Could the Galaxy Z Fold 4 share displays with the iPhone 14 Pro Max?
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Despite all the brouhaha around foldable phones like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold or Flip series, their display premise isn't all that different from that of "regular" rigid phones like the iPhone 13 Pro Max.
Both the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and the iPhone 13 Pro Max use Samsung's LTPO OLED technology of the latest M11 generation which has the tiny light-emitting diodes layered on a plastic instead of a glass substrate, so in a certain sense they both have "flexible" displays.
Needless to say, a foldable phone needs more than a flexible display panel, as the cover glass and films also need to bend and an ingenious hinge has to sit below the crease in the middle, but the display itself is simply an OLED screen with a bendy plastic instead of rigid glass substrate, base that allows it to be lighter and more durable.
You know, like the ones Samsung sells to Apple which then turns around and calibrates them individually for its iPhones, putting fancy names on the high refresh rate LTPO technology like ProMotion.
The iPhone 14 Pro models will enjoy Samsung's Z Fold 4 and Z Flip 4 display tech
Don't say that Samsung keeps the best technology for itself as it turns out that it will generously share the newest, bestest 12th-gen OLED display technology that will debut this month on the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Z Flip 4 with Apple as well, according to supply chain sources that The Elec got privy to.
Unfortunately, you will only be able to enjoy the upcoming M12 generation OLED technology of Samsung on the iPhone 14 Pro and the iPhone 14 Pro Max. Apple recently went into trouble mode with its third iPhone display supplier - BOE - and Samsung is back to providing over 60% of the panels for its iPhones this year, with LG scooping up 25%.
LG will only provide displays with its latest RS-L LTPO OLED technology for the iPhone 14 Pro Max, as it doesn't have Samsung's experience with laser-cutting punch holes for all the Face ID paraphernalia, so Apple can't expect the same output with the needed quality as it does from Samsung.
While LG's RS-L panels will go to both the Pro model and the lowly iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Max/Plus version, Samsung will provide its upcoming OLED display technology of the latest, 12th generation, only to the Pro models of Apple's 2022 iPhone series.
Research firm Omdia broke down the iPhone 14 series display specs and OLED technologies
As to what would the M12 panels bring to the iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 14 Pro Max, Galaxy Z Fold 4, and Galaxy Z Flip 4? As usual, we can expect brighter panels with less power consumption and better color credibility compared to the previous generation, M11 screens that are used for the iPhone 13 series.
The proof is in the testing, though, so we can't wait to get our hands on the Galaxy Z Fold 4 next week to preview the kind of display quality benchmarks that can be expected from the iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max later this quarter when they are about to be announced at an Apple mid-September event.
Reserve your Galaxy Z Fold 4, Z Flip 4, or Galaxy Watch 5 on the runup to Samsung's August Unpacked event
The Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Z Flip 4 preorders will likely start immediately after the August 10 Unpacked event and run until about Friday, August 26, when Samsung will release its 2022 foldables crop, if history is any indication. You can queue for a spot at the Z Flip 4 preorder reservations and bonuses right now, though:
Things that are NOT allowed: