TL; DR
- Apple is reportedly seeking a 20% cut in iPhone 18 Pro Max OLED panel costs despite upgraded M16 OLED materials.
- Samsung Display and LG Display are expected to supply 46 million and 41 million iPhone 18 panels, respectively.
- The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max are still expected to start at $1,299 and $1,399.
Apple is in the middle of a cost-cutting exercise for its upcoming iPhone 18 Pro 18 Pro Max, and its display suppliers are bearing the brunt. According to The Elec, Apple is pushing Samsung Display and LG Display to reduce what they charge for their OLED panels.
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Apple Pushes for Lower Panel Prices
Apple has proposed paying around $70 per OLED panel for the iPhone 18 Pro Max, which is much lower than what the company paid for the iPhone 17 Pro Max’s panels. Industry estimates suggest the final figure could be even lower, at approximately $66.50 per unit, a reduction of roughly 20%.
What makes this particularly significant is the context: the iPhone 18’s display is expected to require greater manufacturing complexity than its predecessor. Apple is reportedly adopting Samsung’s latest M16 OLED panel, which improves brightness, the panel’s battery efficiency, panel lifespan, and color performance.
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To put it simply, Apple is asking for a steeper discount on a panel that costs more to make.
| Supplier | iPhone 18 | iPhone 18 Pro | iPhone 18 Pro Max | Total |
| Samsung Display | 2 million | 18 million | 26 million | 46 million |
| LG Display | 1 million | 19 million | 21 million | 41 million |
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Cheaper Panels, Costlier iPhones
Even if the company secures a lower display panel price, the savings are unlikely to reach consumers. Analysts have suggested the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max could start at $1,299 and $1,399 respectively, which is a $200 jump over the iPhone 17 Pro lineup. The iPhone 18 Pro models are expected to launch in September alongside Apple’s first foldable iPhone.
I find it hard to be optimistic about what this means for the end consumer. Apple squeezing suppliers to offset memory cost increases while simultaneously raising retail prices by $200 suggests one thing: the savings are going straight to margins, not to customers. Anyway, we’ll have to wait to find out how this all pans out with the official launch.
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