Samsung is making brightest OLED displays for phones, but not for Galaxy

Samsung Display is the world’s largest and most popular OLED panel maker, and it is reportedly preparing to make its brightest OLED displays yet for smartphones. However, these displays will not be used in Galaxy devices, at least for now. Instead, they will reportedly debut in Apple’s upcoming iPhones.

According to a report from China, Samsung Display will supply OLED panels for Apple’s iPhone 18 series. While the iPhone 17 lineup used OLED panels from Chinese manufacturer BOE, along with South Korean suppliers LG Display and Samsung Display, Apple’s supply chain could shift in 2026. BOE is reportedly being excluded because it can't make displays that can match iPhone 18 series' brightness requirements.

Although the report does not disclose exact brightness figures, it claims that the iPhone 18's displays will be noticeably brighter than those used in the iPhone 17 series. Since all iPhone 17 models offer up to 3,000 nits of peak brightness, the iPhone 18 lineup could reach 3,500 nits or more.

BOE is said to be struggling with the production of OLED panels for the iPhone 17 series, and a significant portion of orders have reportedly been shifted to Samsung Display. BOE is the same firm that stole Samsung Display's OLED technologies.

Meanwhile, Samsung’s upcoming flagship smartphones, the Galaxy S26, Galaxy S26+, and Galaxy S26 Ultra, are expected to retain the same 2,600 nits peak brightness levels found on the Galaxy S25 series. This suggests that Samsung is not yet using its brightest OLED technology in the Galaxy S26 lineup.