Apple is expected to finalize OLED panel approvals for the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max this month, with Samsung Display and LG Display likely to dominate panel supply, reports The Elect.
This year, Chinese company BOE was reportedly left out of the high-end supply chain, although it did land a few panel orders for the iPhone 17 Pro models.
The setback is said to be due to quality and yield issues with its lower temperature polycrystalline oxide (LTPO+) technology compared to its South Korean counterparts.
Indeed, this is the key upgrade at the center of the offering shakeup.
South Korean publication ETNews previously reported that the iPhone 18 Pro models will use LTPO+ display technology, which would likely be more power efficient than the current LTPO technology in the iPhone 17 series.
Such an upgrade could also help extend battery life, since LPTO+ allows for more precise control of OLED light emission, potentially allowing the display to optimize its operation depending on environmental conditions.
THE ETNews A report from January also mentions that the iPhone 18 Pro models will use Samsung’s under-display infrared technology, which could allow some Face ID components to move under the display.
This could allow Apple to reduce the dynamic island on the iPhone 18 Pro models – but whether this will be the case is apparently still up for debate. Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 18 Pro models in September.
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