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Apple's OLED Suppliers Won't Be Able to Meet Demand for 2017 iPhone

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Apple's four main OLED suppliers won't be able to meet the production capacity necessary to match demand for the 2017 iPhone, according to a new report from Bloomberg. Supply constraints are expected to last until 2018.

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OLED screens are more difficult to produce in mass quantities than LCD screens, which means Apple is "at the mercy" of suppliers who are willing to produce them in the necessary quantities. Bloomberg notes that the supply constraints may force Apple to either restrict OLED use to one version of the next iPhone or push adoption of the technology back.

While Apple and Samsung have an exclusive OLED deal for 2017, it doesn't guarantee that the company will be able to meet Apple's demand. For example, Samsung's OLED supplies have already been constrained due to its own smartphones, like the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge.

Apple's OLED screen order is for displays larger than 5 inches, according to Bloomberg. The Cupertino company has ordered an initial round of 100 million units over the next year, but Samsung will only be able to provide a portion of that for the Holiday 2017 quarter. Apple may face troubles if Samsung can't meet its demand.
If Samsung sees supply constraints in its ramp up of OLED panels for the fall 2017 iPhone launch, Apple may not have another major provider to fall back on. That's why Apple usually has multiple suppliers for key components. For example, it has sourced LCD panels from all of the major Asia-based display makers. For next year, at least, it appears that OLED supply chain may be a single-company affair.
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On Tuesday, KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said that he believes Apple will launch an all-new OLED iPhone alongside 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch LCD iPhones. While all three iPhones are likely to sport a new design with a glass back, the new OLED iPhone will have a curved edge-to-edge display. Kuo previously said the OLED iPhone would sport a 5.8-inch display with a bezel-free design.

Article Link: Apple's OLED Suppliers Won't Be Able to Meet Demand for 2017 iPhone
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2016/11/16/apple-supplier-wont-meet-demand-iphone-2017/
"While Apple and Samsung have an exclusive OLED deal for 2017, it doesn't guarantee that the company will be able to meet Apple's demand. For example, Samsung's OLED supplies have already been constrained due to its own smartphones, like the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge."

So in other words, Samsung is trying to make up for the setback of its own smartphones by crying "we can't meet Apple wants because we have our own phones to tend to".
 
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BS!

Complete and utter BS!

Apple won't be using OLED displays ever.

Ming Chi Kuo trolled the media saying the next iPhone will have OLED (buzz), and now he's making up excuses (kill).

If Apple were to put an OLED in 2017, they would have decided about it in 2013, and primed the suppliers in 2014, tested in 2015, manufactured in 2016 to release in 2017. What do people think Apple is? A bunch of amateurs that decide their products roadmap 2 weeks before releasing them?

Apple will probably bet on their technology, microLED, that will be superior to OLED (at least because it doesn't burn), so instead of being "late to the party", they'll be "trailblazers".

But I'm waiting for that guy that will say the next iPhone will suck because it doesn't have an headphone jack.
 
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Starfyre said:
"While Apple and Samsung have an exclusive OLED deal for 2017, it doesn't guarantee that the company will be able to meet Apple's demand. For example, Samsung's OLED supplies have already been constrained due to its own smartphones, like the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge."

So in other words, Samsung is trying to make up for the setback of its own smartphones by crying "we can't meet Apple wants because we have our own phones to tend to".
Click to expand...

Where do "setbacks" come in? Not surprising that Samsung would prioritize its own phones.
 
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How shocking, a news story that iPhone supply is constrained ..... Seems like it's part of the marketing build up each year....quick I need to pre-order....even though buying online these days is the worst experience if you want to get a new product asap....
 
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The rumour sounds quite similar to the one about the iPhone pro earlier (which was likely Apple's Plan B if they could not get enough dual camera sensors).

Looks like the scale of the iPhone is as much a disadvantage to Apple as it is a strength. Because any new tech Apple wants to include in the iPhone needs to be available in the tens of millions each quarter, this all but rules out the latest cutting edge tech which might be more expensive to produce initially and in more limited quantities.
 
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Starfyre said:
"While Apple and Samsung have an exclusive OLED deal for 2017, it doesn't guarantee that the company will be able to meet Apple's demand. For example, Samsung's OLED supplies have already been constrained due to its own smartphones, like the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge."

So in other words, Samsung is trying to make up for the setback of its own smartphones by crying "we can't meet Apple wants because we have our own phones to tend to".
Click to expand...

Large tech conglomerates don't operate on spite - they operate on profit. Samsung is a major supplier to Apple.
 
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Starfyre said:
"While Apple and Samsung have an exclusive OLED deal for 2017, it doesn't guarantee that the company will be able to meet Apple's demand. For example, Samsung's OLED supplies have already been constrained due to its own smartphones, like the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge."

So in other words, Samsung is trying to make up for the setback of its own smartphones by crying "we can't meet Apple wants because we have our own phones to tend to".
Click to expand...

Sounds like somebody is crying but it isn't Samsung. Yeah they had a big failure on their Note7 but believe it or not they are probably expecting to get back on the horse again with their next release. If Samsung simply can not produce enough OLED for everybody what do you want them to do? It doesn't sound like there is another company doing them right now. Should they sell them to Apple first instead of concentrating on getting their own phone line up back in order?

Believe me Samsung would love to sell 100 million or more displays to Apple they make money this way. However if they can't do it then it isn't their fault that Apple has planned a product it can not meet demand for.
 
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jerry16 said:
Guys, it's not like one of the largest companies in the world has had all these years to anticipate the transition to OLED from LCD and prepare manufacturing capacities or anything.. oh wait
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Great things coming in the pipeline. :)
 
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Starfyre said:
So in other words, Samsung is trying to make up for the setback of its own smartphones by crying "we can't meet Apple wants because we have our own phones to tend to".
Click to expand...
As others have pointed out, this isn't an Apple vs Samsung issue. They are not an Apple supplier because they are being nice, it's all about the money. If they can't supply enough displays it hurts Samsung as well.

That being said, this one's on Apple. This OLED phone has probably been in development for years, and they're just now discovering they can't source enough displays because they didn't diversify their component sources.

Someone needs to fire the supply chain guru.
 
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How long before Apple itself gets into the screen making business? Pretty much every product they sell now and well into the future not only has a screen but increasingly is defined by its screen, and they can't rely on others to do it.
 
HiRez said:
How long before Apple itself gets into the screen making business? Pretty much every product they sell now and well into the future not only has a screen but increasingly is defined by its screen, and they can't rely on others to do it.
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Funny you should mention that since they just took themselves out of the monitor business.
 
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avanpelt said:
Funny you should mention that since they just took themselves out of the monitor business.
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True, but they didn't make the screens for those either, they just stuck someone else's in their case designs. Apple is going to need reliable partners, or take over themselves if those partners can't reliably meet the massive scale they require.
 
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HiRez said:
How long before Apple itself gets into the screen making business? Pretty much every product they sell now and well into the future not only has a screen but increasingly is defined by its screen, and they can't rely on others to do it.
Click to expand...

Yesterday would have been a good day to start doing this.
 
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we'll be lucky to see OLED in 2017 even in one model. Another year of waiting.
Time for Apple to catch up to Samsung and then innovate
 
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