Apple may be looking for ways to control the rising production costs of its upcoming iPhone 18 Pro Max. According to a new rumor from Korea, Apple could save money by securing a cheaper display for its next flagship iPhone.
The company’s display suppliers, Samsung Display and LG, are reportedly offering the iPhone 18 Pro Max panel at an average price of $66.5. That price is almost 20% lower than the cost of the display used in the iPhone 17 Pro Max last year. The previous panel reportedly cost Apple around $80.
Apple also paid less for the iPhone 17 Pro Max display than it did for the iPhone 16 Pro Max. The older model’s screen reportedly cost more than $100 at times. However, the lower price does not mean Apple plans to use an inferior display on the iPhone 18 Pro Max.
The new flagship is expected to feature an M16 OLED panel. This latest organic material should improve several aspects of the display. These improvements include better luminous efficiency, a longer lifespan, and more accurate colors.
Therefore, Apple could lower its bill of materials without making major compromises to the screen quality. The move could also become important as Apple reportedly faces higher memory and storage costs for the iPhone 18 Pro Max. The company is already rumored to increase the phone’s price because of those rising component costs.
A cheaper display could help Apple reduce some of the pressure on its overall production expenses. As a result, the final price increase may not be as high as expected. Still, the iPhone 18 Pro Max could reportedly cost as much as $200 more than its predecessor.
If the rumor is accurate, Apple may be using lower display costs to balance some of the expensive upgrades planned for its next-generation flagship.
The iPhone 18 Pro Max is still some time away, so Apple could change its plans before the official launch. For now, the rumored M16 display suggests that cost savings may not come at the expense of screen quality.
