iQOO Has Deepened Its Partnership With Samsung Display

The smartphone brand and Samsung Display are co-developing future screen technologies and device form factors.

Updated on Sept. 18, 2026 in Consumer Electronics

Isometric editorial illustration of a tech wafer on a metallic surface, symbolizing high-end mobile display engineering research.
Smartphone manufacturer iQOO has expanded its partnership with Samsung Display to co-develop long-term display technologies and new device form factors. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Smartphone maker iQOO, a performance-focused brand of Vivo, has expanded its collaboration with Samsung Display to innovate on display technologies. The two companies are working on a multi-year roadmap focused on creating new device form factors.

Why it matters

Chinese handset manufacturers are increasingly seeking product differentiation to stand out as mobile hardware becomes more homogenized across the global market.

The iQOO 16 model utilizes M16 emitting material and features a 2K 165Hz panel. Market projections estimate that global smartphone panel shipments will reach 2.25 billion units in 2026.

The players

iQOO

A performance-focused smartphone brand that functions as a subsidiary of Vivo.

Samsung Display

A major South Korean manufacturer specializing in advanced display technologies for global electronics brands.

The details

The partnership focuses on jointly defining technical problems and crafting new solutions through a two-to-three-year mid- and long-term technology roadmap. This collaboration aims to provide iQOO with specialized components to differentiate its performance-oriented devices.

Timeline

  1. iQOO launched as a brand in 2019.

  2. Global smartphone panel shipments are estimated to reach 2.25 billion units in 2026.

  3. Key display developments from the partnership are expected to launch over the next 3 to 5 years.

The Tech Race

This collaboration follows the documented trend of the homogenization of handset hardware across the industry. By securing custom display solutions, iQOO is positioning itself to escape the cycle of undifferentiated specifications that dominates the current mid-to-high-end phone market.

Users can expect future iQOO devices to feature specialized display improvements derived from this joint research and development. These technological advancements will likely manifest in higher visual quality and unique hardware form factors in upcoming product cycles.

The takeaway

The deepening of this partnership suggests that proprietary screen technology will become a primary battleground for performance-focused mobile brands. Consumers should anticipate that future smartphone differentiation will rely heavily on these custom-engineered visual components.

Further reading

For more on the latest hardware innovations, visit the Consumer Electronics section.

Source note: This article includes information reported by China Daily.

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