Samsung’s latest flagship, the Galaxy S21 Ultra, is the first phone to feature the new low-power OLED panels from Samsung Display. In a press release, Samsung says the new screen consumes 16 percent less energy thanks to “newly developed organic material” which means “electron flow faster and easier through the organic layer of the screen”.
“In other words,” explains Samsung, the technology means that its “OLED panels can create brighter light and consume less energy, which increases battery life.” A smartphone screen is usually one of the most energy-consuming components, so efficiency gains here can have a big impact on the overall battery life of the device. In our review, we found that the S21 Ultra has excellent battery life that lasts “beyond an entire day”.
Samsung confirmed for The Verge that the S21 Ultra uses an LTPO screen (also known as low-temperature polycrystalline oxide), but it is not the first of Samsung phones to do so. Last year, He c reported that Samsung’s Galaxy Note 20 Ultra also used LTPO display panels, which Samsung branded as HOP (hybrid oxide and polycrystalline silicon). However, this week’s announcement says the S21 Ultra is the “first” to use the most efficient panels, suggesting that Samsung Display has further refined the technology compared to the Note 20 Ultra.
Before appearing on smartphones, LTPO displays were used in smart watches. He c notes that the Apple Watch Series 4 featured an LTPO screen produced by LG, while Samsung’s Galaxy Watch Active 2 used an LTPO screen produced by Samsung Display.
If the reports are accurate, the next Apple iPhones could soon benefit from Samsung Display’s low-power panel technology. Earlier this year, He c reported that the South Korean company is about to supply LTPO panels for Apple iPhones 2021. According to the report, Apple will use 120Hz LTPO OLED screens on two of its four iPhones in the second half, while the other two will have more traditional OLED panels.