Samsung Display is pouring money into production upgrades, and the beneficiary might surprise you. It’s Apple.
The company is expanding its OLED manufacturing capabilities specifically to supply panels for Apple’s rumored foldable iPhone. That means Samsung, which dominates the foldable phone market with its Galaxy Z Fold and Z Flip devices, is actively helping its biggest rival enter the space.
Samsung Display operates separately from Samsung’s mobile division, and Apple represents a massive, reliable customer. Being the sole OLED supplier for a first-generation Apple foldable is worth the investment, even if it means enabling a competitor.
Reports from South Korea indicate that Samsung Display is upgrading its A4 facility in Asan to meet Apple’s strict panel requirements. The work includes boosting production capacity and improving thin-film transistor technology, essential for foldable displays. The goal is to prepare for a potential surge in demand by 2027, when Apple may expand its foldable lineup.
Mass production could begin as early as June, with Apple expected to announce the device later this year. The first model will likely be a book-style foldable, putting it in direct competition with the Galaxy Z Fold series. There’s also speculation that Apple is developing a clamshell design to rival the Z Flip.
Samsung Display hasn’t confirmed any of this, which is typical. But the investments tell their own story.
What’s unusual here isn’t the business relationship. It’s the timing. Apple entering foldables now, years after Samsung established the category, suggests the technology has matured enough to meet Cupertino’s standards. That alone might validate the entire foldable concept more than any Samsung marketing campaign ever could.
