Samsung Display plans to expand production of Apple's foldable OLED panels to cope with increased or

On February 8, according to South Korean media ETnews, Samsung indicated that it was planning a new capacity expansion plan, planning to invest additional in its exclusive Apple folding screen oled production line at its A4 factory in Asan City, South Chungcheong Province, South Korea. The core goal of this investment is to strengthen backboard-related production facilities, focus on upgrading core processes including thin film transistor (TFT) processing, and then achieve capacity expansion to match the future production growth expectations of Apple's folding screen products.

A number of industry insiders revealed that Samsung has shown that the overall direction of expanding backplane production capacity has been basically determined, and is currently conducting internal discussions on the specific investment scale. After the details are finalized, it is expected to officially start relevant investment work in the second quarter of 2026. ldquo; The core original intention of this expansion is to cope with the expected increase in production demand for Apple's folding screen products next year, reserve production capacity in advance, and ensure the timeliness and stability of order delivery. rdquo; Industry insiders added.

In fact, Samsung Display has already laid out Apple's folding screen OLED panel production capacity in advance. It has previously built an exclusive production line for Apple folding screen equipment at its A3 factory in Ashan City, South Chungcheong-do. In order to meet the production needs of Apple's first folding-screen mobile phone, Samsung has shown that it has carried out comprehensive equipment replacement and process transformation of the production line, focusing on the production of iPhone Fold, the first folding-screen mobile phone that Apple plans to release in the fall of 2026.(Provisional name). It is reported that the annual production capacity of this exclusive production line can reach 15 million 7-inch foldable OLED panels, providing solid support for the mass production of Apple's first folding screen product.

Combined with industry forecast information, Samsung Display plans to officially launch mass production of Apple's foldable OLED panels in June 2026. As Apple's first folding screen model in preparation for many years, the iPhone Fold adopts a folding structure with the screen folded inward. The core display parameters are quite bright. The internal main screen size is 7.58 inches, the aspect ratio is 4:3, and the external secondary screen size is 5.35 inches. The overall design meets the needs of high-end users. According to supply chain news, the output of this product in the first year of launch is expected to be about 10 million units, far exceeding the industry's initial expectations of 6 - 8 million units, demonstrating Apple's confidence and determination in the folding screen market.

In addition to the first folding screen model, Apple's folding screen product matrix continues to expand. It is reported that Apple plans to launch a new foldable iPhone model in 2027 to further enrich product choices, which will also drive the continued rise in demand for foldable OLED panels. Industry analysts pointed out that Samsung's plan to increase investment and expand production capacity in the A4 factory is a forward-looking layout for Apple's folding screen product planning. It will respond in advance to panel orders that may increase significantly next year and consolidate the in-depth cooperation between the two parties.

It is worth noting that Samsung Display is currently Apple's exclusive supplier of foldable OLED panels. As the world's first company to realize the research and development and mass production of foldable OLED technology, Samsung Display has accumulated profound technical heritage and professional advantages with eight years of mass production experience, and occupies an absolute leading position in the field of foldable OLED panels. It is widely expected in the industry that in the next few years, Samsung Display will continue to maintain this exclusive supply position and further expand its share in the high-end folding screen OLED panel market.

Another market research firm Counterpoint Research predicts that driven by the launch of Apple's iPhone Fold, Samsung will show that shipments of foldable panels in 2026 will increase by 93% compared with 2025, and the industry's prosperity will continue to increase. The implementation of this capacity expansion plan will further strengthen Samsung Display's production capacity advantages, which will not only better meet Apple's order needs, but will also consolidate its leading position in the global foldable OLED panel market and promote the scale of folding screen display technology. Popularization.