Rumor: Apple pushing LG to get into smartphone OLED business for 2018 iPhone

"iPhone 8" OLED concept via iMore.

In an apparent bid to diversify its supply chain and reduce reliance on rival Samsung, Apple is said to be pushing LG Display to enter the small- to medium-sized OLED business, potentially in time for a 2018 iPhone update.

Samsung is currently the largest OLED manufacturer in the world, and is expected to supply all OLED panels for this year's anticipated flagship "iPhone 8." But looking toward 2018, Apple is apparently hoping that LG will get into the OLED business, and has attempted to court the company into competing with Samsung, accord to Business Korea.

LG Display officials are said to be mulling the deal, but have some concerns over the fact that they have no experience in mass production of small- and medium-sized OLEDs. Monday's report was first spotted by OLED-info.

LG is expected to decide by the end of June whether or not they want to accept Apple's bid for iPhone OLED panels. The company is already the sole supplier of OLED displays for the wearable Apple Watch, a device that sells in far fewer quantities than the blockbuster iPhone.

With OLED expected to become the de facto technology for smartphone displays in the years to come, LG has been investing in the technology with new factories expected to open later this year.

'iPhone 8' concept rendering by Marek Weidlich.

The first iPhone expected to feature an OLED panel is this year's flagship high-end "iPhone 8," which is rumored to be a premium-priced 10th anniversary model featuring a number of new technologies. But the transition to OLED technology across the iPhone product lineup is expected to take years, with this year's so-called "iPhone 7s" and "iPhone 7s Plus" rumored to stick with the same LCD displays found in previous models.

It's believed that the switch to OLED will allow Apple to embed key components — including the Touch ID fingerprint sensor — beneath the screen, allowing a true edge-to-edge seamless front panel. OLED displays can also offer battery life savings over traditional LCD displays, because they do not require a backlight for illumination.

Follow AppleInsider on Google News

7 Comments

eightzero

said about 7 years ago

Wonder if LG's reps remember how well AAPL treated GT technologies? While I like and follow Apple products, I sure as heck wouldn't ever do business with them.

wood1208

said about 7 years ago

LG makes TV size and watch size OLED displays. LG can't ignore the huge medium size OLED market. Than,importantly not to ignore, letting rival Samsung takes over world supplying future OLED to everyone. If I am LG, I would reduce LCD focus and work with Apple as well anyone else to be their premium OLED supplier.

Notsofast

said about 7 years ago

eightzero said:

Wonder if LG's reps remember how well AAPL treated GT technologies? While I like and follow Apple products, I sure as heck wouldn't ever do business with them.

Read up on GT Tech. Far from being mistreated by Apple, Apple gave them their shot at untold riches, but it turned out that Apple lost a lot of money when GT couldn't produce the quality and quantity that they led Apple to believe. Nothing personal about it, that happens--Apple gambled and lost on what would have been a great differentiator in terms of screens.

As far as your suggestion you wouldn't be a supplier for Apple? LOL. You don't understand how business works. Every company is lined up begging to do business with Apple because that's what companies do, they make money. If you are a supplier and you get a contract from Apple, you just got one of the golden tickets. The people running these companies aren't children; they understand that they are competing in one of the most competitive industries in the world and there is always someone else around the corner trying to build a better or cheaper or both, product and they will lose the next contract if they don't keep up. In the meantime, they along with the thousands of people and companies that have been lucky enough to do business with Apple will enjoy the revenue and profits pipe filling their accounts as well as the prestige with supplying a part of some of the most popular and sought after products in the world.

eightzero

said about 7 years ago

Notsofast said:

eightzero said:

Wonder if LG's reps remember how well AAPL treated GT technologies? While I like and follow Apple products, I sure as heck wouldn't ever do business with them.

Read up on GT Tech. Far from being mistreated by Apple, Apple gave them their shot at untold riches, but it turned out that Apple lost a lot of money when GT couldn't produce the quality and quantity that they led Apple to believe. Nothing personal about it, that happens--Apple gambled and lost on what would have been a great differentiator in terms of screens.

As far as your suggestion you wouldn't be a supplier for Apple? LOL. You don't understand how business works. Every company is lined up begging to do business with Apple because that's what companies do, they make money. If you are a supplier and you get a contract from Apple, you just got one of the golden tickets. The people running these companies aren't children; they understand that they are competing in one of the most competitive industries in the world and there is always someone else around the corner trying to build a better or cheaper or both, product and they will lose the next contract if they don't keep up. In the meantime, they along with the thousands of people and companies that have been lucky enough to do business with Apple will enjoy the revenue and profits pipe filling their accounts as well as the prestige with supplying a part of some of the most popular and sought after products in the world.

You might be right.

foggyhill

said about 7 years ago

wood1208 said:

LG makes TV size and watch size OLED displays. LG can't ignore the huge medium size OLED market. Than,importantly not to ignore, letting rival Samsung takes over world supplying future OLED to everyone. If I am LG, I would reduce LCD focus and work with Apple as well anyone else to be their premium OLED supplier.

LG's has some advantages in OLED tech and the IP related to it that Samsung doesn't have.

The problem is that OLED yields to make big TV's have remained low which has kept price very high and diminished adoption.

This hasn't happened in smaller screens (were the problem is not as acute). They may as well leverage their tech for something useful while
yield issues sort themselves out for bigger TV's.