Apple is reportedly exploring the use of tandem OLED panels for its iPhone lineup, with the upgrade expected around 2028. The development comes as LG Display, one of Apple’s key suppliers, has been pushing this technology aggressively and is said to be in advanced talks with the company.
Tandem OLED panels are designed differently from the single-layer OLED screens currently used in iPhones. The structure uses two organic light-emitting layers stacked on top of each other, which helps in boosting brightness, reducing power consumption and extending the life of the display. Apple has already adopted this technology in its M4 iPad Pro models, where LG provided a majority of the panels, while Samsung supplied the rest.
Reports suggest that Apple has been considering this change for years, and LG Display has played a major role in promoting the idea. The supplier holds more than 300 patents in tandem OLED technology, making it a leader in this field. To tackle potential manufacturing hurdles (since stacking two emission layers can slow down production), LG is also preparing new investments to expand its output capacity.
There are also indications that Apple is not only evaluating standard tandem OLED structures but also a “simplified” version. In this approach, the blue sub-pixel uses a two-layer design while the red and green continue with a single layer, which could make production more efficient without losing the benefits of durability and brightness.
Other smartphone makers have already experimented with tandem OLED in smaller volumes. Honor, for instance, used BOE’s panels for its Magic 6 Porsche Design edition in 2023, showing that the technology is viable in commercial devices.
If Apple adopts tandem OLED for its iPhones, it is unlikely to depend on one supplier. Industry experts believe that Samsung and BOE may also be brought in alongside LG Display to ensure enough supply and keep costs competitive. However, since the reported timeline is still three years away, Apple’s plans could change depending on how the technology and production landscape evolves. For now, all signs point towards Apple preparing to bring brighter, more efficient displays to its smartphones in the second half of this decade, potentially setting a new standard for iPhone screens.
– Ends