Apple’s first foldable iPhone may cost more because of a $250 Samsung display

Apple’s first foldable iPhone could rely heavily on Samsung’s display technology, with Samsung Display reportedly preparing to become the exclusive supplier of the device’s inner folding screen under a three-year agreement.

According to reports cited by the Times of India, the arrangement could give Samsung a major role in Apple’s long-awaited entry into the foldable smartphone market.

The foldable iPhone has been referred to in leaks as the “iPhone Duo,” with Samsung Display reportedly expected to provide panels for the initial device as well as future generations.

Weibo leaker Instant Digital claimed that Samsung Display has signed a three-year exclusive supply agreement with Apple and could receive approximately $250 for each inner folding display panel.

Neither Apple nor Samsung has publicly confirmed the reported agreement or the alleged per-panel price.

The inner display is expected to be among the most technically demanding components of Apple’s foldable smartphone, as the panel must withstand repeated bending while maintaining brightness, color accuracy and durability.

Reports also suggest Samsung could have a role in assembling the display’s dual Ultra Thin Glass, or UTG, structure.

Samsung Display is reportedly developing the central OLED panel, while Samsung partner Dowoo Insys is said to be involved in supplying the UTG layers used to protect the flexible display.

If the reported $250 figure is accurate, the foldable iPhone’s inner screen would cost substantially more than the displays used in Apple’s conventional smartphones.

Apple has previously been estimated to pay Samsung Display and LG Display around $70 for panels used in devices such as the iPhone 18 Pro Max.

The significant price difference reflects the additional engineering required to create a display capable of folding repeatedly without compromising performance or structural integrity.

The foldable iPhone’s screen has also reportedly been designed with a 10-layer structure that could include a nano-texture layer.

Additional materials and manufacturing processes could contribute to the higher cost of the folding panel compared with traditional OLED displays.

At an estimated $250 per panel, the inner display alone would represent roughly one-eighth of the rumored $1,999 starting price of Apple’s foldable iPhone.

That would make the display one of the most expensive individual components in the device and could have implications for Apple’s overall production costs and profit margins.

The bigger challenge for Apple will be turning the expensive technology into a product capable of achieving mass-market adoption.

One industry forecast has suggested that Apple could ship more than five million foldable iPhones by the end of 2026 and potentially capture around 25% of the global foldable smartphone market.

However, those figures remain projections and could change considerably depending on the device’s final price, availability and consumer response.

The reported supply agreement also highlights an unusual relationship between the two smartphone rivals.

Samsung helped establish the modern foldable phone category with its Galaxy Fold and Galaxy Z series, yet Apple could depend on Samsung’s display expertise to bring its own foldable iPhone to market.

For Samsung, supplying a critical component for Apple’s potential foldable hit could provide a significant opportunity for its display business.

The arrangement could therefore create a situation in which Samsung competes with Apple in the smartphone market while simultaneously benefiting from Apple’s entry into the foldable segment.