“LG Display Co., a supplier of Apple’s iPhone screens, said Wednesday that it will invest 1.99 trillion won ($1.75 billion) to produce flexible displays for smartphones, in a sign that more high-end smartphone makers may adopt flexible screens in the near future,” Youkyung Lee reports for The Associated Press.
“The South Korean company said mass production of flexible displays will start in late 2018, at a scale that will supply enough 5.7-inch sized flexible screens for 3 million handsets per month,” Lee reports. “While Apple still uses LCD screens for its iPhones, a growing number of mobile phone makers have adopted OLED screens for their flagship phones as they have resolved battery-draining and heat problems associated with the technology. Market watchers say even Apple might use the OLED screens for its iPhones as early as next year.”
“The OLED screen is lighter and thinner than other display screens and has more design flexibility. It can be folded and bended,” Lee reports. “LG Display’s biggest client for mobile phones is Apple.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Ooh, we can’t wait for the 2019 iPhone (but, we’ll “settle” for the 2016, 2017, and 2018 iPhones in the meantime)!
SEE ALSO:
LG Display jacks up spending on OLED display production for Apple ‘iPhone 8’ – July 13, 2016
Samsung Display expected to benefit from AMOLED ‘iPhone 8’ shipments in 2017 – June 30, 2016
Samsung to invest $6.8 billion OLED display investment focused on Apple iPhone – June 20, 2016
Applied Materials’ OLED push capable of sourcing 100 million Apple iPhone displays – June 2, 2016
Leaked photos pretty much confirm 2016 MacBook Pro’s OLED touchpad – June 1, 2016
Apple’s rumored iPhone 8 OLED swap could boost Advanced Energy Industries – May 31, 2016
Thinner, lighter 2016 MacBook Pro may feature OLED display touch bar and Touch ID – May 24, 2016
Apple suppliers gear up to deliver OLED to 2017 iPhone – May 23, 2016
Apple’s iPhone 7 Plus to get OLED exclusively, other models to stick with LCD, analyst suggests – May 16, 2016
iPhone 7 leak reveals professional dual-camera system – May 14, 2016
Two technologies that could spur iPhone unit sales growth – May 4, 2016
Apple plans huge 5.8-inch iPhone with AMOLED display , sources say – March 8, 2016
Ming-Chi Kuo: Apple iPhone 7 Plus to offer innovative dual-camera configuration – January 28, 2016
Apple patent application reveals new dual camera zoom lens system – January 7, 2016
Does that mean that my EFC Global with a 10″ diagonal screen is just around the corner? One can only dream!
This has nothing to do with Apple, though, as this plant will be only able to produce about 36 million screens per year.
Besides, it is Apple who buys the equipment that they install in contractor manufacturers in such cases.
Key words…”this plant.”
You may be right. You may be wrong. Given LG is a primary Apple iPhone component supplier and given that Apple will inevitably transition to OLED sooner or later, this is a pretty strong indicator that Apple is going to make a move soon. Even if LG cannot initially make enough displays for all iPhones, it is certainly conceivable that Apple might release OLED displays on one model, perhaps it’s premium model.
You might want to reconsider your absolute certainty that this news has nothing to do with Apple.
Now they just have to invent flexible chips and casings. 😬