Updated

Updated · Wccftech · Jul 24

Apple Pressures Samsung, LG for 20% iPhone 18 Pro Max OLED Cut as A20 Pro Nears $280

Updated

Updated · Wccftech · Jul 24

Apple Pressures Samsung, LG for 20% iPhone 18 Pro Max OLED Cut as A20 Pro Nears $280

Q: As consumers brace for a massive price hike this September, are these advanced new OLED screens truly worth the premium cost?

Probably not on their own. The new iPhone 18 Pro Max screen does appear to be a real upgrade. Reports point to Samsung’s M16 OLED materials and LTPO+ panels, which should improve brightness efficiency, color accuracy, panel lifespan, and battery use. LTPO+ also offers finer control of pixel current, which could make the always-on display more efficient and reduce low-light flicker or grain. There is also a credible link to under-display Face ID components, which could help Apple shrink the Dynamic Island. But the key pricing detail weakens the case that the display justifies a big retail jump. Apple is reportedly pushing suppliers to around $66.50 per panel, roughly 20% less than it paid for the iPhone 17 Pro Max display, even though the panel is more advanced. In other words, the screen may be better, but it is not the main reason the phone could cost $200 more. The reports point instead to rising memory and storage costs as the main driver. For consumers, that means the OLED upgrade is meaningful but incremental, not transformative. Better efficiency, cleaner low-light performance and potentially a smaller cutout are valuable, especially for heavy users who watch video, game or keep phones for years. But for most buyers, those gains alone are unlikely to justify a Pro Max starting near $1,399. The more defensible argument for the premium would be the total package — display, chip, cameras, battery gains and design refinements combined — not the screen by itself.

3 articles · Updated · Wccftech · Jul 24

$70 is Apple’s reported target price for the iPhone 18 Pro Max OLED, with Samsung and LG seen able to average about $66.50 — roughly 20% below the iPhone 17 Pro Max panel price.
Apple is pushing for the cut to offset rising component costs, including higher wafer, DRAM and NAND prices, while its 2nm A20 Pro chip alone is estimated to cost about $280 per unit.
The pressure comes even though the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max are expected to use newer M16 OLED panels, which promise better efficiency, lifespan and color performance than earlier displays.
Samsung and LG may still accept lower pricing because Apple’s shipment volumes can preserve profits, underscoring how its scale gives it leverage as iPhone 18 Pro Max bill-of-materials costs could rise by as much as $300.