Apple betting big on the glass iPhone 8? Samsung said to ship 40 million AMOLED panels for it

posted by Daniel P. / Jul 01, 2016, 9:14 AM

Apple betting big on the glass iPhone 8? Samsung said to ship 40 million AMOLED panels for it

Apple may be planning a grand return to the phone industry disruption game next year, if various analysts and assorted rumormongers are any indication, with an all-glass iPhone that could have a curved display aspect for reasons known only to Apple for now. Well, curved screen would mean only one thing - Apple will be using flexible AMOLED screens for that model - and the speculation is rife that Samsung is poised to supply it with up to 100 million 5.5" sheets for the task at hand.

Of course, not everything will be delivered at once, as it is allegedly a three year contract running until 2019. Today's water in the Apple-AMOLED rumor mill is added by a research piece that claims Samsung will initially ship 40 million units for the 2017 iPhone 8 Plus model, or whatever it is named. In 2018, the batch will eventually grow to 80 million, and 120 million the year after.

Needless to say, by now there is barely a large mobile OLED display maker that hasn't been rumored to be in talks with Apple on such panels - Samsung, Sharp, JDI, AUO and LG have all been speculated already - so we can safely assume that Samsung won't be an exclusive supplier for long, if at all, yet the sheer thought for an iPhone with AMOLED screen has us salivating for more details.

source: Digitimes

FEATURED VIDEO

Options

62 Comments

1. Ruturaj

Posts: 1484; Member since: Oct 16, 2014

The hype that is building for iphone 8 is only going to hurt 7 sales.

posted on Jul 01, 2016, 9:20 AM 8

4. hiseshu

Posts: 38; Member since: May 09, 2016

True.

posted on Jul 01, 2016, 9:27 AM 2

36. j2001m

Posts: 3061; Member since: Apr 28, 2014

All I am going to say if Apple uses any other company for the oleds they be crap next to samsungs at the small screen size

posted on Jul 01, 2016, 11:12 AM 3

54. Furbal unregistered

I agree. Lg panels have so many qc issues it is not funny.

posted on Jul 01, 2016, 10:59 PM 1

44. Arch_Fiend

Posts: 3951; Member since: Oct 03, 2015

I'd say that is a good thing, people are much better off waiting for the 8 than buying a 7 especially if they have the 6/6s.

posted on Jul 01, 2016, 2:40 PM 0

61. Amir1 unregistered

But then you will have to wait for 8s plus because we all know that the none s version is a testing prototype by apple that actually charge money for it even if its not the final (corrected) product. If you buy iphone ALWAYS wait for the S/S PLUS version. No brainer.

posted on Jul 03, 2016, 5:00 AM 0

62. trojan_horse

Posts: 5868; Member since: May 06, 2016

not necessarily. it won't affect the iPhone 7's sales, thanks to Apple's very loyal fanbase.

posted on Jul 03, 2016, 4:29 PM 0

2. TechieXP1969

Posts: 14967; Member since: Sep 25, 2013

Can't wait to see everyone go 360 on how glass and metal is such a great design. It feels nice, it looks nice, but it is a terrible design choice by both Apple with the iPhone 4/4S and Samsung with the S6/S7/Note5/Note7. Cheap materials break too easy no matter how good they look. I would be nice if they use stronger more resilient alternatives. Magnesium, stainless steel, strong glass substrate, like the glass use to bullet-proof windows woudl be a start, stronger composites like Carbon Fiber or Kevlar.

posted on Jul 01, 2016, 9:21 AM 3

5. kiko007

Posts: 7493; Member since: Feb 17, 2016

All that crap costs money, lot's of it at that. The cost of production would skyrocket, meaning the price you pay would as well. Just put a case on it and be merry.

posted on Jul 01, 2016, 9:28 AM 0

8. submar

Posts: 713; Member since: Sep 19, 2014

The cost to make will rise from 236 to 436...maybe?? And Apple can still have a lot profit...

