Apple is pushing display makers to cut iPhone 18 screen prices by 20 percent
Apple is reportedly asking Samsung Display and LG Display to cut OLED panel prices for the iPhone 18 Pro Max by around 20 per cent. Here is what we know so far.
Memory chip price hikes lead to higher smartphone prices across the industry. But Apple has a reputation and to maintain that, the company seems to look elsewhere to cut costs. When memory prices are high, to maintain the cost, Apple is reportedly pushing Samsung Display and LG Display to lower the price of the OLED screens used in the upcoming iPhone 18 Pro Max by around 20 per cent compared to what it paid for the iPhone 17 Pro Max.
According to a report by The Elec, Apple has proposed paying about $70 per OLED panel for the iPhone 18 Pro Max. For context, Apple reportedly paid more than $100 for the iPhone 16 Pro Max and then for the iPhone 17 Pro Max, the company paid around $80. This year's proposed cut is notably steeper than the usual year-over-year decline the industry typically sees.
Why this price cut is unusual
What makes this drop stand out is that the iPhone 18's displays are actually reportedly getting more advanced, not less. The new OLED panels are expected to use a material called M16, an upgraded organic compound that improves brightness efficiency, screen lifespan, and colour accuracy.
Working with this new material typically means display makers need to adjust their manufacturing processes and spend more time stabilising production yields, which usually makes panels more expensive to produce, not cheaper.
The reason comes down to memory chip prices rising sharply across the industry. Since phone makers like Apple can't easily avoid paying more for memory chips, they're instead trying to claw back savings from other components, including displays and camera modules.
What display makers are saying
Samsung Display President Lee Cheong, on July 22, acknowledged the pressure directly at the K-Display 2026 event, saying “this year has been extremely difficult because of chipflation”, and that very strong pressure is coming in to lower the prices of components and displays.
LG Display President Jeong Cheol-dong offered a slightly more measured response, saying his company is affected to some degree but considers the pressure manageable because of ongoing cost innovation efforts.
Despite the pricing squeeze, both companies are expected to supply a large number of panels for the iPhone 18 lineup this year.
Memory chip price hikes lead to higher smartphone prices across the industry. But Apple has a reputation and to maintain that, the company seems to look elsewhere to cut costs. When memory prices are high, to maintain the cost, Apple is reportedly pushing Samsung Display and LG Display to lower the price of the OLED screens used in the upcoming iPhone 18 Pro Max by around 20 per cent compared to what it paid for the iPhone 17 Pro Max.
According to a report by The Elec, Apple has proposed paying about $70 per OLED panel for the iPhone 18 Pro Max. For context, Apple reportedly paid more than $100 for the iPhone 16 Pro Max and then for the iPhone 17 Pro Max, the company paid around $80. This year's proposed cut is notably steeper than the usual year-over-year decline the industry typically sees.
Why this price cut is unusual
What makes this drop stand out is that the iPhone 18's displays are actually reportedly getting more advanced, not less. The new OLED panels are expected to use a material called M16, an upgraded organic compound that improves brightness efficiency, screen lifespan, and colour accuracy.
Working with this new material typically means display makers need to adjust their manufacturing processes and spend more time stabilising production yields, which usually makes panels more expensive to produce, not cheaper.
The reason comes down to memory chip prices rising sharply across the industry. Since phone makers like Apple can't easily avoid paying more for memory chips, they're instead trying to claw back savings from other components, including displays and camera modules.
What display makers are saying
Samsung Display President Lee Cheong, on July 22, acknowledged the pressure directly at the K-Display 2026 event, saying “this year has been extremely difficult because of chipflation”, and that very strong pressure is coming in to lower the prices of components and displays.
LG Display President Jeong Cheol-dong offered a slightly more measured response, saying his company is affected to some degree but considers the pressure manageable because of ongoing cost innovation efforts.
Despite the pricing squeeze, both companies are expected to supply a large number of panels for the iPhone 18 lineup this year.
Memory chip price hikes lead to higher smartphone prices across the industry. But Apple has a reputation and to maintain that, the company seems to look elsewhere to cut costs. When memory prices are high, to maintain the cost, Apple is reportedly pushing Samsung Display and LG Display to lower the price of the OLED screens used in the upcoming iPhone 18 Pro Max by around 20 per cent compared to what it paid for the iPhone 17 Pro Max.
According to a report by The Elec, Apple has proposed paying about $70 per OLED panel for the iPhone 18 Pro Max. For context, Apple reportedly paid more than $100 for the iPhone 16 Pro Max and then for the iPhone 17 Pro Max, the company paid around $80. This year's proposed cut is notably steeper than the usual year-over-year decline the industry typically sees.
Why this price cut is unusual
What makes this drop stand out is that the iPhone 18's displays are actually reportedly getting more advanced, not less. The new OLED panels are expected to use a material called M16, an upgraded organic compound that improves brightness efficiency, screen lifespan, and colour accuracy.
Working with this new material typically means display makers need to adjust their manufacturing processes and spend more time stabilising production yields, which usually makes panels more expensive to produce, not cheaper.
The reason comes down to memory chip prices rising sharply across the industry. Since phone makers like Apple can't easily avoid paying more for memory chips, they're instead trying to claw back savings from other components, including displays and camera modules.
What display makers are saying
Samsung Display President Lee Cheong, on July 22, acknowledged the pressure directly at the K-Display 2026 event, saying “this year has been extremely difficult because of chipflation”, and that very strong pressure is coming in to lower the prices of components and displays.
LG Display President Jeong Cheol-dong offered a slightly more measured response, saying his company is affected to some degree but considers the pressure manageable because of ongoing cost innovation efforts.
Despite the pricing squeeze, both companies are expected to supply a large number of panels for the iPhone 18 lineup this year.
