Three Ways or Two?
With the possibility that BOE, a Chinese display company, may not supply panels for Apple’s forthcoming iPhone 15 series slated for release in the third quarter, there is growing optimism that Samsung Display and LG Display could reap significant benefits in the second half of the year.
According to industry insiders on July 2, both Samsung Display and LG Display are reportedly delivering OLED panels for the iPhone 15 series, which will be unveiled next month.
Foreign media reports suggest that this year’s iPhone series will feature significant display improvements, such as significantly thinner bezels compared to the predecessors and a screen without a notch at the top. Apple is expected to implement Low Injection Pressure Overmolding (LIPO) technology, which was introduced in Apple Watch 7, to the displays of the new iPhone series as well.
Four versions of the iPhone 15 are expected. Samsung Display will supply OLED panels for all four new iPhone models, and LG Display will supply them for the two Pro versions.
However, there is a possibility that Chinese display company BOE might not receive Apple’s approval for technical reasons, potentially leading to an increase in Samsung and LG’s shipments.
Kim Dong-won, a research analyst at KB Securities, said, “There is a high likelihood that LG Display and Samsung Display will supply 100% of the iPhone 15 OLED panels.” He further stated that “With issues such as technical problems with Dynamic Island Hole Display processing and lawsuits over OLED technology patents against Samsung, the possibility of BOE supplying iPhone 15 OLED by the end of this year looks even bleaker.”