iPhone Screen Types Explained: INCELL vs OLED Quality

Your iPhone screen's cracked. You start Googling repair prices. And suddenly you're drowning in terms nobody explained: INCELL, Soft OLED, Hard OLED, OEM, Genuine Apple. One shop quotes £69. Another quotes £280. Both claim their screens are "original quality."

Here's the thing—most repair shops won't tell you the difference because they're selling whatever they stock. We've been repairing phones for 27 years and replacing thousands of iPhone screens. This is the guide we wish existed when we started: technically accurate, genuinely honest, with the real trade-offs nobody else mentions.

Did You Know?

The honest truth: A £69 INCELL and a £280 genuine Apple screen aren't the same product with different markups. They're fundamentally different—different materials, different tech, different results. We offer all of them because different situations call for different solutions. But you deserve to know what you're actually getting.

iPhone Screen Types: Quick Comparison Table

Skip the technical deep-dive? Here's the summary. (We'll explain every row below.)

Pro Tip

Key Takeaways:

• INCELL = LCD pretending to be OLED. Budget option, visible downgrade.
• Hard OLED = Real OLED on glass. Good picture, more fragile.
• Soft OLED = Real OLED on flexible plastic. Same tech as Apple. Best value.
• Genuine Apple = Factory original. Maximum specs, maximum price.
• True Tone = Can be restored on aftermarket OLED with proper tools.

LCD vs OLED: The Core Difference Explained

Alright, quick primer. Two completely different technologies, and this distinction matters for everything that follows.

LCD (Liquid Crystal Display)

Think of LCD like a cinema projector. There's a backlight (the projector lamp) shining through liquid crystals that twist to block or pass light. The problem? That backlight is always on. When you want "black," the crystals just block as much light as they can. You get dark grey, not black.

iPhones using LCD: iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone XR, iPhone 11, iPhone SE (all generations)

OLED (Organic Light-Emitting Diode)

OLED is different. Each pixel makes its own light. Want black? That pixel just... turns off. Completely. No backlight to block. The result is genuinely stunning contrast and those deep, inky blacks that make photos pop. Once you've used an OLED phone, LCD screens look washed out.

iPhones using OLED: iPhone X, iPhone XS/XS Max, iPhone 11 Pro/Pro Max, iPhone 12 series, iPhone 13 series, iPhone 14 series, iPhone 15 series, iPhone 16 series

Warning

Critical point: You cannot replace an OLED screen with an INCELL (LCD) screen and expect identical results. INCELL is a budget alternative that downgrades the display technology, not a like-for-like replacement.

INCELL Screens: What You're Actually Getting for £69

What is INCELL?

Here's where it gets interesting. INCELL isn't a quality grade—it's a manufacturing technique. The touch sensor (digitiser) is built directly into the LCD panel instead of being a separate layer. "INCELL" literally means the touch is "in" the LCD "cell."

Fewer layers = thinner screen = cheaper to make. But here's the catch: when INCELL replaces an OLED screen, you're downgrading from OLED to LCD. Not "budget OLED"—actual LCD technology. This is crucial to understand.

Layer Structure: Why OLED is Thinner (and Why It Matters)

When we peel apart screens in the workshop, the difference is obvious. A genuine iPhone OLED display has roughly 7 distinct layers:

1. Cover glass (Ceramic Shield on iPhone 12+)
2. Oleophobic coating
3. Polariser film
4. Touch sensor layer (digitiser)
5. OLED panel
6. Backplane circuitry
7. Flexible substrate

INCELL screens reduce this to approximately 5 layers by combining the touch sensor into the LCD panel and eliminating the need for a flexible substrate (using rigid glass instead).

