Katarzyna Petru
In the world of screens, it’s rare for major infrastructure projects to finish ahead of schedule. Yet, Samsung Display is proving that there are no impossible tasks for a market leader. The latest reports from the Korean campus in Asan and OLED-info confirm that mass production on the 8.6-generation line will start as early as May 2026. That’s a few months earlier than what was announced a year ago.
Generational Leap, or Why Size Matters
If you're wondering what all the fuss is about with this "8.6-Gen," let me explain. Until now, screens for laptops and tablets were primarily produced on 6th generation lines. The new line, internally referred to as A6, operates on gigantic sheets of glass. These are over twice the size of the previous ones.
What does this mean? Above all, tremendous efficiency. From one such sheet, Samsung can cut significantly more panels in a shorter time. It’s simple math: larger scale means lower production costs, which over time should translate into more affordable prices for laptops with OLED screens, which until now have mainly been associated with the premium segment.
Race against time and competition from China
Why was Samsung so eager for the May deadline? The answer has five letters: Apple. The giant from Cupertino is the main buyer of the new panels that are set to be used in the upcoming MacBook Pros. An earlier start of production gives Samsung a powerful bargaining chip and allows them to "secure" their position as number one before Chinese competitors (like BOE or TCL CSOT) launch their lines at the end of the year.
We can expect that the first devices equipped with these cutting-edge screens will hit store shelves at the earliest in the second half of 2026, though a more realistic date is the beginning of 2027.
