtrusive.
Last week, another leaker from Weibo, Digital Chat Station, reported that Apple has approached Samsung Display with a request for a “pol-less” panel.
Eliminating the polarizing film not only streamlines the display’s thickness but also enhances light transmission, facilitating the illusion of a bezel-less design.
Both accounts suggest the utilization of Samsung Display’s COE (color filter on encapsulation) technology.
This innovative approach applies the color filter directly onto the panel’s encapsulation layer, effectively reducing the overall thickness, boosting brightness by approximately 30 percent, and diminishing power consumption by nearly 25 percent.
Samsung first introduced COE technology in the Galaxy Z Fold 3 in 2021, and it was further employed in the Galaxy S26 Ultra this year. Reports from ETNews in September indicated that this rollout was strategically timed to position Samsung ahead of Apple’s own utilization in 2027.
Historical Pricing Context and Technical Challenges
The precedent set in 2017 bears significance for pricing considerations. Estimates suggest that Samsung charged between $110 to $120 for each iPhone X module, approximately double the cost of the predecessor LCD panels.
In the intervening years, Apple has actively developed partnerships with LG Display and BOE as secondary suppliers. Nevertheless, Korean manufacturers continue to lead in the high-end LTPO segment.
Whether Apple can achieve the anticipated all-glass aesthetic by 2027 is contingent upon the viability of under-display Face ID technology.
According to Display Supply Chain Consultants’ Ross Young, there are concerns that this technology may not be ready for mass production in time.
The device, referred to internally as V72 at Apple, is currently slated for a fall 2027 release, as outlined in a roadmap shared by The Information in December.
Source link: Koreaherald.com.
