Apple Clears Samsung to Mass-Produce OLED Panels for First Foldable iPhone

Apple Greenlights Foldable iPhone Display Production

Apple's long-rumoured foldable iPhone has just taken a decisive step toward reality. According to a report from Korean outlet TheElec, Apple has authorised Samsung Display to begin module production of the OLED panels for the device, a key manufacturing milestone on the road to a planned autumn launch. Samsung Display is now running part of its back-end production lines in Vietnam to fulfil an initial order of roughly three million units for delivery this year.

An Exclusive Three-Year Deal

Samsung Display is the sole supplier of foldable OLED panels for the device under a three-year exclusivity agreement first reported in April. Apple reportedly accepted the exclusivity terms because it had no viable alternative: rivals LG Display and BOE have so far failed to meet Apple's technical requirements. Before module production could be approved, Samsung had to prove final-assembly quality and yield stability. Apple's threshold was a yield rate of at least 70%, and Samsung Display is said to have exceeded 80%.

Inside the Manufacturing

Samsung's Vietnam facility has roughly 80 production lines, with around 50 currently active, comfortably more than enough capacity for the initial three-million-unit order. The panels reportedly use Colour Filter on Encapsulation (CoE) technology, which removes the polariser layer to help prevent cracking at the fold's bending point, one of the biggest engineering challenges for any foldable device.

Specs and a Record Price

The foldable iPhone, rumoured to be named either "iPhone Ultra" or "iPhone Fold", is expected to feature a 7.8-inch inner display and a 5.5-inch cover display, an A20 chip, an Apple C2 modem, and Touch ID in place of Face ID. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has reported that the device is expected to "cross the $2,000 threshold", which would make it the most expensive iPhone Apple has ever sold.

What Comes Next

Apple is targeting a September launch alongside the iPhone 18 Pro lineup. However, TheElec cautioned that challenges remain in stabilising production of the hinge module, with an unnamed industry source noting that the launch schedule will ultimately depend on Apple's readiness for device components, particularly the hinge. With displays now cleared for mass production, the foldable iPhone has cleared one of its biggest hurdles, but the hinge could still be the part that decides whether it ships on time.