For years, Samsung has been widely viewed as the industry leader in smartphone display technology.

That dominance, however, may soon face a serious challenge.

According to a new report from South Korean tech publication The Elec, the upcoming iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are expected to feature advanced LTPO+ display panels that are significantly more sophisticated than current-generation screens.

If accurate, the upgrade could become one of Apple’s most important hardware advancements in years - improving battery efficiency while paving the way for a redesigned front display.

Apple first introduced LTPO technology to the iPhone lineup in 2021 with the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max.

The technology allows the display to dynamically adjust refresh rates depending on on-screen activity, significantly reducing power consumption.

For example, when users read static text or view still images, the screen can lower its refresh rate to conserve battery, while automatically ramping up to 120Hz during gaming or scrolling.

However, current LTPO technology may only represent the beginning.

With LTPO+, Apple is reportedly preparing to take OLED power management to another level.

How LTPO+ works - and why it matters
To understand the significance of LTPO+, it is important to look at the structure of modern OLED panels.

Traditional AMOLED displays rely entirely on LTPS (Low-Temperature Polycrystalline Silicon) technology for the thin-film transistor (TFT) system located behind the screen.

Standard LTPO improves efficiency by incorporating IGZO (Indium Gallium Zinc Oxide) materials for switching transistors.

LTPO+ reportedly goes even further by using oxide transistors for the primary current-control layer itself.

This enables the display to manage power delivery to each OLED pixel with far greater precision.

The result is a panel capable of operating more efficiently across different usage scenarios while maintaining premium image quality.

In practical terms, the iPhone 18 Pro could deliver dramatically improved battery life without requiring a significantly larger physical battery.

That direction is increasingly important as smartphones continue becoming thinner and lighter while simultaneously supporting more demanding AI features and graphics workloads.

Although Apple designs its own products, the company still relies heavily on Asian suppliers for OLED panel production.

According to Korean industry sources, Samsung Display and LG Display have been selected to manufacture LTPO+ panels for the iPhone 18 Pro lineup.

Meanwhile, Chinese display giant BOE reportedly failed to meet Apple’s requirements due to concerns surrounding product quality and large-scale manufacturing yields.

The report also claims Samsung’s display shipments to Apple have increased by roughly 10-15% compared to last year.

Industry observers see this as one reason BOE may have been pushed out of Apple’s premium Pro display supply chain.

Still, analysts believe Apple is unlikely to remove BOE entirely.

Apple has long pursued a diversified supply chain strategy to avoid overdependence on any single supplier and to maintain stronger leverage during pricing negotiations.

As a result, BOE will likely continue supplying display panels for the standard iPhone 18 models.

One industry insider noted that BOE still maintains a major cost advantage.

Even if the company cannot secure large-scale contracts for Pro models, remaining inside Apple’s supply chain gives Apple additional bargaining power against Samsung and LG.

iPhone 18 Pro could break a long-standing design tradition
Beyond the display upgrade, the iPhone 18 Pro is also rumored to feature one of Apple’s biggest front-design changes in years.

The device could become the first iPhone in a long time to significantly shrink the notch or Dynamic Island area.

Previous reports suggest Apple is developing under-display infrared sensor technology designed to hide portions of the Face ID system beneath the screen.

If successful, Apple could dramatically reduce the visible cutout area.

That same under-display infrared technology is reportedly one of the main reasons manufacturing OLED panels for the iPhone 18 Pro has become far more technically challenging.

And once again, BOE is said to have struggled to meet Apple’s strict engineering requirements.

If Apple successfully combines LTPO+ technology with under-display Face ID sensors, the iPhone 18 Pro could represent the company’s biggest leap forward since the introduction of Dynamic Island.

The upgrade would not only improve battery life and display quality but also move Apple closer to its long-term vision of creating a nearly all-screen iPhone design.

The biggest unanswered question remains how significant the real-world battery gains from LTPO+ will actually be.

Still, based on the details emerging so far, the iPhone 18 Pro is quickly shaping up to become one of Apple’s most intriguing smartphones in years.

Hai Phong