The Numbers Don't Lie: INCELL vs OLED Specs

When INCELL Makes Sense

• Temporary fix: You're selling or trading in the phone soon
• Budget constraint: You genuinely cannot afford OLED replacement
• Work phone: Display quality isn't a priority
• Older models: iPhone X or XS where you want a functional screen at minimal cost

When INCELL Doesn't Make Sense

• You watch videos: HDR content looks notably worse
• You use Dark Mode: The grey blacks are immediately noticeable
• Outdoor use: Lower brightness struggles in direct sunlight
• Photography: Colour accuracy matters for editing photos
• Long-term ownership: You'll regret the downgrade daily

Pro Tip

Our honest advice: We offer INCELL screens because some customers genuinely need the budget option. But we always explain that it's a downgrade. If you've never used an LCD iPhone before, the difference is immediately noticeable—especially in dark environments or when viewing HDR content.

Hard OLED vs Soft OLED: The Substrate Makes All the Difference

Right, so you've decided OLED is the way to go. But then you see "Hard OLED" and "Soft OLED" with different prices. What's the difference? It comes down to one thing: what the OLED material is deposited onto.

Hard OLED: Glass Substrate (Good Picture, Less Forgiving)

Hard OLED uses a rigid glass substrate—similar to how LCDs are made. The image quality is excellent. Proper OLED contrast, proper blacks, proper colours. But that rigid glass has a significant downside: it doesn't absorb impacts well.

Characteristics:

• Substrate material: Rigid glass (typically 0.5mm thick)
• Flexibility: None—cannot bend without breaking
• Drop resistance: Lower—glass substrate can shatter on impact
• Manufacturing: Simpler process, lower cost
• Image quality: Excellent—comparable to soft OLED

Soft OLED: Flexible Substrate (What Apple Actually Uses)

Soft OLED uses a flexible polyimide plastic substrate—and here's the important bit: this is the same technology Apple uses in genuine iPhone screens. That flexible layer absorbs impact energy and moulds precisely to the iPhone's curved edges. It's why we recommend it.

Characteristics:

• Substrate material: Polyimide film (extremely thin and flexible)
• Flexibility: High—can bend without damage
• Drop resistance: Higher—absorbs impact energy
• Manufacturing: Complex process, higher cost
• Image quality: Excellent—identical technology to genuine screens

Technical Comparison: Hard vs Soft OLED

Did You Know?

What we've actually seen: Over the past three years, our Hard OLED repairs have had roughly 30% more re-cracks within 12 months compared to Soft OLED. Same phones, same customers, same usage patterns—the only variable is the screen type. If you've cracked your screen before, you're statistically likely to drop it again. Soft OLED handles that better.

Genuine Apple Screens: Worth the Premium?

Who Actually Makes "Apple" Screens

Plot twist: Apple doesn't make displays. Never has. They contract with three suppliers:

• Samsung Display (South Korea): Primary supplier, manufactures the majority of iPhone OLED panels. Their Super Retina XDR panels are considered the gold standard.
• LG Display (South Korea): Secondary supplier, primarily for larger iPhone models. Produces high-quality panels though historically with slightly higher defect rates than Samsung.
• BOE Technology (China): Tertiary supplier, approved in 2021. Lower cost, helping Apple diversify supply chain. Quality has improved significantly since initial batches.

So if Samsung makes screens for both Apple and aftermarket suppliers, what makes "genuine" actually genuine? It's not the panel itself—it's the calibration data, firmware, and how iOS recognises the screen.

Genuine Apple Display Specifications

What Makes Genuine Screens "Genuine"

1. Factory calibration data: Each genuine Apple screen is calibrated at the factory with colour profiles specific to that panel. This data is stored on a small chip on the flex cable.
2. True Tone functionality: True Tone uses ambient light sensors to adjust screen warmth. Genuine screens have the calibration data paired to the device—aftermarket screens lose this unless the chip is transferred.
3. Face ID integration: The front sensor array and screen are paired at the factory. While Face ID itself is on the sensor (not the screen), improper installation can affect performance.
4. iOS warnings: Since iOS 15.2, iPhones display a "Non-Genuine Apple Part" warning in Settings for non-Apple screens. This is a software check, not a quality indicator.

