Samsung Display is expected to supply OLED panels using its latest M16 material set for Samsung Electronics' upcoming Galaxy S27 Pro and Galaxy S27 Ultra flagship smartphones, due to launch early next year. The standard Galaxy S27 and Galaxy S27 Plus models are also expected to receive a material-set update for the first time in three years.
According to industry sources on Sep. 13, Samsung Electronics and Samsung Display have decided to apply the new M16 OLED material set to the Galaxy S27 Pro and Galaxy S27 Ultra.
The S27 Pro and Ultra would be the first Samsung smartphones to use M16 OLED materials.
“The Galaxy S27 Pro and Ultra are positioned as premium-tier models and will use M16, creating a clearer distinction from the standard and Plus models,” an industry source said. “Together with color filter on encapsulation (CoE) and privacy-display technology, M16 will be one of the key display technologies used to differentiate the Galaxy S27 lineup.”
M16 is Samsung Display's latest OLED material set. It was first adopted in Apple's iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, unveiled in the United States on Sep. 9, and in Google's Pixel 11 series, released last month. Samsung Display's M16 OLED panels are also expected to appear in Vivo's iQOO 16, scheduled for release in China later this month.
OLED panel performance—including color reproduction, brightness, power efficiency, and operating life—is determined in large part by the organic materials used in the display. Smartphone makers and display suppliers combine multiple OLED materials to optimize panel performance; this combination is commonly referred to in the industry as a “material set.”
Samsung Display labels its OLED material generations with the letter “M,” short for “Material,” followed by a number. A higher number generally indicates a newer generation of OLED materials. Each generation is typically designed to improve luminous efficiency and panel lifetime.
The base Galaxy S27 and Galaxy S27 Plus models are also expected to receive an OLED material upgrade after three years. They are likely to move from M13, which was used from the Galaxy S24 through the Galaxy S26 series, to M14. M14 was introduced to Samsung smartphones beginning with the Galaxy S26 Ultra.
The move would mark Samsung Electronics' first lineup-wide panel-material update for the Galaxy S series in three years. It could also signal a material-set upgrade for the Galaxy Z9 foldable lineup, scheduled for release in the second half of next year. Samsung has used M13 materials in the Galaxy Z series from 2024 through this year.
The Galaxy S27 series is expected to launch in the first quarter of next year. The lineup is expected to include a 6.27-inch Galaxy S27, a 6.66-inch Galaxy S27 Plus, a 6.47-inch Galaxy S27 Pro, and a 6.89-inch Galaxy S27 Ultra. Samsung Display is expected to supply all OLED panels for the series.
