Apple will pay Samsung Electronics approximately $250 for every main folding display panel installed in the iPhone Duo, according to reports based on information from a Chinese leaker. The exclusive supply agreement covers the current model and subsequent versions released during the three-year period.

Exclusive Supply Arrangement Details

Leaker Instant Digital stated on the Chinese social network Weibo that Samsung holds the sole contract to provide the foldable screens. Apple was unable to secure an alternative manufacturer capable of meeting its requirements for the flexible panel. The $250 figure applies only to the inner folding display and excludes assembly, testing, or the separate outer cover screen.

The iPhone Duo, Apple’s first foldable device, is designed in a book-style format with an outer screen visible when closed and a larger flexible panel that expands when opened. The device is planned to start at $1,999 and features a 7.6-inch inner screen built for higher brightness, extended lifespan, and a crease intended to be barely noticeable.

Limited Supplier Options Force the Partnership

LG Display, a longtime Apple screen supplier, is not yet able to produce the required flexible folding screens. BOE Technology Group supplies folding panels to Huawei, but Apple determined that version did not meet its quality and reliability standards. This left Samsung as the only supplier able to deliver the necessary panels, giving the South Korean company significant leverage in the negotiations.

The folding display is substantially more complex to manufacture than the screen used in the iPhone 18 Pro Max. A conventional iPhone display previously cost Apple roughly $70. The higher production demands for the foldable panel drive the elevated price, placing the display cost at more than 10 percent of the Duo’s retail price before other manufacturing expenses.

Projected Financial Scale for Samsung

Analyst estimates project strong initial demand for the Duo. One projection from Citi anticipates 7.3 million units sold in the first year. At $250 per main panel, that volume would direct close to $1.8 billion to Samsung Display. Other forecasts citing around 5 million units point to potential revenue near $1.25 billion from the panels alone in the debut period.

The three-year term means Samsung will continue supplying panels for future Duo models, creating a sustained revenue stream even as the two companies compete directly in the foldable smartphone market.

Direct Competition Between the Devices

Samsung has sold foldable phones since 2019 and continues to market its Galaxy Z Fold series against Apple’s entry. The Galaxy Z Fold8, released in July, features a 5.5-inch cover screen, a matching 7.6-inch inner display, and a body weight of 201 grams. The iPhone Duo uses the same 7.6-inch inner screen size but weighs 254 grams.

Samsung has publicly addressed the rivalry. Social media posts from the company included comments such as “so far, so same” and “Let us know when you’re done reheating our leftovers.” In New Zealand, Samsung hired a real estate agent named Tim Cook for an advertisement promoting the Galaxy Z Fold8, with the line introducing him as making an announcement about Galaxy rather than Apple.

Apple shares traded near $332 following the reports, showing a gain of about 1.9 percent and approaching record levels. The company unveiled the Duo under new chief executive John Ternus, marking the firm’s formal entry into a category Samsung has led for years.

The arrangement places Apple in the position of relying on its primary smartphone rival for a critical and costly component of its newest product line for the duration of the contract.