Apple Expected to Switch to All-OLED iPhone Line-up by 2020

[MacRumors]

Apple could drop LCD displays for its 2020 iPhones in favor of an all-OLED line-up, a new report today claims. From the Wall Street Journal (paywall):

Apple is likely to drop LCD displays altogether in its 2020 iPhone lineup in favor of organic light-emitting diode displays that allow for more flexible handset design, people familiar with the production plans have said.

This isn't the first time we've heard that Apple is considering dropping LCD models from its line-up in order to make a complete shift to OLED displays in 2020.

WSJ suggested the possibility earlier this month, but today's report gives the rumor more clout by claiming that Apple LCD panel supplier Japan Display is seeking investor help that will put it on firmer ground before the switch to OLED-only iPhones takes place.

Japan Display Inc. is in advanced talks with Taiwan's TPK Holdings Co. and Chinese state-owned Silk Road Fund about an investment that would include a stake of about 30% with the possibility of greater control later, people familiar with the matter said.

The bailout is also said to be partly in response to less-than-stellar sales of iPhone XR, which uses the liquid-crystal displays that Japan Display specializes in. More than half of Japan Display's revenue in the year ended March 2018 came from Apple, so the supplier is acutely sensitive to sales that fall short of the tech giant's expectations.

Multiple reports claim Apple has recently asked its partners to cut down on all iPhone production. Apple has also dropped the price of iPhone XR in China to try and spur additional sales.

The price drops and the production cut follow a recent Q1 2019 guidance downgrade, with Apple expecting revenue of $84 billion during the quarter. That's a year-over-year decline and a drop from the $89 to $93 billion revenue guidance Apple provided in November.

A report in May 2018 claimed Apple's transition to a full OLED iPhone line-up would be complete in 2019, but a group of analysts quickly responded to the report and argued that the 2019 timeframe was likely inaccurate.

Apple has been working to bolster its OLED display supply chain for diversification purposes and to cut down its reliance on Samsung, the company that has supplied displays for the iPhone X, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max.

Apple has reportedly pushed LG Display to build out its OLED display production facilities, and has even purchased equipment to build an OLED panel research and development site in Taiwan.

Rumors point to a similar iPhone lineup in 2019 as last year, perhaps with a continuation of both the iPhone XS and XR devices, with rumors suggesting we'll see 5.8 and 6.5-inch OLED iPhones along with a 6.1-inch LCD iPhone.

Article Link: Apple Expected to Switch to All-OLED iPhone Line-up by 2020

 

[johnyslats]

Last sentence should read “billion”, not “million”

 

[Bustycat]

All iPhone users should not use their phone in darkness in the future.

 

[recoil80]

So by 2020 they'll need something else to have an "entry level" phone and the more expensive ones, unless they get rid of that distinction and go back to the old days, before iPhone X, with only two new models and just a price cut for the old ones. If the Xr is going to stay they may just keep a different camera and maybe a lower resolution but use OLED instead of LCD.

 

[Stuey3D]

Looks like quite a few people won’t be upgrading from the XR until Micro LED becomes a thing as the PWM in OLED screens can mess with peoples eyes as evidenced by the 99 page thread on this forum on the subject.

Traded in my X for an XR and my regular evening eyestrain and headaches have now gone thankfully.

OLED is nice but certainly not worth the pain of owning it.

Apple acknowledges that PWM can cause migraines in a certain subset of the population, but are now effectively saying that we aren’t good enough to own iPhones in future.

 

[ThatiPhoneKid]

It makes a lot of sense and the OLED display is gorgeous

 

[rmoliv]

Long overdue........

 

[Wig321]

Please no. Goodbye apple if this happens. Went from iPhone X to 8 plus because OLED is not for me

 

[Woyzeck]

Apple Expected to Switch to All-SSD Mac Line-up by 2030

 

[Radon87000]

Good time to put LCD in the trash where it belongs.

@I7guy seems it’s the end of the road for LCD as I predicted last year

 

[zahuh]

Can’t wait for OLED Macs & iPads!

