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LG Display to Supply Apple With 2-4 Million OLED Panels for This Year's 'iPhone X Plus'

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Apple's multi-billion dollar investment in LG Display to start supplying OLED technology is close to bearing fruit, reports Bloomberg. According to the report's sources, the Korean firm is almost ready to become Apple's second supplier for OLED screens, allowing Apple to reduce its reliance on Samsung, currently the sole manufacturer of the panels in iPhone X models.

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The first OLED screens from LG Display will be used in one model of the new iPhones slated for release this year, the people said. LG Display wants to supply all the screens for that Apple model, though it is not clear it can yet achieve that, one of the people said. The shipment is subject to two layers of approval, the first of which is expected around July, the people said.
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Previous rumors have suggested LG will be the supplier for this year's 6.5-inch "iPhone X Plus". The sources in today's report claim LG Display will initially supply between 2 million and 4 million units, as it continues to work on ramping up capacity. While those figures are small relative to Apple's sales, the sources note that they would help Apple gain leverage in price negotiations with Samsung as it looks to eventually switch to OLED-only production for iPhone.

In April, The Wall Street Journal claimed that mass production challenges had caused LG to fall behind the schedule it had agreed with Apple. As a result, opinions within Apple were said to be divided on whether LG Display would be in a position to complement Samsung as a second source of OLED displays for the upcoming iPhones. However, analysts at investment firm Susquehanna estimated that LG will supply as much as 20 percent of OLED displays for the 2018 lineup.

Apart from the "iPhone X Plus", Apple is expected to release two other iPhone models in 2018: a second generation iPhone X and a low-cost, 6.1-inch option with a similar full-face display as seen on the iPhone X, but with LCD rather than an OLED display.

Last month, South Korea's ET News reported that Apple's transition to a full OLED iPhone lineup will be complete in 2019. However, analysts immediately cast doubt on that claim, arguing that the switch would be too early and effectively remove the chance for a "low-cost" iPhone model like the LCD version believed to be coming this year. The same view is also supported by today's report:
The latest move does not indicate Apple is aiming for adoption of OLED screens for all of its iPhones next year and it is more about diversifying its suppliers, one of the people said.
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According to The Investor, Apple is investing 3 trillion won ($2.67 billion) in LG's OLED production for smartphones. LG is said to be building a production line dedicated to iPhone orders only, as part of its agreement with Apple.

Article Link: LG Display to Supply Apple With 2-4 Million OLED Panels for This Year's 'iPhone X Plus'
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2018/06/28/lg-supply-2-4-million-oled-panels-iphone-x-plus/
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Only Iphone I´d possibly consider would be a SE2. Maybe next year I guess, seems unlikely with all the rumours and or facts of already known info/phones coming to have another (""budget"") phone in there.

Ah well I'm good with my Windows Phone though. Still the best OS! <3
Maybe a new iPad though... we'll see.
 
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If I'm not mistaken, wasn't/isn't there issue with screen burn in on the Google Pixel 2 XL? I'm hoping these issues are resolved. Perhaps the screens won't be exactly like the 2XL and Apple will have helped LG warm up the color temperatures on the display.

In all honesty, I don't really care who makes the screens as long as they look beautiful!
 
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If the LG display is better than the Samsung OLED display in my iPhone X, I'd be happy to purchase the next iPhone.

The current Samsung display is my only iPhone X gripe in an otherwise outstanding phone.
 
MrGimper said:
Well if LG do indeed make all the screens for a specific model, and that's the model you want, then it doesn't seem it's much down to luck. More like certainty.
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If this rumor is true, it's almost a certainty that most would get a Sammy screen. This run is supposed to be 2-4 million panels. That's basically a test run. A small sample. Just a li'l bit. Apple ain't risking an entire sku on LG's suspect small OLED panels.
 
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I actually don’t have that much of a problem with current LED offerings. I know the spec differences but my 8’s LED screen is lovely. Are people really interested in off-axis viewing in an iPhone? (Cue the flames.) What really has me interested is microLED. Hopefully that will be coming, and Apple is stopgapping with OLED until microLED is ready for prime time.
 
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Relentless Power said:
Let’s hope LG’s OLED panels don’t have the consistency issues that the Pixel 2 experienced. Otherwise, I look forward to the side-by-side comparisons with the Samsung OLED panel from The 5.8 iPhone X to the 6.5 X Plus LG panel if true.
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I'm fairly sure Apple's specifications for the screens will be REALLY tight as to ensure consistency. If LG can't meet them, there will be A LOT of money at stake.
 
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Kabeyun said:
I don’t have that much of a problem with current LED offerings. I know the spec differences but my 8’s LED screen is lovely. Are people really interested in off-axis viewing in an iPhone? (Cue the flames.) What really has me interested is microLED. Hopefully that will be coming, and Apple is stopgapping with OLED until microLED is ready for prime time.
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People who are fussy about color (such as photographers), are. I'd much rather have the LCD screen in my 6+ over the display in my X.

That said, I'm also really looking forward to seeing how MicroLED displays play out in the future.
 
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Ugh as in really ugh. The Pixel 2 XL has an LG panel, the Pixel 2 has a Samsung panel. The reviews of the LG panel were horrendous (both for viewing quality itself, but also for almost immediate burn in on the LG panel). The Verge's review numbers for the 2 XL are significantly lower than the 2, because of that LG panel. LG is good for TV's, but they seem to be years behind in OLED smartphone screen tech.

Just to bring some memories back (basically immediate burn in with the LG panels on XL 2's): https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/201...gating-reports-of-pixel-2-xl-display-burn-in/

https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2017/10/18/16489756/google-pixel-2xl-awful-lg-oled-screen

Here's Ars's review of the 2 Pixels, about 1/3rd of the way it compares the 2 panels: https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/201...view-the-best-android-phone-you-can-buy/2/#h1

Please keep the mid size phone with an LCD Apple, give us an out from LG...
 
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