It has been decided that Samsung Display and LG Display will supply flexible OLED panels that will go into Apple’s next iPhone. It is understood that they have started making preparations for production as orders from Apple were recently sent out. All models of Apple’s next iPhone that will be launched this fall will be mounted with OLED panels. It will be interesting to see whether the supply of OLED panels by Samsung Display and LG Display will create opportunities for South Korea’s display industry to expand its businesses.
According to relevant industries, Apple is planning to mount 5.4-inch, 6.1-inch, and 6.7-inch OLED panels on its next iPhone and it recently sent out orders for its 6.1-inch model. As a result, relevant companies that manufacture components that go into 6.1-inch OLED panel have started making necessary preparations.
A representative for the industry reported that Apple will first focus on 6.1-inch panel and then 5.4-inch and 6.7-inch panels afterwards.
Samsung Display and LG Display will supply 6.1-inch OLED panels while Samsung Display is the sole supplier of 5.4-inch and 6.7-inch OLED panels.
6.1-inch panel will be manufactured as an “add-on” type that attaches a touch sensor onto an OLED while 5.4-inch and 6.7-inch panels will have touch sensors integrated into them.
This will be the first time Apple is using a display with a touch sensor integrated into it. Apple had stuck to the add-on type as it regards touch function as very important.
However, Samsung Display developed “Y-OCTA” technology that integrates a touch sensor into an OLED display and succeeded in supplying its OLED display panels with touch sensors integrated into them to Samsung Electronics and Apple. Because the technology does not have to use a separate film, it can make displays thinner and improve one’s production cost.

<▪Suppliers of OLED panels for the iPhone 12 ▲5.4-inch ∆Characteristic: touch sensor integrated into the display ∆Manufacturer: Samsung Display ▲6.1-inch ∆Characteristic: touch sensor attached separately onto the display ∆Manufacturer: Samsung Display and LG Display ▲6.7-inch ∆Characteristic: touch sensor integrated into the display ∆Manufacturer: Samsung Display >

It is heard that Samsung Display appealed to Apple about these advantages and earned orders for 5.4-inch and 6.7-inch OLED panels.
Although LG Display also possesses the technology, Samsung Display is ahead of LG Display in production capability and experience.
6.1-inch OLED panels will be supplied by both LG Display and Samsung Display. It seems that Apple decided to use add-on type for the 6.1-inch model in order to diversify models in price and performance and stabilize supply and demand at the same time and chose LG Display that can manufacture such panel as a supplier in addition to Samsung Display.
This is the first time when all models of Apple’s iPhone will be mounted with OED panels. After using OLED for the first time in 2017 for one of iPhone X’s models, it once again used OLED for two models of iPhone 11 Pro last year.
It is expected that Samsung Display and LG Display will supply more products in the future as Apple decided to use OLED for all models of the next iPhone that will be launched this fall. Samsung Display is already prepared to continue its “solo act” next year while LG Display is looking to put up a fight against Samsung Display.
LG Display’s next moves especially are going to be noteworthy. After going through many trials, it was able to supply OLED panels to Apple last year. Although it entered the market later than its initial expectation, it is meaningful from a standpoint that it has secured Apple as its customer for its small and medium-sized OLED business in which LG Display is particular weak in.
It is heard that LG Display supplied 4 million to 5 million OLED panels to Apple last year. Its goal for this year is to supply 20 million panels. Its performance for this year will be interesting to watch as its transaction with Apple can be a steppingstone for it to expand its small and medium-sized OLED business.
Meanwhile, it is heard that this year’s iPhone will be launched as four different models as Apple is planning to apply 6.1-inch OLED panel to two models. A 5G model is also expected to be launched this fall.
Staff Reporter Yun, Geonil | benyun@etnews.com

<Source: Etnews>