Apple and LG Sign Five-Year Deal for Displays

[illegallydead]

Good news I think, lets hope we get to see some new cinema displays soon. My 30 inches is looking so dated and the screen just doesn't look as crisp as my alu imac's screen. The 30 inches looks far less crip and seems grainy (anti-glare coating??)

If you don't like it I will gladly take it off your hands

[EDIT]
never mind, my MB can't drive one of those beasts. Still, if you are looking to get rid of your still functioning stuff, let me know
[/EDIT]

They were buying displays from LG yesterday and they'll be buying more tomorrow. Nothing has really changed.

This has nothing to do with what kind of enclosures they put the panels in or how they price them.

In other words, this is a nice little news tid-bit that means nothing for you or me.

Exactly. This is more of a news story for the investors, letting them know that Apple has spent a chunk of there massive cash reserves and that they are in a new business contract. Like you said, not of much interest for you and I.

 

[aafuss1]

LG Display makes some very good LCD panels-such as the ones used for Cinema Displays, so I'm impressed to see them sign a deal for LCD panels.

 

[GoCubsGo]

Or a little of both. When you have a current deal with a manufacturer, even if you plan on just locking up production, it's a lot easier to get a custom product later on if you need it.


To be fair, the cinema displays were professional products; the MacBook line is not. That's another thing about locking up production—you can demand quality products. LCD displays are all about yield. The bargain basement clients get the displays with a few bad pixels; the top clients get the best ones. Part of why the Cinema Displays cost so much is you're much more likely to get a perfect display. (At least my 30" was perfect and others I know.)

You are abolsutely right about this. But the keyword there is "were". It seems to me nowadays that they're just another part of the product line that people lust after. I bought the ACD for the quality panel. Sure it was nice and pretty, but it is about color accuracy for me. People like me and many others will put money into something like an ACD and then more money into a something that will calibrate the display. I'm not saying that is what divides true professionals, but it is one indication.

If Apple starts to move away from performance and more towards ascetics then we'll have to get our displays and such elsewhere.

 

[limo79]

LG Display makes some very good LCD panels-such as the ones used for Cinema Displays, so I'm impressed to see them sign a deal for LCD panels.

Apple put different LCD panels into their products according (AUO, Samsung, LG) according to what ODMs have actually on stock. It is/was always a big lottery because same Macs offer different screen quality (even if the tech spec are similar on a paper).
You can read about horrible image quality LCD panels from Samsung, LG, AUO etc. (with grainy/yellow/backlit/high pitch sound issue) and sad truth is that the newest technology does not mean always better - most new laptops with N-th generation of LCD TN+Film panel offer much worse quality than in old Toshiba Satellite A75. So where is real improvement ? Definitely on production line (cost savings). I really regret that there is no S-IPS panels in laptops and manufacturers force TN+Film LCD panels - you can spend few thousands dollars and there is still big problem to buy good notebook for photo editing. Thankfully we have LCD panels with LED/RGB LED now - some compromise, but still not good as we expect

Acorrding to Apple and LG Displays agreement we can not predict what will be quality of LG panels compared to competitor products in the future (it could be crap), but overally there is always a chance that Macs will offer very similar screen quality now.

 

[abrooks]

My 30 inches is looking so dated...

That's what she said.

 

[Tallest Skil]

I'm just glad that the best displays will continue to be H-IPS.

 

[SpinThis!]

You are abolsutely right about this. But the keyword there is "were". It seems to me nowadays that they're just another part of the product line that people lust after. I bought the ACD for the quality panel. Sure it was nice and pretty, but it is about color accuracy for me.... If Apple starts to move away from performance and more towards ascetics then we'll have to get our displays and such elsewhere.

I've revised my post. I bought my 30" last year mostly for color accuracy (as well as the size) and will probably pick up another when they drop in price. I've been nothing but pleased with it, despite it being "dated" tech. If you're looking for a decent color accurate display, it's still good. It could probably drop in price a few $$$ but most professionals don't care about that. I've read some pretty crappy things about trying to calibrate, say, a Dell 3008WFP, despite it claiming a higher gamut and newer display. And unless you want to spend $3000 for an Eizo or NEC, it's a good alternative. Last time I checked, the CMYK color space hasn't changed. (Of course it matches the Mac Pro perfectly as well but that's more of a side benefit.)

Apple put different LCD panels into their products according (AUO, Samsung, LG) according to what ODM has on stock. It is/was always a big lottery - same Macs could offer different panels.

Well you can say the same for Dell. To be fair, Apple has never done panel lottery with its ACD line and AFAIK the only product Apple has done that with is the 20" iMac; the 24" iMac has always been an LG H-IPS.

 

[numbersyx]

Not sure why people might think this is a bad thing. LG do make quality panels and the ACD is priced much higher than say, Dell's because it knows that the display has the guarantee of being high end (even though the extra price is not worth it for some). At the very least, it may indicate that the update of the displays is now looming...

 

[IJ Reilly]

Or a little of both. When you have a current deal with a manufacturer, even if you plan on just locking up production, it's a lot easier to get a custom product later on if you need it.

Possibly. But Apple did make a large investment in Samsung about ten years ago, which didn't seem to lead to anything but conventional LCD panels. I'd say that the significance of this in terms of what it means for new products is probably being overrated.

