Apple iPhone Fold Could Use Samsung OLED Panels To Rival Galaxy Z Fold
Apple iPhone 16 Pro
Prakhar Khanna
Apple's first foldable iPhone could be launched as soon as next year. There is no official word on an iPhone Fold, but according to a new report, the company is moving away from its key strategy to ensure premium OLED panel quality. Apple usually uses displays from multiple suppliers to drive down costs while maintaining high quality. However, it is said to equip the first iPhone Fold exclusively with OLED panels from Samsung Display.
According to a report from Business Korea, the first foldable iPhone will use Samsung Display's OLED panels to rival Samsung Mobile's Galaxy Z Fold series. For context, the two Samsung companies operate separately. While the Korean tech giant has six years of expertise in foldable OLED technology, it is also constantly innovating and experimenting with shrinkable and rollable displays (showcased at CES 2025).
Apple is trusting Samsung's foldable OLED expertise for its first iPhone Fold. In the recent past, Samsung Display has faced tough competition from Chinese companies like BOE, which resulted in its share dropping to 40% last year. However, this strategic partnership with Apple is expected to 'significantly impact Samsung's market share in foldable OLEDs.'
While the supply volume for Apple's foldable iPhone has not been finalized yet, the report goes on to state that Samsung Display's market share is "predicted to rise dramatically to the 70% range next year.' The demand is said to exceed the initially projected annual level of 9 million units and potentially reach over 15 million units, reigniting demand for the foldable OLED market.
Apple iPhone 16 Pro
Prakhar Khanna
Apple's first foldable iPhone is rumored to unfold to an iPad Mini-like 7.8-inch inner screen, whereas you might get a 5.5-inch display on the front. It is said not to unfold in a square-ish form like the Galaxy Z Fold 6 to reduce letterboxing (thick borders when watching videos). Instead, it might offer an 11-inch iPad-like 4:3 aspect ratio for a better video consumption experience. This could help Apple ensure software compatibility on its first-generation foldable.
Previously, Ming-Chi Kuo, a reliable analyst at TFI Securities, has predicted Touch ID to make a return on the iPhone Fold. It is rumored to be 9–9.5mm thick when folded and 4.5–4.8mm when unfolded, which could be thinner than the required thickness to house Face ID sensors.
To compare, the current world's thinnest book-style foldable phone, the Oppo Find N5, measures 8.93mm when folded and around 4.25mm when unfolded. By contrast, Huawei's tri-fold Mate XT Ultimate is 3.6mm thin when fully unfolded. Both of them are significantly thinner than Samsung's current Galaxy Z Fold 6, which measures 5.6mm when unfolded. So, you can expect the iPhone Fold to be thicker than the Chinese counterparts but slimmer than its direct rival.
The iPhone Fold might pack a 'high-density battery,' which could first make its way to the iPhone 17 Air this year. On the optics front, you can expect to get a dual-camera setup with one selfie shooter on both the cover display and the foldable screen. Kuo says that the iPhone Fold will be a 'true AI-driven iPhone' since a bigger screen can offer a better cross-app AI experience.
Apple iPhone 15 Pro
Prakhar Khanna
Apple's iPhone Fold is said to be priced around $2,000, according to the Business Korea report. However, Kuo has predicted it to cost between $2,000 and $2,500. This is more expensive than Samsung, Google, and OnePlus foldables, but Apple fans are likely to give it a warm reception.
According to Kuo, the iPhone Fold is predicted to ship 3–5 million units in 2026. However, the volume production will be capped till 2027 due to the complexity of manufacturing. It could reach 20 million units, including the second-generation iPhone Fold, by the end of 2027.
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