On the heels of a rumor that Apple is working with OLED maker LG on a future iPhone that could fold in half, a new patent application from the company describes the very same thing.
Samsung is believed to be the sole supplier of OLED displays for Apple's forthcoming iPhone X, but in an effort to keep future technology breakthroughs secret from its chief rival, Apple is rumored to have partnered with LG to work on a new, foldable iPhone concept.
Apple's moves in the space, plus supply chain reports both suggest that the upcoming micro LED display technology is an obvious choice for a future Apple Watch — with recent production equipment breakthroughs suggesting that Apple's purchase of LuxVue in 2014 will bear fruit sooner rather than later.
If estimates and supplier predictions are correct, Samsung is poised to reap $14.3 billion in parts delivery alone from just the iPhone X through 2019, with the Galaxy S8 gathering only $10.1 billion.
With preorders for the iPhone X not set to start for over a month, Apple is said to be employing a conservative approach with production of its flagship handset, as suppliers are reportedly turning out parts at a pace slower than anticipated.
In an announcement possibly timed to divert attention from Apple's expected announcement of the iPhone X and iPhone 8, Samsung on Tuesday revealed that it's hoping to ship a Galaxy Note with a foldable display in 2018.
The iOS 11 GM leaked firmware provides details into how the screen will accommodate the notch at the "forehead" of the iPhone X screen, including moving wireless signal information to the right side of the status bar.
A new report claims that Apple clung on to hope that it could retain Touch ID in the "iPhone 8," and any delays in shipping the new unit are apparently related to last-minute changes waiting on a breakthrough in the sensor being embedded in the screen.
Citing a late production start, a new report claims that while the "iPhone 8" will be up for pre-order on Sept. 15, it will not start shipping to customers until some point in October.
Following revelations that Samsung could be the sole supplier of OLED displays for a next-generation "iPhone 8" handset, a report late Wednesday reaffirms previous claims that Apple's effort to diversify its supply chain with panels from LG is unlikely to bear fruit before 2019.
The upcoming launch of the "iPhone 8" will reportedly see Apple in a precarious position in terms of parts, as the only company currently capable of producing OLED panels for the new edge-to-edge display is said to be rival Samsung.
Rather than presenting a virtual home button, the so-called "iPhone 8" is expected to instead offer a new software bar that could dramatically change how the iPhone is used, introducing new gesture controls for returning to the home screen and switching between apps.
A new pair of parts reportedly from the "iPhone 8" have surfaced, with one of them a single layer of the device's L-shaped motherboard, and the other what is claimed to be the edge-to-edge OLED screen for the phone.
New pictures on Chinese social media have emerged of what is said to be a 60-inch OLED Apple television set — but there are significant doubts surrounding the identification.
An alleged Apple component supplier from South Korea is claiming that the company is pushing back the launch of the "iPhone 8" to November, but will still launch the "iPhone 7s" family in September.
A social media posting by a known Foxconn executive claims that the supply chain for the "iPhone 8" is having difficulty with producing acceptable quantities of the OLED screen for the device, and is claiming a 40 percent defect rate because of custom cuts in the substrate that Apple is demanding for the device.
Samsung Display will reportedly be operating seven OLED production lines at "full scale" this month in order to churn out panels for Apple's "iPhone 8," the first iPhone to use OLED technology.
Future Apple devices could merge the enhanced power efficiency of quantum dot LED and speed of response of OLED screens in one unit, offering the best of both worlds in terms of battery life and image quality.
With rumors swirling about an Apple investment in LG Displays to crank out OLED screens, an analyst report suggests that the iPhone maker is seeking to make LG a secondary supplier of iPhone screens in 2019 and 2020 to cut back on the need for Samsung screens.
In an effort to expand availability of OLED displays for future iPhones, Apple has reportedly sunk 3 trillion won, or $2.7 billion U.S., into partner LG's manufacturing capabilities.
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Neil Hughes
Mike Wuerthele
Roger Fingas
Victor Marks
Mikey Campbell
