Apple in Talks to Upgrade 2028 iPhone With More Advanced Quad-Curved OLED Display: Report

Apple may be working on a more refined version of its curved iPhone display for a model expected to arrive in 2028. According to a new report from a South Korean publication, the company is looking to use a different OLED electrode material to address purported issues such as image distortion and reduced brightness around the curved edges. The technology is expected to build on the four-sided bending display rumoured for the 20th-anniversary iPhone in 2027. Samsung Display and LG Display are said to be preparing to support the new panel design.

2028 iPhone Said to Feature Improved Curved Display With IZO Technology

According to a report by ET News, Apple has begun discussions with Samsung Display and LG Display about adopting Indium Zinc Oxide, or IZO, as the cathode material in OLED panels planned for a 2028 iPhone. The move is said to address limitations associated with the magnesium-silver alloy cathodes used in current OLED displays. In a four-sided bending design, where the screen curves along all four edges, conventional cathodes can introduce image distortion and reduce brightness around the curved sections.

By switching to IZO, Apple reportedly aims to improve the transparency of the cathode layer. This allows more light to pass through the display stack and may help minimise visual distortion, uneven brightness, and heat-related issues near the edges of the panel. The report claims that Apple intends to introduce a first-generation four-sided bending display on the 20th anniversary iPhone, expected in 2027. That design is expected to push the display closer to all four edges of the device to create a nearly bezel-free appearance.

LG Display has reportedly already taken steps to prepare for the transition. The company recently announced an investment of 1.106 trillion won in OLED infrastructure, which industry sources believe is linked to research and future mass production of IZO-based OLED panels. The report adds that manufacturing IZO cathodes requires low-damage sputtering equipment for transparent conductive oxides, which is not part of existing smartphone OLED production lines.

Samsung Display is also said to be evaluating whether to upgrade its current facilities or build a dedicated production line to support the new process. Apple has not announced any plans for a 2028 iPhone display. As with most supply chain reports, the company could revise its display roadmap before the technology enters mass production.

Notably, a tipster recently claimed that Apple's 20th-anniversary iPhone could feature a quad-curved OLED display that bends subtly along all four edges. The panel is said to create a nearly bezel-free look using optical effects rather than aggressive curvature. Apple may use Samsung's COE display technology, which is claimed to improve light transmission by up to 33 percent and reduces power consumption by up to 25 percent. The phone is also expected to move closer to an all-screen design, although some rumours claim that it may still retain the Dynamic Island.