Apple no longer sells phones with aging LCD panels. With the discontinuation of iPhone SE and the launch of iPhone 16e, the company has fully transitioned to OLED – and HDR.
Samsung has been a pioneer of OLED, as the company's display production division, Samsung Display, manufactures many of the panels found in phones from various brands. Nevertheless, Samsung has yet to complete the transition from LCD to OLED in phones.
After 30 years, Samsung Display ceased LCD production in June 2022, but a handful of phones such as the Galaxy A05s, M33, M14 and XCover6 Pro still use LCD panels.
Google, on the other hand, has fully transitioned to OLED in its Pixel phone line-up.
Apple completes the transition
Apple can now be added to the list of manufacturers that have fully transitioned from LCD to OLED in phones. The new iPhone 16e with OLED replaces iPhone SE, which was the last remaining iPhone in production with LCD.
iPhone 16e has the same display as iPhone 14. The panel can reach up to 800 nits of peak brightness in full-screen mode and 1200 nits for highlights. It also delivers a wider color gamut.
iPhone X from 2017 was Apple’s first phone with OLED.
iPhone 16e is Apple’s cheapest phone after the discontinuation of iPhone SE. Photo: Apple
iOS can now be optimized for HDR
OLED delivers significantly improved picture quality. The transition also means that Apple can begin end-to-end optimizing the iOS operating system – video, photography, gaming, menus etc. – for HDR (High Dynamic Range) with an expanded range of colors and brightness.
LCD panels in smartphones cannot display HDR, so development of an operating system and its graphical presentation must account for these limitations.
Next steps: iPad and Mac
Apple has also begun the transition from LCD to OLED in iPad, but so far the newer display technology is only available in iPad Pro. Rumors suggest that iPad Air will get OLED in 2026 and iPad mini in 2027.
Also read: When to expect OLED in iPad Air, iPad Mini, MacBook Air & MacBook Pro
Apple is also reportedly planning a transition to OLED in MacBook, starting with MacBook Pro in 2026, followed by MacBook Air the next year.
Apple Vision Pro is the first consumer product with micro-OLED.
