iPhone 18 Pro display is so advanced that Apple may break a tradition

iPhone 18 Pro display is so advanced that Apple may break a tradition

iPhone 18 Pro display is so advanced that Apple may break a tradition

https://www.phonearena.com/news/iphone-18-pro-ltpo-display_id180234

Publish Date: 2026-05-08 03:00:00

Source Domain: www.phonearena.com

Samsung usually leads the charge on display technologies, but Apple might beat it to the punch this year, though not without help from the South Korean giant. The iPhone 18 Pro will feature a novel display tech, per a new report from the South Korean publication The Elec.

LTPO+ iPhone 18 Pro

2021’s iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max were Apple’s first handsets to feature the Low-Temperature Polycrystalline Oxide (LTPO) backplane technology. It allowed for a variable refresh rate, boosting power efficiency.For the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, Apple is expected to level up to the LTPO+ tech, a higher-spec version. 

Traditional AMOLED displays use Low-Temperature Polycrystalline Silicon (LTPS) for all of the thin-film transistors (TFTs) that make up the screen’s backplane. 

Standard LTPO displays use Indium Gallium Zinc Oxide (IGZO) in the switching TFTs. 
LTPO+ goes a step further by using oxide for the driving TFTs as well. This provides granular control over the current sent to the OLED to emit light. This keeps the panel running optimally depending the environment, enabling energy conservation.

Samsung and LG save the day

Samsung and LG Display have been tasked with providing these high-end OLED panels for the iPhone 18 Pro. China’s BOE reportedly missed the cut due to quality and yield issues. Samsung’s production volume also jumped by 10 to 15% over last year, which is another reason why BOE was sidelined.

Another reason to look forward to the iPhone 18 Pro

The iPhone 18 Pro could be the first Apple smartphone in four years to have a smaller notch. According to an earlier report, another thing complicating the iPhone 18‘s OLED production is the under-display infrared tech, which will help Apple shrink the notch. Once again, BOE isn’t quite up to that technical challenge.

The bargaining chip

Apple traditionally likes to diversify its supply chain so that it can pit suppliers against each other and negotiate lower prices….

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