posted on Jul 01, 2016, 9:32 AM 1

28. sgodsell

Posts: 7215; Member since: Mar 16, 2013

There is a big difference between Apples version back in iPhone 4/4s to Samsung's glass of today. The iPhone used Gorilla glass 1. Now they are up to Gorilla Glass 4. Which is much stronger and more durable. Plus Samsung uses glass for a major reason not found on any iPhones, and that is wireless charging. That is a big benefit to many who actually use wireless charging. Whereas an all metal phone cannot support wireless charging. So you can keep the all metal phones. I would take something that benefits me over all metal. Besides most people cover up their phones with a case. So what good is an all metal phone.

posted on Jul 01, 2016, 10:38 AM 5

63. trojan_horse

Posts: 5868; Member since: May 06, 2016

Agreed, it will raise up the price. A case can easily accomplish that.

posted on Jul 03, 2016, 4:45 PM 0

9. Unordinary unregistered

Blablabla stfu The iPhone 4 series and Samsung devices with glass were/are gorgeous and premium. Gtfo of here with your bickering butterfingers.

posted on Jul 01, 2016, 9:32 AM 5

21. TechieXP1969

Posts: 14967; Member since: Sep 25, 2013

It funny, I did say they look and feel nice. Doesn't mean the materials are any less brittle. You are a blind stupid hateful creton. You can change a fact. "It feels nice, it looks nice, but it is a terrible design choice by both Apple with the iPhone 4/4S and Samsung with the S6/S7/Note5/Note7. Cheap materials break too easy no matter how good they look."

posted on Jul 01, 2016, 10:14 AM 8

18. TechieXP1969

Posts: 14967; Member since: Sep 25, 2013

That is not entirely true. Magnesium is not a costly material. It is the material used for the Surface. Its very strong and durable vs aluminum. When it is finished, it has a matte look vs a shiny surface. This makes it less slippery, which means you are less likely to drop it. Stainless steel as a raw material is roughly double the cost of aluminum, but ti does not cost any extra to machine, because it is cut with the same tooling machines. Since Apple uses a unibody design where the case for the product is cut from a single block, it would not increase cost. They dont have to buy a new set of tools. Composites like carbon fiber yes are more expensive, only because it can't be done totally with machine. The turn around time is not as fast for something that needs to be produced by the millions. But other OEM's have use Kevlar on certain phones, and those phones didnt cost more than the iPhone. Like the Moto Droid Razr had a Kevlar back cover. It is a small amount of material. Its cheap because the base for the case is nothing but plastic. It is then wrapped in Kevlar or Carbon Fiber strands. You can buy yards of the material for very cheap. Today's manufacturing has made it easy and cheap to use composites. Companies that make bikes are now making most road bikes from composites because they are strong. A carbon Fiber bike in the past would exceed $4000. Now you can get one for as cheap as an aluminum framed bike. So your claim is bogus. The downside to making a phone is resilient materials is that Apple wont make any money getting millions of people top speed $100+ for AppleCare. if Apple used a stronger glass and a resilient case, the phone would never break and you wouldn't need AppleCare and it takes away millions of dollars for a useless coverage you wouldn't need. Liek most fans, you have no idea what it cost to manufacture raw materials. Today's manufacturing has made using what was once an expensive process, cheaper. For something as small as a phone case, the cost of manufacturing simply woudl not increase. In fact it would go down.

posted on Jul 01, 2016, 10:10 AM 5

35. RebelwithoutaClue unregistered

The 'glass' used in bulletproof glass is hardly usable for smartphones. It's bulletproof because of the different layers used. And it wouldn't stop the top layer from being cracked or broken. Besides that, for it to be any effective it should be at least 7 mm thick, which would end up in a very thick smartphone.

posted on Jul 01, 2016, 10:55 AM 3

48. TechieXP1969

Posts: 14967; Member since: Sep 25, 2013

I know bullet-proof glass is too thick. But there are options from stronger glass. Look at what Motorola I think it was that has the new shock-proof glass. The point I was making is simple. There are ways to make a premium looking and feeling phone without using cheap brittle materials. LG has made very nice feeling and looking devices using plastic. You dont have to use metal.