Warning

About iOS warnings: The "Unable to verify this iPhone has a genuine Apple display" message appears even for high-quality Soft OLED screens. It's Apple's parts pairing system, not a defect indicator. The screen still functions perfectly—the warning is simply acknowledging it wasn't installed at an Apple facility.

True Tone: Will I Lose It? (And Can It Be Restored?)

This is probably the most-asked question we get. True Tone adjusts your screen's warmth based on ambient lighting—whites look warmer under incandescent lights, cooler under fluorescent. Most people don't notice it working, but they notice when it stops.

How True Tone Works

The True Tone system has three components:

1. Ambient light sensors: Located in the front sensor array (near the front camera)
2. Colour calibration data: Stored on a chip attached to the display flex cable
3. iOS software: Processes sensor data and adjusts screen output

True Tone After Different Screen Types

Restoring True Tone

For aftermarket OLED screens, True Tone can be restored through:

1. Chip transfer: The calibration chip is physically moved from the old screen to the new screen. This requires micro-soldering skills and takes additional time.
2. Programmer tool: Specialised equipment reads calibration data from the old screen and writes it to the new screen. This is our preferred method as it's faster and less risky.

Good News

celltech True Tone restoration: We restore True Tone on all Soft OLED and Hard OLED repairs at no extra charge. It's included in our standard repair process.

Which iPhone Screen Should You Choose? Decision Framework

After fitting thousands of screens—and seeing which customers come back happy versus which ones regret their choice—here's what we tell people:

Choose INCELL (LCD) if:

• Your budget is genuinely limited and you need a working phone
• You're selling or trading the phone within 3 months
• It's a work phone where display quality doesn't matter
• You primarily use the phone for calls and texts (not media)

Choose Hard OLED if:

• You want OLED quality at a lower price
• You use a phone case and rarely drop your phone
• Budget is a consideration but you want better than LCD

Choose Soft OLED if:

• You want the best balance of quality and value
• You've cracked a screen before (better durability)
• You plan to keep the phone for 12+ months
• Display quality matters but you don't need genuine Apple

Choose Genuine Apple if:

• You want factory-original specifications
• The iOS "non-genuine part" warning bothers you
• You're repairing a phone for resale at premium price
• Maximum HDR brightness (2,000 nits) matters to you

Pro Tip

Our recommendation: For most customers, Soft OLED offers the best value. You get OLED quality with excellent durability at 50-70% less than genuine Apple pricing. The visual difference is minimal in everyday use—you'd need to compare screens side-by-side in specific conditions to notice.

iPhone Screen Replacement Prices UK: 2026 Guide

Prices vary wildly depending on where you go and what quality you're getting. Here's what professional UK repair shops (including us) charge with labour included:

Prices as of January 2026. Non-Pro models typically £20-40 less. Prices include labour and VAT.

Frequently Asked Questions

Get Your iPhone Screen Replaced (All Quality Tiers)

Whatever you choose—INCELL for budget, Soft OLED for value, genuine Apple for factory specs—we fit them all with the same care. Same 27-month warranty across the board.

Did You Know?

Quick comparison to Apple Store: Apple charges £369-£579 for out-of-warranty iPhone screen replacement. Our Soft OLED repairs start at £99 with identical technology to what Apple uses—saving you £200-400 depending on model.

Birmingham area? Walk into Byte, Dovehouse Parade, Solihull—most screen replacements done in 30-60 minutes while you wait. No appointment needed.

Rest of the UK? Free tracked shipping both ways. Post Monday, get it back by Thursday. We've sent devices to the Scottish Highlands and the Channel Islands.

Good News

Every repair includes: True Tone restoration on OLED screens, face ID testing, full functional check, proper waterproofing seal, and our 27-month warranty that actually means something. We've been doing this for 27 years— we're not going anywhere.