Samsung is making iPhone Fold screens right now. The hinge is another story.
Samsung Display secured Apple's approval and began operating back-end production lines in Vietnam on June 22, according to The Elec. The initial order covers roughly 3 million foldable OLED panels for delivery this year.
Apple's approval process requires suppliers to demonstrate final assembly quality, product performance, and mass-production stability. The threshold is a yield rate of at least 70%.
Samsung Display cleared it after hitting final yields above 80%. The two companies signed a three-year exclusive supply agreement for foldable OLED displays. Apple will not use any other supplier during the contract period.
Samsung's CEO all but confirmed the arrangement last September, and trial production at Foxconn followed earlier this spring. The Vietnam facility handling back-end processing has roughly 80 production lines, with about 50 currently active. Apple's initial order of 3 million units uses only a portion of that capacity.
The display itself will pack two of Samsung's latest technologies. Color Filter on Encapsulation (CoE) removes the polarizer and places a color filter directly on the encapsulation layer, making the panel thinner, brighter, and up to 37% more power efficient. The M16 OLED material set, Samsung's newest organic material system for flagship phones, delivers improvements in brightness, color performance, lifespan, and power efficiency compared to earlier generations.
The screen is ready. The hinge is not.
Apple's first foldable device is expected to use a hinge module manufactured with 3D-printing technology. Industry sources cited by The Elec say the component has experienced issues with unwanted noise after assembly. Any resulting delay is estimated at roughly two weeks to one month.
"There are no issues on Samsung Display's side," an industry source told The Elec. "The launch schedule will ultimately depend on Apple's readiness for device components, particularly the hinge."
Industry expectations still point to a September unveiling, potentially with a short gap between announcement and availability. Component deliveries have already begun, with suppliers working toward the device's debut later this year. But display manufacturing is only one step in a longer production process that still includes assembly, testing, and final ramp-up.
Apple's foldable, reportedly branded as iPhone Ultra or iPhone Fold, is expected to launch as an ultra-premium product alongside the iPhone 18 lineup. Leaks suggest a dual rear camera setup with wide and ultrawide lenses and no telephoto, a roughly 7.8-inch inner display, and a 5.5-inch outer screen. The device will reportedly be powered by Apple's A20 Pro chip.
