Samsung Display has reportedly started manufacturing OLED panels for Apple’s first foldable iPhone, marking another step toward the company’s long-rumored entry into the foldable smartphone market.
According to the report, production is already underway at Samsung Display’s facility in Vietnam. Apple has allegedly requested an initial batch of 3 million OLED panels for this year, suggesting that preparations for the device are moving beyond the prototype and supplier selection stage.
The foldable iPhone is rumored to arrive under the iPhone Ultra name and could make its debut in September, although Apple has not officially announced the device. Earlier reports claimed that Samsung Display had been selected as Apple’s exclusive supplier for the foldable OLED panels, and the latest information now suggests that the supplier has received approval to begin production.
One notable change concerns the display materials. Previous information pointed to Samsung Display’s M14 OLED structure, but the new report claims Apple has instead opted for the newer M16 luminescent material. That change could bring higher brightness, improved color reproduction, better power efficiency and a longer panel lifespan.
The panels are also said to use Color Filter on Encapsulation, or CoE, a technology that integrates the color filter into the encapsulation layer. In practical terms, this can help reduce display thickness while improving panel efficiency, both of which are important for a foldable device where space and durability are major design challenges.
Apple’s foldable iPhone remains unconfirmed, so the details should still be treated as supply chain information rather than an official product announcement. Still, if panel production has already started, the device may be entering one of the most important phases before mass-market launch.
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