 

[giffut]

I used the original Moto X for years and now a Google Pixel and I never developed eye strain from their OLED screens.

 

[johnyslats]

Can’t wait for OLED Macs & iPads!

As someone who suffered burn in of static elements on two LG OLED TVs I'm a little apprehensive to say the least!

 

[MrGimper]

As someone who suffered burn in of static elements on two LG OLED TVs I'm a little apprehensive to say the least!

I have an OLED55C7V and had what I thought was a burn-in issue. Turns out it was a manufacturing defect that LG USA acknowledged but LG UK wouldn't. Finally after much bun-fighting, I got my panel replaced FOC.

 

[BriSpe]

What about MicroLED? It's ridiculous that Samsung is showing MicroLED TVs now and Apple can't even put that in a phone considering
that they even bought a MicroLED company.

 

[Delgibbons]

modu

What about MicroLED? It's ridiculous that Samsung is showing MicroLED TVs now and Apple can't even put that in a phone considering
that they even bought a MicroLED company.

Samsung are really onto MicroLED now. Modular MicroLED Samsung TV's look amazing! Choose your own size. Even change it out at will

"Picture quality that rivals or beats OLED without any of the downsides"

https://www.theverge.com/2019/1/6/18168793/samsungs-75-inch-microled-4k-tv-pitcure-quality-ces-2019

 

[Nozuka]

What about MicroLED? It's ridiculous that Samsung is showing MicroLED TVs now and Apple can't even put that in a phone considering
that they even bought a MicroLED company.

You can't buy that TV. And when you can finally buy it, it will be at least $10'000 and remain expensive for at least 4 years.

Unless you want a low volume and even more expensive iPhone, you will have to wait.

 

[44267547]

What about MicroLED? It's ridiculous that Samsung is showing MicroLED TVs now and Apple can't even put that in a phone considering
that they even bought a MicroLED company.

Does Samsung have any micro LED phones mass produced? No, they don’t. They might be demoing micro LED TVs at the consumer electronics show, but it’s not even available yet in major retailers. It’s not like the competition is way ahead of Apple in terms of displays, when none of them are utilizing micro LED yet.

I suspect micro ED is coming from Apple, when the time is right and it’s fully developed, the benefits are substantial with increased resolution, less power draw (Resulting in longer battery life) and significantly brighter.

 

[majkom]

PWM hell everywhere, thanks but no thanks

 

[kiranmk2]

MicroLED is where OLED was in 2006 - lots of nice demonstrators at trades shows and commercialisation "two years away." Issues (as ever) are yield and pixel density. Notice how the Samsung demons are only 4K at 75". If this is really Samsung's next gen technology for the next decade why didn't they show 8K? Because they can't get that high resolution so no change of retina-levels on small screen sizes yet.

 

[john123]

Looks like quite a few people won’t be upgrading from the XR until Micro LED becomes a thing as the PWM in OLED screens can mess with peoples eyes as evidenced by the 99 page thread on this forum on the subject.

Traded in my X for an XR and my regular evening eyestrain and headaches have now gone thankfully.

OLED is nice but certainly not worth the pain of owning it.

Apple acknowledges that PWM can cause migraines in a certain subset of the population, but are now effectively saying that we aren’t good enough to own iPhones in future.

I thought you could make this problem go away with some careful settings tweaks. Did those not work for you?

 

[nfl46]

What about MicroLED? It's ridiculous that Samsung is showing MicroLED TVs now and Apple can't even put that in a phone considering
that they even bought a MicroLED company.

Can’t put that in a phone? If anyone will be putting it in a phone, it would be Samsung with their own devices. Samsung will always be ahead of the curve when it comes to displays in a smartphone.

 

[john123]

Good time to put LCD in the trash where it belongs.

@I7guy seems it’s the end of the road for LCD as I predicted last year

I stood in the store with the XR and XS in hand and was especially impressed with how the LCD has held up. To each their own I suppose!

 

[Kabeyun]

Would really pop on a 4” iPhone mini!

 

[cableguy84]

Happy with my 8 plus LCD for the moment.