# Apple Seeks 20% Price Cut on iPhone 18 Pro Max OLED Panels Apple is pushing suppliers for a 20% reduction in OLED panel prices. - **Source:** [Cult of Mac](https://brifing.si/source/7e2968d9-bc24-4286-8f9e-146807f06336) - **Published:** 2026-07-24 - **Topic:** [Business](https://brifing.si/c/business) - **Original article:** - **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/ab8e7478-1dbb-41f4-be9b-33a013dd2ea1 ## Apple’s OLED Panel Demand Apple is reportedly asking for a roughly 20% price cut on OLED panels for the iPhone 18 Pro Max. This comes despite the panels becoming harder to manufacture. While Apple’s per-panel costs typically decrease with each new iPhone generation, this request is unusually steep. ## Reason Behind the Price Drop Apple has proposed paying around $70 per OLED panel for the iPhone 18 Pro Max. Once supply deals are finalized, Samsung Display and LG Display are expected to settle at an average of $66.50. This is nearly 20% less than what Apple paid for iPhone 17 Pro Max panels. ## New Material and Costs The iPhone 18 lineup will reportedly switch to Samsung Display’s new M16 OLED material, which enhances brightness, longevity, and color accuracy. However, better materials come with higher manufacturing costs, and panel makers must retune their processes to stabilize yields after such a switch. ## Other Cost Increases Apple’s demand appears to be an effort to offset rising costs in other iPhone components. Memory chip prices have surged across the industry, and device manufacturers are seeking discounts from suppliers rather than raising prices outright to protect their margins. ## Suppliers’ Perspective Samsung Display President Lee Cheong stated that this year will be ‘extremely difficult due to chipflation.’ LG Display’s Jeong Cheol-dong acknowledged the pressure but noted that ongoing cost-cutting efforts should keep the situation manageable. ## Impact on Consumers Cheaper components may not lead to a cheaper iPhone. The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max are expected to start at $1,299 and $1,399, respectively, marking a $200 increase over the current generation. Apple seems to be using the display price cut to prevent an even steeper price hike. ## Sources covering this story - https://www.cultofmac.com/news/iphone-18-pro-max-oled-panel-price-cut — --- _Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._