South Korean media The Elec reported that Apple has agreed to exclusively use the foldable OLED panels provided by Samsung Display for its foldable iPhones in the next three years and will not introduce other panel suppliers. The report said that Apple accepted this condition because currently available alternative suppliers are still insufficient to meet its requirements.
This folding screen iPhone is expected to adopt a "book-style" design, and the size of the inner screen will be close to that of an iPad mini when unfolded. The report also pointed out that Samsung will provide foldable OLED panels equipped with CoE (Color filter on Encapsulation) technology. This solution removes the polarizer and forms a color filter layer above the encapsulation layer, which helps reduce the risk of cracking at the fold. Apple will also continue to use the same M14 OLED material system as the iPhone 17 Pro Max, rather than switching to a new solution, mainly due to higher reliability and lower cost.
Regarding the release time, Bloomberg said that the development of this folding screen iPhone is progressing smoothly and is still expected to be unveiled in Apple's usual September iPhone release window. Nikkei has also recently made a different judgment, saying that if the iPhone Fold's project progress continues to be under pressure, the release time may be postponed to 2027.
From a supply chain perspective, this means that Samsung Display will become a key partner in Apple’s folding screen era. This also reflects that Apple prefers to choose a mature route that has been proven by the market for the core display technology of the folding screen, rather than taking too many risks on the first-generation product.