LG to invest nearly $1 billion in flexible display production, may have Apple on its mind

posted by Daniel P. / Jul 23, 2015, 3:09 AM

LG to invest nearly $1 billion in flexible display production, may have Apple on its mind

LG's flexible display efforts aren't stopping with the G Flex 2, it seems, or even the Apple Watch, as the company just issued a press release, announcing a huge investment in a 6th Generation flexible OLED display production line. As per the company:

LG Display’s investment will help pioneer future display technologies such as foldable displays and large-size auto displays. The main advantage of a flexible OLED display is the screen’s bending feature that is achieved by the use of a plastic substrate instead of a glass substrate as in a conventional OLED display. The use of the flexible OLED technology is now being expanded to smartphone, automotive and wearable device displays.

The timing of this investment is pretty interesting, as we doubt LG is ploughing about $900 million just to cut the occasional screen for a niche device like the Flex 2, or the tiny 1.3" circular panels on the Apple Watch. Granted, it does OLED TVs, and auto displays are also in the mix, but there might be a better reason for the outlay. Apple is rumored to be actively exploring flexible OLED screen panels for future iPhones, and LG might want to assure it that it will be able to ramp up capacity when the time comes. “It is very likely that the first flexible iPhone may be introduced in 2018, as Apple's top-tier display suppliers are working on it,” claimed Korean media sources last month, so that might be one of the reasons behind LG's near-$1 billion investment.

source: LG

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9 Comments

1. DirtyDan23

Posts: 280; Member since: Aug 12, 2014

Neato

posted on Jul 23, 2015, 3:28 AM 0

2. SirYar

Posts: 351; Member since: Jul 02, 2014

And then Apple will claim they have invented the flexible display.

posted on Jul 23, 2015, 3:35 AM 3

4. zachki17

Posts: 294; Member since: Sep 14, 2014

All Apple Product use LG IPS Or LG OLed Display From Iphone1 to Iphone 6 also Retina display is An LG panel Apple Call it retina

posted on Jul 23, 2015, 4:12 AM 1

5. Trex95

Posts: 2381; Member since: Mar 03, 2013

Nope. Since iPhone 4s Apple using sharp IPS and JDI Japan display.

posted on Jul 23, 2015, 4:20 AM 2

6. zachki17

Noo Apple always using LG IPS

posted on Jul 23, 2015, 6:57 AM 0

7. zachki17

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Retina_Display

posted on Jul 23, 2015, 6:59 AM 0

3. Firestorm

Posts: 44; Member since: Jun 27, 2015

May be iphone10s.. Apple known for obsolete tech.

posted on Jul 23, 2015, 4:04 AM 1

9. Iodine

Posts: 1481; Member since: Jun 19, 2014

What obsolete tech ?

posted on Jul 23, 2015, 1:50 PM 0

8. Guaire

Posts: 886; Member since: Oct 15, 2014

They can use it in G5. There is no need to restricted it with flexible bodies. They can use it in rigid body slightly curved like G4 or they use it in like S6 Edge. LG must face the truth while Samsung's Edge design with S6 gathers admiration, their Flex approach is failed to do same. Essentially both display is very similar with its physical attributes. LG put it in flexible body behind vertical concave glass. Samsung implemented theirs behind horizontal convex glass in rigid body. Though LG are improved their LCD tech with quantum dots, LCD is still thicker comparison to OLED and power consumption is higher especially with 2K display. Both G3 and G4's battery life is far from great. I guess their P-OLED was behind than Samsung's Super AMOLED, but seems like they are working hard to catch up. G Flex had a 6" HD display, little over than a full year later Flex 2 came with 5.5" FHD display. Vastly improved their pixel density, but still behind Samsung in that area. Also they switched from RGB stripes to diamond pentile. Next iteration of P-OLED should be ready in new handsets around by end of the year or early 2016. I guess it will be a 2K display this time. Maybe it would be improved enough to ditching LCD for good. With P-OLED displays they can do slimmer phones without sacrificing battery capacity. Market favors slim phones.