posted on Jul 01, 2016, 7:03 PM 0

40. Subie

Posts: 2355; Member since: Aug 01, 2015

The process for making bullet proof glass would make it far thicker then any oem would ever consider using for a phone. Bullet proof glass is meant to stop a bullet from passing through but that doesn't mean in won't crack in the process. They'd be better off looking a what Motorola does for their "unbreakable" screens. But now we're talking plastic layers - not glass.

posted on Jul 01, 2016, 11:53 AM 1

49. TechieXP1969

Posts: 14967; Member since: Sep 25, 2013

See #48

posted on Jul 01, 2016, 7:03 PM 0

53. Subie

Posts: 2355; Member since: Aug 01, 2015

Your the one who said and I quote: "like the glass use to bullet-proof windows woudl be a start" - grammar and spelling mistakes included. If you new it was to thick then you didn't think before typing your suggestion. And since my post mentions Motorola's efforts it made post 48 pointless for me to read - unfortunately. Techie if I'm wrong about something technical I don't mind being corrected. You got schooled by Rebel and myself on your mistake whether you like it or not!

posted on Jul 01, 2016, 9:36 PM 0

45. Arch_Fiend

Posts: 3951; Member since: Oct 03, 2015

I'm not going to go 360, glass is horrible but it does look good. that has always been my stance and I think we all know how import looks are to the vast majority of people so a better looking phone will sell more no matter what it's made of.

posted on Jul 01, 2016, 2:42 PM 0

50. TechieXP1969

Posts: 14967; Member since: Sep 25, 2013

Yep and I understand that 100% and I said what you said. It looks and feels awesome. I like it too. But it doesn't change the fact its more of an issue to phones. I miss poly-carbonate phone cases. That means I didnt have to spend more money for a case. I simply only needed a screen protector which is cheap. Now i have to opt for a 9H glass screen cover and a fancier costly case to insure my $800 phone doesn't break when I drop it by mistake. And since OEM insurance have increased the deductible cost on these new phones because of their higher price, I dont want to have to pay for a replacement. Glass and metal is more slippery, means more likely to drop, or get simple damage from pockets, purses and more. OEM's who cover their own phones with coverage simply see a win-fall of cash. SquareTrade has already stated that replacement was a $5Billion dollar business and its climbing because all OEM are going glass/metal. Its a bad choice to me and I stand by that no matter how nice it looks and feels. Cars are expensive too. But I dont have to go out and buy some expensive cover to protect it from accidents. I shouldn't have to with a phone either. And cars are a much larger investment vs a phone.

posted on Jul 01, 2016, 7:09 PM 0

57. Bozzor

Posts: 248; Member since: May 02, 2012

carbon fibre is tricky as it interferes with RF signals...

posted on Jul 02, 2016, 6:10 AM 0

3. Barney_stinson

Posts: 672; Member since: May 30, 2016

Use ceramic please!!! If glass i am gonna skip just like i did to s7 lineup!!! Btw MSFT is also betting on SURFACE PHONE!! Huh time will tell!!

posted on Jul 01, 2016, 9:26 AM 1

6. submar

Posts: 713; Member since: Sep 19, 2014

iPhone 7 has yet to come out...

posted on Jul 01, 2016, 9:30 AM 3

13. darkkjedii

Posts: 30969; Member since: Feb 05, 2011

Thanx...we definitely didn't know that.

posted on Jul 01, 2016, 9:52 AM 4

38. RebelwithoutaClue unregistered

Not? It has been all over phonearena lately ;) /s

posted on Jul 01, 2016, 11:39 AM 1

60. deviceguy2016

Posts: 826; Member since: Jun 16, 2016

been on here to damn much ehhhh...

posted on Jul 02, 2016, 6:46 PM 0

7. XDAdam

Posts: 276; Member since: Feb 03, 2016

Samsung panels are the best, so having those in the iPhone will make it a great top contender phone in the coming years. I hope they dont go with Sharp or LG.