LG Display Signs Deal With Apple to Supply OLED and LCD Panels for 2018 iPhones

[MacRumors]

LG Display has signed a deal with Apple to supply both LCD and OLED panels for the company's 2018 range of iPhones, according to a new report by Korea-based Newspin (via DigiTimes).

The contract will see LG Display ship around 20 million LCD smartphone panels to Apple in 2018, according to the report, which also puts the number of OLED panels to be supplied by LG in the 3 to 4 million ballpark range, as per previous rumors.

In addition, the report claims LG is "likely" to secure the majority of 6.5-inch panel orders from Apple in 2019, which will see the firm ramp up its OLED shipments to 10 million units in the year. LG will reportedly produce the OLED panels for iPhone at its E6 6G plant in Paju, Korea.

Apple is expected to launch two OLED iPhones (5.8 and 6.5 inches) and one 6.1-inch LCD iPhone later this year, with the LCD device to be positioned as a low-cost option alongside the two more expensive OLED devices.

It's unclear at present what the reported LG-Apple deal means for LCD suppliers Sharp and Japan Display, the latter of which is trying to raise millions through third-party share allocations and asset sales in order to have the necessary funds to supply LCD screens for Apple's new iPhones.

Last year, Japan Display lost business because of Apple's shift to OLED, and with the firm again planning to invest in LCDs, it could be in trouble in the future, should Apple increasingly turn to Samsung and LG for both panel types.

DigiTimes has previously claimed Apple will seek 60 to 70 million LCD panels for its iPhones this year, but whether that number is destined solely for the new 6.1-inch model is unknown. Apple has already earmarked $2.67 billion to invest in LG's OLED panel production, with the Korean firm said to be building a production line dedicated to iPhone orders only, as part of its agreement with Apple.

Apple's desire for both LCD and OLED supplies also comes at a crucial time for LG. The company posted a net loss of 98.3 billion Korean won ($87 million) in the first quarter of 2018, with the prospect of almost doubling that figure in losses for the second quarter.

LG's financial constraints also underline the importance of avoiding a repeat of the firm's past OLED mistakes, such as befell its Flex and G Flex 2 phones, released in 2013 and 2015, respectively. Both smartphone displays were widely criticized at the time for exhibiting graininess and variations in brightness, issues which returned in LG's own V30 and the Google Pixel 2 XL in models launched last year.

Article Link: LG Display Signs Deal With Apple to Supply OLED and LCD Panels for 2018 iPhones

 

[Piggie]

What could possibly go wrong?

 

[johnyslats]

Unless I’m missing something 10m units doesn’t seem to be nearly enough to form ‘the majority’ of 6.5 inch panel orders in 2019

 

[syklee26]

LG always made better display than Sammy so this should be a good news for both LG and Apple.

 

[sammich]

Apple's desire for both LCD and OLED supplies also comes at a crucial time for LG. The company posted a net loss of 98.3 billion Korean won ($87 billion) in the first quarter of 2018

Damn. That’s a big loss...

 

[johnyslats]

Damn. That’s a big loss...

Haha. Pretty sure it should be million

 

[Bswails]

LG always made better display than Sammy so this should be a good news for both LG and Apple.

....not sure if your joking but I don’t think your statement is entirely true when it comes to mobile

 

[DJTaurus]

Will Samsung continue supplying oled panels ?

 

[44267547]

LG always made better display than Sammy so this shopuld be a good news for both LG and Apple.

Compared to what? Samsungs OLED panels are some of the best in the smart phone industry, and have been for years before OLED was even consideration for the iPhone X.

 

[waquzy]

Compared to what? Samsungs OLED panels are some of the best in the smart phone industry, and have been for years before OLED was even consideration for the iPhone X.

Not some of the best, they are the best in the mobile industry.

 

[nfl46]

LG always made better display than Sammy so this should be a good news for both LG and Apple.

We know...you’re referring to TVs and not smartphone displays. Good one, though.

 

[archvile]

LG always made better display than Sammy so this should be a good news for both LG and Apple.

Someone hasn’t heard of the Pixel XL 2.

 

[The-Rift]

I’m all for LG display.

 

[davidb8]

My 2012 mbp had an LG Display. I Swear it Still has screen burn from osx 10

 

[kerplunknet]

‎

 

[WWPD]

I wouldn't worry about the quality, you can guarantee that Apple will make sure the displays are up to it's standards. LG sees more profits in the future if they keep this deal, they will unlikely screw it up.

 

[now i see it]

So here we are mid July, about 2 months out from Apple presenting the 2018 phones... and Apple is just now inking deals with LG to manufacture their displays? The timing of this "rumor" seems way off.

 

[Jinghuiwee123]

Samsung has almost 10 years of mobile OLED experience compare to LG 1 year of experience. Don't count LG TV OLED, same OLED but different material. LG has 1 year of OLED track record compare to Samsung 10 year, its like a junior Runner versus Usain Bolt. Give LG about a year or 2 and LG will catch Up to Sammy or even surpassing it. Look at LG LCD IPS, it's one of the best in the world. Since iPhone 4, Apple has been using big quantity of LG LCD Display for almost all their devices from iPhone to iMac .This shows how Apple trust LG for all this year and willing to give LG couple of Years to catch up to Samsung.

