iPhone 18 Pro OLED panel approval could happen as soon as this month, according to a new report from Korean outlet The Elec cited by IT Home. If that timeline holds, Samsung Display and LG Display are expected to remain the main suppliers for the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max.
The report says Apple started increasing panel pre-orders in the first half of 2026 because of concerns over rising semiconductor and raw material costs. That earlier procurement push has reportedly helped Samsung Display raise first-half production by around 10% to 15% compared with the same period last year.
UBI Research estimates Samsung Display could ship 146 million Apple OLED panels this year, while LG Display may deliver 82.24 million units. Those numbers underline how central both suppliers remain to Apple’s premium iPhone roadmap.
On the technology side, the iPhone 18 Pro lineup is said to adopt a new LTPO+ display architecture. Compared with the standard LTPO panels used in the iPhone 17 generation, the upgraded approach extends oxide materials into the driving transistor layer. In practical terms, that should allow finer current control in the display circuit, improve OLED efficiency based on ambient light and on-screen content, and reduce power consumption enough to help battery life.
The panel design is also said to support under-display Face ID through UDIR technology. If Apple moves forward with that structure, it could hide more of the Face ID hardware beneath the screen, shrink the Dynamic Island area, and push the front design a little closer to a more seamless full-screen look.
