Apple wants to make its flagship screens thinner and brighter. A report from Korean display analysis firm UBI Research indicates that the company plans to adopt CoE OLED panels for its 2029 iPhone Pro lineup. The change would drop the traditional polarizer entirely to cut power consumption and reduce device thickness.
Standard OLED screens use a built in polarizer layer to block reflections from outdoor light. While it stops glare, this film also traps a large amount of the brightness created by the screen itself. Phone makers have to push more power into the panel just to make it readable in the sun. Removing this layer lets light pass through freely. The result is a much brighter display that drains less battery.
The Color on Encapsulation method replaces the bulky plastic film with an ultra thin color filter printed directly on the panel. Display manufacturers originally developed this technique for folding devices because thick polarizers break when bent repeatedly. Several Android phones already use this screen structure to keep devices slim. Bringing the technology to a standard glass slab phone will help Apple trim internal space for other parts.
UBI Research expects Apple to introduce these new screens during the second half of 2029. Display suppliers now have several years to refine their production lines and improve yield rates to meet Apple high volume requirements.
