Samsung's upcoming foldables might not use the best OLED screens after all

Samsung is expected to launch at least three foldable phones later this year, namely the Galaxy Z Flip 8, Galaxy Z Fold 8, and the so-called Wide Fold. However, those expecting a huge display upgrade might be disappointed.

ET News reports that all three upcoming foldable phones will have OLED screens manufactured by Samsung Display. Furthermore, the outlet’s sources report that these screens will use M13 organic display material.

This is apparently the third year Samsung is using M13 display material on its foldable phones, having debuted the tech on the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Z Flip 6. By contrast, the Galaxy S26 Ultra is reportedly using newer M14 display material. However, the outlet claims that the Galaxy S26 and S26 Plus are sticking with M13 screens.

Samsung’s M14 material is reportedly 20 to 30% brighter than its M13 material, while also being more efficient. Furthermore, M14 materials are said to last 10-20% longer than the previous generation. So there are clearly significant benefits to using the newer tech.

However, a source told ET News that these foldables could still offer some display improvements:

Even with the same M13 material set, continuous improvements and stabilization are taking place, resulting in improved performance compared to when it was first released and reduced material input required to achieve the same performance.

The source also suggested that Samsung might be trying to keep price increases to a minimum by reusing the older display technology. That’s a fair assumption in light of the RAM crisis and price hikes for other components.

Then again, OLED screens are generally good in 2026. They’re bright enough, while screen burn-in isn’t nearly as much of a problem as it was 10 or 15 years ago. It’s therefore not a train smash if the Galaxy Z Fold 8, Galaxy Z Flip 8, and Wide Fold stick with older OLED screen tech. However, those wanting dramatically brighter screens, much better color accuracy, or a longer lifespan might be disappointed.