Apple could introduce a thinner and more power-efficient OLED display technology to its conventional iPhone Pro models in 2029, according to display research firm UBI Research. The technology, called Color Filter on Encapsulation, or CoE, removes the traditional polarizer from an OLED panel and places a color filter directly over its encapsulation layer.

A polarizer reduces reflections from surrounding light, but it also blocks some of the light generated by the display. Removing that layer could allow an iPhone screen to reach higher brightness without using more power, or maintain its current brightness while consuming less energy.

How CoE OLED technology works

CoE can also reduce the thickness of the display assembly because it eliminates a separate polarizer layer. That could give Apple more internal room for components such as the battery and camera system, although the source does not indicate how Apple would use any additional space.

Samsung was the first company to commercialize the approach, using the Eco² OLED branding for the display in the Galaxy Z Fold3. Samsung Display said its original implementation increased light transmission by 33% and reduced power consumption by up to 25% compared with an OLED panel using a conventional polarizer.

Why Apple may wait until 2029

Polarizer-free OLED panels bring engineering challenges. Manufacturers must manage reflections using a combination of color filters, black pixel-defining layers, low-reflection coatings and other optical techniques. These changes can make it harder to preserve outdoor visibility, wide viewing angles, contrast and accurate colors.

UBI Research believes those challenges could help explain why Apple may delay the technology's wider use until 2029. The firm expects Apple to first gain experience with CoE in its upcoming foldable device, referred to in reports as the iPhone Duo. Earlier reports suggested that the Samsung-supplied folding OLED panel for that device would use the technology, although Apple has not publicly described the panel's internal construction.

Potential scale of the iPhone Pro transition

UBI Research sees the foldable iPhone as a possible first step toward using polarizer-free OLED panels throughout Apple's Pro lineup. The research firm estimates that the two Pro models could require between 90 million and 100 million display panels annually, making the transition substantially larger than CoE's initial use in a foldable device.

Samsung Display and LG Display are expected to be the leading suppliers if Apple proceeds. BOE could also compete for orders, provided it can satisfy Apple's technical requirements. Apple has not confirmed a 2029 CoE display plan, so the timeline and supplier mix remain subject to change.