Apple Foldable iPhone Updates:1. Assembly supplier Foxconn is expected to officially kick off the project in late 3Q25 or early 4Q25. As of now, many component specifications (including the hinge, which has drawn considerable market attention) have yet to be finalized.2. The foldable display is one of the few components with finalized specifications and serves as a good reference for estimating potential shipments. Samsung Display (SDC) plans to build annual production capacity for 7-8 million foldable pane ...

Production & Timeline - Hon Hai (Foxconn) is expected to officially start the project for the foldable iPhone at the end of 3Q25 or the beginning of 4Q25 [1] - Many component specifications, including the hinge, are yet to be finalized [1] - Mass production of the foldable iPhone is projected to begin in 2H26 [1] Display & Capacity - Samsung Display (SDC) is anticipated to establish a production capacity of approximately 7-8 million units of foldable screens annually for the foldable iPhone [1] - The actual screen shipments for the foldable iPhone in 2026 are expected to be lower than the annual production capacity due to limited production time [1] Order Volume & Market Expectations - Recent market rumors of Apple placing orders for 15-20 million units of foldable iPhones refer to the total order volume over a product lifecycle of 2-3 years, not the 2026 shipment volume [1] - The foldable iPhone model is expected to have annual shipments in the millions in 2027 and 2028, potentially due to its high price [1] Caveats - All details are subject to change before the official project commencement [1]

Core Insights - OLED technology is expanding its market share due to advantages like self-emission, high contrast, and lightweight design, primarily in small-sized applications such as smartphones. However, large-sized market penetration is slow due to cost and capacity constraints [1] - The mid-size market, including monitors, laptops, tablets, and automotive displays, is experiencing renewed competition as consumers seek high-end display effects [1] - TrendForce forecasts that OLED display shipments will grow by 80.6% annually by 2025, with overall market penetration reaching 2%, and potentially challenging 5% by 2028 [1] Group 1: Market Dynamics - TCL Huaxing is set to mass-produce medical-grade printed OLED displays, while Visionox is expected to introduce ViP technology in its new production line [2] - Printed OLED technology aims to overcome limitations of FMM and vacuum environments, enhancing material usage efficiency and reducing equipment investment costs by approximately 25% compared to similar vapor-deposited products [2] - Despite challenges in yield, pixel density, and reliability, printed OLED panels have achieved a resolution of 326 PPI, meeting the needs of laptops and monitors [2] Group 2: Technological Innovations - TCL Huaxing is balancing technological innovation and mass production by supplying high-end smartphones and flagship laptops with FMM OLED while gradually introducing printed OLED for medical and gaming displays [2] - By the end of 2024, TCL Huaxing will begin small-scale production of 21.6-inch medical printed OLED displays, marking a significant step into commercial application [2] - Visionox is actively promoting its proprietary ViP technology, which utilizes lithography to achieve pixel graphics, freeing itself from FMM's size and resolution constraints [3] Group 3: Comparative Analysis - A comparison of OLED technologies shows that printed OLED has lower equipment investment costs and high material usage efficiency, while FMM OLED is more established but has higher costs [4] - The pixel density of ViP OLED can reach 1700-2000 PPI, significantly higher than the approximately 326 PPI of printed OLED, indicating a trade-off between technology maturity and performance [4] - The market is expected to see a shift towards more flexible and cost-effective OLED solutions as non-vapor deposition technologies gain traction [3][4]