Samsung cancels Galaxy M41 smartphone

Samsung Electronics has canceled the development of its low-tier Galaxy M41 smartphone, sources told TheElec on Tuesday.

TheElec first reported that Samsung was planning to use CSOT’s OLED panels for the first time in the Galaxy M41.

But following the report, sources within the company said Samsung has canceled the development of Galaxy M41 and will launch the Galaxy M51 instead. 

Due to the cancellation of M41, CSOT’s OLED panel supply deal for the phone also collapsed. In response, the Chinese display maker pushed its OLED panel for a possible supply for the Galaxy M51, and provided samples. But the samples failed Samsung’s quality test, sources said, and M51 will use Samsung Display’s OLED panels.

Still, Samsung Electronics was considering the use of OLED panels from Chinese display makers CSOT and BOE for next year’s Galaxy S series as well as Galaxy A and Galaxy M series. It is part of the South Korean tech giant’s effort to cut cost.

Galaxy M40 had a 6.3-inch Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) panel but its successor M41 was planned to have a 6.67-inch OLED panel. 

CSOT’s 6.67-inch flexible OLED panel is already being used in Xiaomi Mi10 series and Motorola Edge. Samsung was also reviewing samples from BOE to apply to M41 before the cancellation.