Apple is pressing OLED suppliers to cut panel prices for the iPhone 18 Pro Max as memory costs climb, according to The Elec. The company proposed paying roughly $70 per panel, but industry estimates suggest Samsung Display and LG Display will settle near $66.50 each — a 20% drop from iPhone 17 Pro Max pricing.

Price reductions have occurred each generation, yet this year's cut is unusually steep given the added manufacturing complexity. The iPhone 18 series will adopt Samsung Display's new M16 OLED material set, which boosts luminous efficiency, lifespan, and color performance.

Smartphone makers broadly are trimming display and camera procurement to offset rising memory expenses. UBI Research forecasts Samsung Display will supply 46 million panels for the iPhone 18 lineup (2M standard, 18M Pro, 26M Pro Max), while LG Display will provide 41 million (1M standard, 19M Pro, 21M Pro Max).

Apple plans to debut the iPhone 18 Pro models in September alongside its first foldable iPhone, with the standard iPhone 18 and 18e arriving spring 2027. Analysts project the Pro and Pro Max could start at $1,299 and $1,399 — a $200 increase driven largely by memory and storage costs.