iQOO strengthens Samsung Display link-up

Chinese smartphone maker iQOO, a performance-focused brand of Vivo, is deepening cooperation with South Korean display giant Samsung Display on smartphone screens to jointly pursue product differentiation and accelerate the adoption of the latest display technologies.

The move highlights a broader industry shift: as handset hardware becomes increasingly homogenized, Chinese brands are collaborating more closely with Korean supply-chain leaders to stand out in high-end segments, while Korean suppliers are securing long-term anchors for their most advanced panels.

According to iQOO, the plan marks a shift from the traditional "request-and-deliver" model to jointly defining problems, tackling technical challenges and creating new solutions. The company is positioning itself as a deep participant and definer in the global high-end display supply chain.

Launched in 2019, iQOO targets young, gaming-oriented consumers. Its upcoming iQOO 16 model uses the same M16 emitting material as Apple's foldable screen and Samsung Display's 2K LEAD technology, with a 2K 165Hz panel.

Luo Feng, vice president of iQOO products, said the competition is encouraging. "Apple and Samsung are top-tier companies worth learning from," he said. "What iQOO has always done is understand target users' needs and use the most extreme technical solutions to deliver leading experiences."

The plan with Samsung Display will follow two tracks: deepening display experience in current smartphone forms—resolution, refresh rate, brightness, color, eye care and low power—and exploring new form factors and sensory dimensions, including a foldable gaming handheld concept, haptics and grip. Some demos are conceptual, others in pre-research, with key directions expected to land over the next three to five years.

HJ Lee, head of product planning & marketing team at Samsung Display, said this is the first time that Samsung Display has opened its headquarters in South Korea to media.

"Our partnership with iQOO has long been a long-term collaboration. We believe that showcasing the fruits of this collaboration directly to journalists is an excellent way to gain recognition in the market", Lee said.

According to him, in the future, the partnership will continue in frontier technologies. "Technology cooperation cannot be achieved in a short period; it requires a two-to-three-year mid- and long-term roadmap," Lee said.

Display remains a critical battleground. The market research company TrendForce estimates global smartphone panel shipments will reach about 2.25 billion units in 2026, with AMOLED panels around 920 million units, or 41 percent.

Chen Yanshun, vice-chairman of the China Optics and Optoelectronics Manufacturers Association, said that display competition is shifting from price wars to a race in technology and scenarios.

Amid rising SoC and memory costs, Luo said iQOO did not hesitate on screen investment. Because product definition began 18 to 20 months in advance, the cost surge was not fully known. "We must increase investment in the ultimate experience our target users care about, rather than shrink it," he said.