At CES 2025 in Las Vegas, Samsung Display unveiled a groundbreaking innovation—a massive 18.1-inch foldable OLED display. This cutting-edge technology exemplifies Samsung’s expertise in the display industry, setting new standards for foldable screens. When folded, the panel measures a compact 13.1 inches, but when fully unfolded, it transforms into an impressive 18.1-inch display, delivering versatility and a multi-functional experience for users.
This latest display builds upon Samsung’s earlier 17.3-inch foldable OLED panel introduced in 2022. While the concept remains similar, the increased size enhances its potential for productivity and entertainment. Users can unfold the display to use it as a large tablet for creative tasks, connect peripherals to transform it into a monitor, or fold it into a laptop-like device with a touchscreen keyboard on the lower half.
Despite its innovation, commercial adoption of foldable laptops remains challenging. High production costs and limited use cases make it difficult for such devices to compete with traditional laptops. For example, the 17.3-inch foldable OLED panel from 2022 never saw the light of day as a commercial product. However, Samsung Display’s influence extends beyond its own brand. As a leading supplier of advanced panels, the company provides display technology to a variety of manufacturers, including competitors. This means companies like ASUS or Lenovo could adopt the 18.1-inch foldable OLED for their own products, potentially bringing this technology to market.
The debut of the 18.1-inch foldable OLED display underscores Samsung’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of what display technology can achieve. Even if Samsung does not release a commercial device with this display, its development highlights the potential for foldable devices to redefine how we interact with screens. With their ability to combine portability and large-scale functionality, foldable devices could represent the next big leap in consumer technology. CES 2025 has once again demonstrated Samsung’s pivotal role in shaping the future of foldable tech, whether through its own innovations or by enabling others to create transformative products.
