Apple is pushing ahead with production of its first foldable phone, even as it warns that iPhone 18 prices are set to rise. Two new reports from Korean media show that Samsung will exclusively produce panels for the iPhone Fold, and that Apple is taking a cautious approach with its initial order of foldable displays. A September launch is being “discussed” but the screen isn't the problem, the hinge is.
According to The Elec and ET News, Samsung Display and LG have started producing OLED displays for the iPhone 18 series, with Samsung exclusively making panels for the iPhone Fold.
For the foldable phone, Samsung and Apple have signed an exclusive 3-year deal to make the flexible handset’s OLED screens, with the initial order for this year’s device at roughly 3 million units.
The Google Pixel Pro Fold series will go head to head with Apple's iPhone Fold this year. (Photo by Andrej Sokolow/picture alliance via Getty Images)
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That isn’t a surprise, Samsung Display has eight generations of experience in making durable and reliable foldable screens that are used in the Galaxy Z Fold series.
One of company’s recent(ish) screen advancements, CoE (Color Filter on Encapsulation) technology, which makes screens thinner, brighter and up to 37% more efficient, will be used in the iPhone Fold. The iPhone Fold screen will also utilise Samsung’s M16 OLED material, which will mean improved power efficiency, color performance and brightness.
As we’ve seen with the Galaxy Z Fold 7 phones, marginal gains in the power efficiency department are essential for powering two displays on a single lithium-ion battery. Silicon Carbon batteries could potentially solve that, but I don’t see Apple dipping its toes into largely untested battery technology in a brand new product category for the company. One battle at a time.
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The screen is ready but the hinge isn't. Apple's iPhone Fold uses a 3D-printed hinge, according to The Elec, but it generates unwanted noise after assembly, and that's expected to push the production schedule back by around 15 days to a month.
"Apple is having difficulty stabilizing the production of hinge modules for its first foldable phone," one industry official told The Elec. "There are no issues with Samsung Display. The launch schedule depends on the readiness of Apple’s set components, particularly the hinges," they continued.
Apple is clearly being cautious with its first foldable, which makes sense, but that 3 million production figure is also in line with how many units Samsung is reportedly producing for the Galaxy Z Fold 8.
Samsung's total production target for the entire Galaxy Z Fold 8 lineup— the Ultra, Wide and Flip 8 combined—is 5-6 million units, with the Wide alone at up to 2 million. Apple is planning to produce 3 million iPhone Folds before the year is out. That's a real statement of intent for a first-gen device.
The hinge issue is worth keeping an eye on. It may well be resolved by launch, and it’s worth pointing out that Samsung went through similar growing pains with its early Fold hinges, but Apple's first foldable will have a component that was causing problems in testing just a few weeks ago. The early reviews will tell us whether that was fixed in time.
As I have said repeatedly before, first generation products should be given a wide berth, even from a company that values taking its time to perfect products like Apple. The foldable business is complex, moving parts like hinges are one issue, but a UI that smoothly supports app-resizing and multitasking is another. Wait until reviewers have had a good few weeks, or even months, with the device before you commit to buying the iPhone Fold.
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