Beneficiary of New OLED iPhone
According to industry sources o March 20, Apple is planning to release another OLED smartphone within this year and Samsung Display is expected to supply display panels for the new phone.
Samsung Display was expected to supply Apple with approximately 100 million OLED panels last year. However, the actual supply for last year and the first half of this year is estimated at 70 million or so due to the disappointing sales of the iPhone X. Still, Apple placed an order for even more panels for the new phone and this is because Apple is eager to popularize OLED smartphones.
In placing the order, Apple asked Samsung Display to reduce the price of the panels by producing more. The final contract amount is estimated at 120 million units. It is said that Apple may work with LG Display as well as Samsung Display if necessary.
“A shift from LCD to OLED is a fait accompli and it seems that Samsung Display is focusing on next year rather than this year,” said an industry insider, adding, “LG Display, in the meantime, is trying to raise its yield from the current level of around 30% to turn the tables in the second half of this year.”