Apple’s 20th-anniversary iPhone, expected in 2027, is already shaping how its display partners invest and plan. The phone is widely expected to feature a fully bezel-less design built around a four-sided bending OLED panel. That single design choice is creating a clear split between LG Display and Samsung Display. One supplier is moving early and spending heavily. The other is waiting and focusing elsewhere.
LG Display moves first
According to reports from Korean outlet DealSite, LG Display has started preparing for mass production of OLED panels designed for the 20th-anniversary iPhone.
LG Display has reportedly entered talks with equipment makers and begun lining up orders for new manufacturing tools. This signals an early commitment to the four-sided bending OLED process, even though the phone is still years away from launch.
Industry sources cited in the same reporting say LG Display is considering an investment of around $300 million to modify its existing production lines. The four-sided bending design differs sharply from earlier curved displays and requires major changes to panel structure and processing.
Some reports also claim Apple has tentatively allocated around ten production lines to LG Display for this project. That move suggests Apple views LG as a key partner rather than a backup supplier for this model.
What four-sided bending really means
The four-sided bending OLED wraps the display over all edges of the phone, not just the left and right sides. This creates a near bezel-free front surface and opens up space for subtle indicators or controls along the edges.
This approach goes beyond older curved displays like Samsung’s Galaxy Note Edge from 2014. In LG’s case, the bending region and circuit layout differ enough that existing tools cannot be reused without major changes.
Sources say the design also demands thinner encapsulation layers to protect the OLED from moisture and oxygen. At the same time, Apple wants under-display Face ID and a hidden camera to remove all visible cutouts.
Samsung Display takes a different path
According to equipment industry officials quoted in Korean reporting, Samsung Display has shown little visible activity tied to the 2027 anniversary iPhone.
“There is almost no talk of Samsung Display’s investment in the 20th-anniversary iPhone among equipment companies,” one official said, adding that the overall perception is cautious.
Industry watchers believe this is deliberate. Samsung Display is said to be concentrating on supplying foldable OLED panels for Apple’s first foldable iPhone, expected in 2026.
Estimates place early foldable iPhone shipments at roughly 3 to 5 million units. One industry source said, “Samsung Display has no choice but to focus on this as it produces all foldable iPhone panels next year.”
What this means for Apple
The split gives Apple options. LG Display pushes ahead on a risky but symbolic wraparound design for a milestone iPhone. Samsung Display anchors the foldable roadmap first, then reassesses its role in the anniversary model later.
If both tracks succeed, Apple could enter the late 2020s with two headline designs: a bezel-less bar-style iPhone and a maturing foldable line.