 

[doctoree]

Interesting, now that we no what's actually inside of Apples expensive displays we can just go and buy a much cheaper display directly from LG with the same qulaity than Apple's displays

 

[akm3]

Interesting, now that we no what's actually inside of Apples expensive displays we can just go and buy a much cheaper display directly from LG with the same qulaity than Apple's displays

Just cause it is from the same manufacturer doesn't necessarily mean it is the same quality.

Although, I agree with what you are saying in this case.

 

[Tallest Skil]

Interesting, now that we no what's actually inside of Apples expensive displays we can just go and buy a much cheaper display directly from LG with the same qulaity than Apple's displays

Now that is humor. I cracked up a little at that.

Apple sells design and "the little things". You'd have to find an LG display with speakers, a microphone, a webcam, and an LED backlight to match the next line of Apple displays, and you can bet that there won't be any aluminum LG displays out there...

Third-party is usually the way to go, true, but there will always be those that buy Apple displays... just because.

 

[Analog Kid]

I don't think this is anything more than Apple using it's cash reserves at the nadir of a business trough to secure pricing guarantees into the future. $500m will go a long way towards making LG look better this quarter, and Apple couldn't pick a better time to negotiate pricing deals.

 

[Rocketman]

The flash memory supply agreements were VERY helpful to Apple. While supplies were constrained, Apple was supplied first leaving iPod competitors without sufficient quantities available at all, and that which was available was at the highest marginal prices for "last items".

When supplies were plentiful and prices dropped Apple immediately experienced the downward price changes. In short they took out an options contract with 3 suppliers for flash.

Doing this for displays is critical for Apple as it remains one of the most expensive components of devices and the item currently farthest from critical Apple quality guidelines. By having a close supplier relationship they can have customized solutions, higher quality standards, less criticism about labor and ecology issues, AND, favorable price and availability.

Win-win.

All for "only" $500,000,000.00 up front. What is that, less than a quarter of spending on those units?

Rocketman

 

[Umbongo]

Interesting, now that we no what's actually inside of Apples expensive displays we can just go and buy a much cheaper display directly from LG with the same qulaity than Apple's displays

LG may make the best panels, but they don't make the best displays. Other features added by the manufacturers often make their displays better. For example NEC add an A-TW polarizer to their high end H-IPS displays and Apple have LED backlighting. Customer circutry and other features are also added by some manufacturers. Not to say that an LG display might not be a good choice.

 

[synth3tik]

I am not a fan of LG products in the slightest. Great, so Apple is getting a stellar deal on an inferior product, and we have to live with that for the next 5 years.

 

[Joelg88]

Why LCD

Why is it for LCD. Isn't Apple leaning more towards LED now ?

 

[NT1440]

I am not a fan of LG products in the slightest. Great, so Apple is getting a stellar deal on an inferior product, and we have to live with that for the next 5 years.

Which of their displays do you dislike, or are you just ranting and raving (looks at sig)

 

[synth3tik]

Which of their displays do you dislike, or are you just ranting and raving (looks at sig)

Not displays. LG products in all and the company as a whole. If I would be expected to pay a premium for a product I would not want that product to contain cheap parts. LG does not design and build the latest and greatest. They build cheap consumer parts. The quality is not there with LG products.

 

[dal20402]

I am not a fan of LG products in the slightest. Great, so Apple is getting a stellar deal on an inferior product, and we have to live with that for the next 5 years.

By and large, LG panels have been the best ones used in Apple products in the last few years, although the differences haven't been very substantial.

The 23" and 30" Cinema Displays have been LG-only for a long time. The new LED-backlit 24" also appears to be using an LG panel.

MacBook Pros are subject to a panel lottery where you might get LG, Chi Mei, or Samsung. LGs have usually been the preferred panels.

 

[Darkroom]

LG Display makes some very good LCD panels-such as the ones used for Cinema Displays, so I'm impressed to see them sign a deal for LCD panels.

LG also makes the displays for the 24" iMac and they are TERRIBLE! i literally just had my 24" iMac 8,1 screen replaced and the color inconsistency is the same, the bleed is a little better. i have personally gone thru 3 brand new iMacs (all with LG panels) when they were launched last april and they all had variations of color inconsistencies and bleed out. i actually had to get my 3rd one replaced just now because it started displaying ghosting of old windows...

perhaps the LED screens are better, but i bet you that apple will still piss off the visual arts/design/creative community by releasing glossy screens only, citing that same old junk that the brightness counter acts the glare... yeah, sure apple, you know, if your image is all white... have fun editing any night photography and images with lots of darks on a glossy screen... so stupid...

 

[Umbongo]

Why is it for LCD. Isn't Apple leaning more towards LED now ?

The "LED" displays that are currently available are LCD panels with LED backlighting.

 

[dubhe]

Let's hope this money will be pumped into LG's Research and Development fund and we can see something new and exciting from it

 

[Umbongo]

All for "only" $500,000,000.00 up front. What is that, less than a quarter of spending on those units?

Rocketman

I would think it is a lot lower than a quarter. We're probably talking millions of products a year just for computers with LG parts and this is over 5 years.

 

[MattInOz]

Why is it for LCD. Isn't Apple leaning more towards LED now ?

Who knows what the deal is....
It might be Apple buying up a level of stock so LG then have the confidence in switch a production line to LED, then Apple will drop more cash securing part of that production as well.

It sounds like a big number but it what 3-6months of supply