The president of Samsung Display says the company is gearing up to produce a foldable OLED display for a North American client, sparking speculation that it could be Apple.
Lee Cheong, the president of Samsung Display, has announced that the company is ramping up preparations to produce OLED foldable smartphones. He also told reporters that the displays would be supplied to a "North American client."
Cheong, predictably, declined to explain who that client was. While Apple isn't the only smartphone company that would qualify as a North American client, the consensus is that he's likely referring to Apple.
The 8.6th generation OLED is set to go into production in the third quarter of 2026, according to a post made by Chosun Biz and spotted by MacRumors. The third quarter is typically when Apple suppliers ramp up production for the same year's iPhone release season.
Given the timeframe, it seems likely that Apple is gearing up to release the yet-unannounced iPhone Fold in fall 2026 — probably in September. It also makes it seem pretty likely that the iPhone Air is, in fact, a test run for a foldable iPhone.
