“Over on Seeking Alpha, contributor Nikhil Gupta offered up some commentary around a recent article in Nikkei, particularly as it relates to Apple’s display sourcing plans,” Ashraf Eassa writes for The Motley Fool.
“In his article, he argues that ‘with the recent fiasco of Samsung’s Galaxy Note 7 catching fire, and with reasons still unknown, Apple would not risk procuring OLED displays from Samsung,'” Eassa writes. “The implication, then, is that if Apple has to wait for Foxconn and Sharp to get their act together in OLEDs, Apple’s plans to release a premium iPhone next year with an OLED display may be in tatters.”
Eassa writes, “That’s not going to happen; here’s why.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Agreed.
SEE ALSO:
What if Apple iPhone adopts AMOLED next year? – October 3, 2016
Apple in talks with Sharp to supply OLED screens for future iPhones – September 30, 2016
Apple supplier Sharp names Foxconn exec as CEO to spearhead revival – May 12, 2016
Apple supplier Sharp preps AMOLED displays after Foxconn acquisition – April 6, 2016
Did Apple help Foxconn buy Sharp? – March 31, 2016
Apple supplier Foxconn agrees to buy Sharp after slashing original offer – March 30, 2016
Sharp Corp. liabilities list covered worst-case scenarios; takeover talks extended – February 29, 2016
Why Foxconn’s multi-billion-dollar deal for Sharp is dead in the water – February 25, 2016
Foxconn’s $5.1 billion bid for Sharp could be good for Apple, too – February 25, 2016
Apple supplier Sharp accepts Hon Hai’s $6.2 billion takeover offer; Hon Hai says deal on hold – February 25, 2016
Foxconn fast-tracks $5.5 billion Sharp takeover bid – February 4, 2016
State-backed Japanese fund in race with Foxconn to save Sharp – January 21, 2016
Hon Hai considering $1.7 billion stake in Sharp LCD business; to ask Apple to invest a ‘few hundred million’ – September 28, 2015
Hon Hai offers to buy Sharp’s LCD business, wants Apple funds – September 21, 2015
Apple suppliers Sharp, Foxconn in talks for LCD joint venture – August 24, 2015
Beleaguered Sharp’s problems present an opportunity for mighty Apple – May 15, 2015
Apple display supplier Sharp warns on ability to stay afloat after $1.9 billion loss – May 14, 2015
Apple iPhone display supplier Sharp boosts operating profit – August 1, 2014
Sharp dedicates entire LCD plant to Apple – June 30, 2014
Hon Hai in no hurry to finalize Sharp deal – June 26, 2013
Sharp to replace chairman, president after losses – May 14, 2013
One of the issues is that current mobile OLED displays, while much improved over a few years ago, still fall short of the color quality of Apple’s LCD displays. DisplayMate Technologies rated it near perfect.
OLEDs have some advantages over the more mature LCDs, and R&D is gradually eroding the remaining disadvantages. But Apple will not take a step backwards in color quality to switch to OLEDs. Perhaps Apple and its other (non-Samsung) display suppliers have developed a next-generation OLED superior to Samsung’s current offerings. Apple likes to test the water with new technologies (e.g., OLED on Apple Watch), so it makes some sense that Apple might use its flagship iPhone 8 to host expand this display technology to larger sizes. The technology would then roll out to other iPhone models and other products (iPads) over the next couple of years.
I read up about a lot of Apple patents and I thought I remembered that Apple had filed a patent for improving colour accuracy of OLEDs. A quick search found that is indeed the case.
http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2013/12/06/apple-just-resolved-tim-cooks-beef-with-oled.aspx
I really do find the contention that exploding Note phones would leave Apple’s plans to procure OLED screens in tatters is beyond fanciful. You do have to laugh whenever something disasterous happens to a competitor certain media mouthpieces just have to find a way of using it to hit out at Apple. It’s getting embarrassing.