Apple is working on a major display upgrade for a future iPhone model. According to industry reports, the company is planning to adopt tandem OLED technology, first seen in the M4 iPad Pro, for an iPhone likely to launch after 2028.
The move marks a significant shift from the single-stack OLED structure used in current iPhones. Tandem OLED uses multiple layers of light-emitting material to improve brightness, energy efficiency, and overall screen performance. Apple has reportedly set a two-year development and production timeline for the feature, which means the technology will not appear in the iPhone lineup before 2028.
What Tandem OLED Brings to the iPhone
Tandem OLED, also known as a two-stack structure, uses two or more light-emitting layers to increase luminous efficiency. This allows the display to deliver higher brightness using the same power or the same brightness using less. For users, this could mean more vivid visuals, better battery life, and improved performance in bright environments.
Apple’s current iPhones use a single-stack OLED, which combines red, green, and blue subpixels in one layer. The version under consideration for future iPhones is a “simplified tandem” design, where only the blue subpixel is stacked in two layers. This is different from the full two-stack approach used in the iPad Pro, where all RGB subpixels are doubled. The iPad, with its longer product cycle and higher price point, made for a practical starting point.
In technical terms, tandem OLED also allows for more precise control over pixel luminance and color, enhancing dynamic range and responsiveness. Apple highlighted these strengths during the launch of the M4 iPad Pro, calling its Ultra Retina XDR display “the world’s most advanced display” for its 1000 nits of full-screen brightness and 1600 nits peak in HDR mode.
Industry Players and Competition
According to The Elec, Apple is in early discussions with both LG Display and Samsung Display to produce tandem OLED panels for the iPhone. LG Display is said to have pitched the simplified tandem design to Apple late last year. In response, Apple began inquiring about Samsung’s capabilities as well.
LG Display is ahead in this tech. It supplied more OLED panels for iPads than Samsung last year and has also used two-stack OLEDs in vehicle displays. LG previously pitched tandem OLED for the iPhone years ago, but Apple only showed interest in applying it to tablets at the time. That changed with the 2024 iPad Pro launch.
Samsung Display, on the other hand, began developing tandem OLEDs more recently. It did provide some iPad OLED panels last year and plans to transition all vehicle OLED development to two-tandem designs starting this year. While Samsung trails LG in tandem OLED maturity, Apple is likely keeping both suppliers in the mix to maintain price leverage.
The Elec reports that Apple will not move forward with iPhone production using tandem OLED until both suppliers are ready. Apple typically avoids relying on a single source for critical components.
In response to inquiries, both LG and Samsung declined to confirm any details about tandem OLED development for the iPhone.
The upgrade, if and when it lands, could set a new benchmark for smartphone displays. But for now, it is in the planning stages, years away from market.
