Samsung Display begins OLED panel mass production for Apple’s upcoming iPad mini and iPhone 18 Pro series

Samsung Display has officially started mass production of OLED panels for Apple’s upcoming devices, including the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Maxand the new iPad miniaccording to reports from Korean media outlet ETNews. The production marks a significant shift in Apple’s supply chain, as Samsung Display and LG Display have secured all OLED panel orders for Apple’s 2026 device lineup, leaving Chinese supplier BOE out of the picture.

OLED Panel Supply Breakdown

Samsung Display is playing a particularly important role as the exclusive supplier for three key Apple products: the foldable iPhone, iPad miniand first OLED-equipped MacBook Pro models. The company started mass production of foldable OLEDs for the upcoming foldable iPhone this month, which alone accounts for around 10 million panel orders. Samsung will also provide approximately 2 million OLED displays for the next-generation iPad mini.

For the flagship iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, Samsung and LG will work jointly to provide around 90 million OLED panelswith order shares reportedly divided at 64% for Samsung and 36% for LG. Production of MacBook Pro OLED panels is expected to begin next month when Samsung’s new 8.6-generation OLED production line at San A6 becomes operational.

The reports confirm that BOE (China’s Beijing Oriental Electronics) has been completely removed from the iPhone 18 Pro and foldable iPhone supply chain, meaning Apple will rely entirely on Korean manufacturers Samsung Display and LG Display for these premium devices. This decision potentially impacts iPhone 18 Pro pricing and display quality, as Samsung Display is known for producing the most advanced OLED panels with superior color accuracy and brightness.

The OLED panels for iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max reportedly feature LTPO+ (Low-Temperature Polycrystalline Silicon Oxide Plus) technology, which is Samsung’s most advanced OLED panel technology to date. This LTPO+ technology enables better power efficiency and supports variable refresh rates, potentially improving battery life and display performance on the iPhone 18 Pro series.

The mass production timeline indicates that Apple’s 2026 device lineup will be ready for launch in the second half of the year, with the iPhone 18 series expected to debut in September 2026the iPad mini potentially launching earlier, and the foldable iPhone possibly arriving later in 2026 or early 2027.