Supply chain leaks indicate that Samsung Display will become the sole supplier for Apple’s 20th anniversary iPhone in 2027. This arrangement would mirror the exclusive deal that gave Samsung the entire iPhone X panel order back in 2017. Three separate leaks within the past week point to the same custom screen. The display features four gently curved edges without a polarizing film.
Greater China leaker Ice Universe wrote on Monday that Apple may market the screen as a Liquid Glass Display. The curve itself would be very shallow, with the visual effect coming from light bending inside the panel. Moreover, the screen would appear to flow over the edge without physically wrapping around it. Edge viewing would remain natural and undisturbed, according to the leaker.
Last week, Weibo based leaker Digital Chat Station said Apple requested a pol less panel from Samsung Display. Stripping out the polarizing film thins the display stack significantly. It also lets more light through the panel. This creates the optical illusion of a disappearing bezel in the first place. Both descriptions point to Samsung Display’s COE technology. COE applies a color filter directly onto the panel’s encapsulation layer. The technique cuts overall thickness and lifts brightness by about 30 percent. It also reduces power draw by roughly 25 percent.
Samsung first commercialized COE in the Galaxy Z Fold 3 back in 2021. The technology has been adopted for the Galaxy S26 Ultra this year. ETNews reported in September that this rollout timing aims to put Samsung ahead of Apple’s 2027 adoption. The iPhone X marked Apple’s first OLED iPhone when it launched in 2017. At that time, Samsung Display became the sole supplier after rivals failed to match its flexible OLED yields. The 2017 precedent carries weight on pricing decisions. Samsung charged an estimated 110to120 per iPhone X module back then. That was roughly double the price of the LCD it replaced.
Apple has spent the years since cultivating LG Display and BOE as second sources. However, Korean firms still dominate the high end LTPO segment of the market. Whether Apple can deliver the rumored all glass look in 2027 still hinges on under display Face ID technology. Display Supply Chain Consultants’ Ross Young has said that technology may not be production ready in time. The device, internally code named V72 at Apple, is currently slated for fall 2027. A roadmap published by The Information in December confirmed these plans.
For now, leaks strongly point to Samsung Display winning the exclusive contract. This would give the Korean giant a major victory in the premium smartphone display market. Industry observers expect official announcements closer to the product launch date. Nonetheless, the current supply chain chatter suggests Apple trusts Samsung’s unique OLED capabilities. Future iPhones may adopt similar technology across more models if this collaboration succeeds. Consequently, Samsung’s relationship with Apple continues to define the high end display landscape.