 

[ksec]

LG makes better OLED/LCD TV/computer monitor displays than Samsung, hands down. Hopefully, they have figured out the smaller-sized panels by now as well. Just really hope they aren’t using PWM (flickering).

Those are WOLED, which is very much different to the mobile display used by Sammy. I think they previously had plans to move WOLED into mobile but it didn't work out. Not to mention WOLED and AMOLED ( OK, I know technically LG's WOLED is also AMOLED, but let leave the naming for a sec ) are of completely different quality.

Unless I’m missing something 10m units doesn’t seem to be nearly enough to form ‘the majority’ of 6.5 inch panel orders in 2019

Yea something is not right. No way a 6.5" iPhone X Plus will only sell 10M unit in a year, Touch Bar MacBook or Apple Watch sells more unit too, so I have no idea what the 10M number is referring to.

The LCD number is also strange because I am no aware of LG having A LCD tech that could be a made with Notch. While JDI and Sharp both do.

Samsung has almost 10 years of mobile OLED experience compare to LG 1 year of experience.

Nah, LG has had many more years than that. What give Samsung the advantage is that they had the volume of Smartphone using whatever Samsung OLED produce. And therefore they were able to constantly innovate, iterate, and improve yield all at the same time. While LG never really had a smartphone business that compares to Sammy's volume. So they decided to concentrate on larger panel production.

 

[Jinghuiwee123]

Those are WOLED, which is very much different to the mobile display used by Sammy. I think they previously had plans to move WOLED into mobile but it didn't work out. Not to mention WOLED and AMOLED ( OK, I know technically LG's WOLED is also AMOLED, but let leave the naming for a sec ) are of completely different quality.



Yea something is not right. No way a 6.5" iPhone X Plus will only sell 10M unit in a year, Touch Bar MacBook or Apple Watch sells more unit too, so I have no idea what the 10M number is referring to.

The LCD number is also strange because I am no aware of LG having A LCD tech that could be a made with Notch. While JDI and Sharp both do.



Nah, LG has had many more years than that. What give Samsung the advantage is that they had the volume of Smartphone using whatever Samsung OLED produce. And therefore they were able to constantly innovate, iterate, and improve yield all at the same time. While LG never really had a smartphone business that compares to Sammy's volume. So they decided to concentrate on larger panel production.

LG poled is NOT based on WOLED on their TV line. However u can't count LG G flex 2 plastic OLED. After The g flex 2 failure,LG stopped all P-OLED research & productions. With the P-OLED research stopped for almost 4 years and then suddenly reviving it for the V30 & Pixel 2xl LG was bound to fail because they never improve or even upgrade their panels in the 1st place. NO their TV line doesn't have anything to do with P-Oled. TV line uses WRGB OLED while P-Oled uses normal RGB with Plastic Substrate. LG thought that IPS LCD got a long way to go before OLED took over and its still true. Look at Apple, apple was reluctant to changing IPS Panel to OLED one but since the world want inky blacks & off colour calibration panels they just go with it.

 

[CWallace]

Let us not forget that LG supplies all the OLED displays for the Apple Watch and those have been well-received.

Apple has high standards when it comes to "flagship" products. The OLED displays Samsung makes for Apple are better than the ones they make for themselves both due to Apple's standards and proprietary tech Apple has licensed for Samsung to use only in the displays they make the iPhone X.

You can be sure that Apple will hold LG to the same standards, especially for a product as critical to them as the "iPhone X2" and "iPhone XL" (or whatever they end up being called on release).

Reports say that Apple has invested close to $3 billion into LG to improve the quality of their displays and you can be sure a significant part of that went into improving mobile OLED displays. Apple knows full well the issues LG has had in that area and it's surely a reason they went with Samsung for the iPhone X. If LG was not showing excellent results with their test OLED panels they are making for these new iPhones, Apple would not be using them as a supplier.

 

[Icaras]

I LOVE LG displays. All our TVs in the house are LG and all are of excellent quality. So happy Apple picked them over Samsung.

 

[H.E. Pennypacker]

Looking forward to it. Might be a nice surprise. Can’t compare google pixels to apples QC department. I think things will turn out to be just fine.

 

[ColdShadow]

LG always made better display than Sammy so this should be a good news for both LG and Apple.

Who told you LG makes better display than Samsung??
that’s very incorrect and infact the exact opposite.
do you have a valid article link or proof or are you just spreading lies?

 

[ksec]

LG poled is NOT based on WOLED on their TV line

Yes, but those GOOD OLED LG had, as refer to earlier post where someone said LG had the best OLED tech. P-OLED is also AMOLED, whatever that naming LG or Sammy decide to use. LG tried to move WOLED into Mobile devices, don't think that will ever work.

LG was not showing excellent results with their test OLED panels they are making for these new iPhones

LG's problem isn't quality per se. It is how many good quality OLED screen they can produce. i.e Yield. BOE can also produce Apple grade OLED, but not in any volume that Apple needs.

I am hoping JDI or Sharp could finally make their breakthrough in high quality print based OLED. Which should be substantially cheaper than whatever we have today.