Apple is widely expected to launch its first foldable iPhone in 2026, with several rumors this year claiming the iPhone maker will debut a foldable in its iPhone 18 lineup next September. Some rumors even say the standard iPhone 18 won’t launch until spring of 2027 to give the foldable the spotlight in fall 2026. Other leaks have indicated that Apple’s iPhone 18 Fold will feature an almost crease-less display, with Samsung Display expected to manufacture the foldable screens for Apple at a premium cost compared to other foldable panels.
Fast-forward to October, and Samsung Display seems to have confirmed that a foldable iPhone is coming next year. According to Korean website Chosun, Samsung Display president Lee Cheong spoke to reporters about the company’s plans for the coming year, which include opening an 8.6-generation OLED panel production line at the end of the second quarter or in the third quarter. Lee also said the Korean government should provide tax incentives to advance the display industry and teased Samsung Display’s financial prospects for next year.
“The second half is when key clients launch flagship new products,” Lee said. “OLED supply is expected to increase, and I expect the display market conditions and Samsung Display’s performance in the second half to be positive.” He added that Samsung Display has started preparations to supply OLED panels for foldable phones made by Samsung clients. “I cannot disclose specifics regarding clients,” Lee said, adding that Samsung is preparing well. Chosun notes that Samsung is known to be the exclusive supplier for the foldable OLED panel Apple will use in its iPhone Fold models next year.
What we know about the foldable iPhone
Samsung Display already supplies the foldable OLED panels Samsung uses for its own devices, including the Galaxy Z Flip and Galaxy Z Fold lines. The Korean screen maker has been a key OLED supplier for Apple since 2017’s iPhone X – Apple’s first phone with an OLED display. Currently, Samsung isn’t the exclusive display maker for traditional iPhones, as LG Display and BOE also supply OLED panels for Apple. But reports claimed earlier this year that Apple has chosen Samsung to manufacture the foldable display for the iPhone 18 Fold, which has become a common placeholder name for the first foldable iPhone based on what rumors say. It’s unclear what Apple will call it, but the device should open like a book, similar to the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Pixel 10 Pro Fold designs.
Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said a few months ago that Samsung Display is Apple’s choice for manufacturing the foldable OLED panel it needs. Specifically, Samsung Display will provide the OLED panel and the metal plate supporting it. The plate will be responsible for reducing creasing effects that appear in the middle of a foldable display. The report said Apple will pay a premium to Samsung for the components. The metal plate alone supposedly costs $30 to $35. Kuo added that Apple plans to order between 13 million and 15 million components next year.
Before Kuo released his analysis, a report from Korea said that Samsung was developing a production line for the upcoming iPhone Fold smartphone. The Korean giant would be the exclusive provider of foldable OLED screens to Apple. Lee’s comments this week about Samsung Display’s manufacturing plans and financial outlook for the second half of 2026 seem to corroborate these rumors.
