According to the Korea Industry Post, the Korean megacorp is considering a partnership with Chinese suppliers for materials used in its OLED panels. That would mark a significant shift from Samsung’s long-standing practice of partnering with American, Japanese, and local companies.

It appears that a looming price crunch is looming for 2nm wafers related to the upcoming Exynos 2600 chip. Samsung’s prototype has already gone into mass production using its 2nm GAA process, but the yields are currently hovering around a dismal 50 per cent. To make the Galaxy S26 viable, it needs to hit 70 per cent. If it doesn’t, each wafer gets pricier, which could eat into Samsung’s margins or force price hikes.

To bring those costs down, the company is reportedly considering Chinese vendors. That might sound reasonable on paper, but it comes with a massive catch: any deal would involve sharing intellectual property. Given that Samsung’s OLED screens are widely regarded as the best in the world, opening the kimono to Chinese firms is about as risky as leaving your house keys with a burglar.

The partnership could ultimately benefit Chinese rivals who are already surpassing Samsung in terms of specifications. If those same rivals suddenly gain insight into the Korean firm’s display tech, the result could be brutal.

Apple relies on Samsung displays for a significant portion of its iPhones and other devices. If Samsung goes ahead with a China deal, it remains to be seen whether Job’s Mob will let that tech trickle down into its shiny toys.

For now, it’s just a rumour. However, if Samsung is indeed considering trading long-term advantage for short-term savings, it may want to double-check the locks on its patents.