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Samsung and LG to face competition for iPhone OLED panel supply, Sharp and Japan Display entering the race

Jan 12, 2018, 7:46 AM

Plamen Dimitrov

Samsung and LG to face competition for iPhone OLED panel supply, Sharp and Japan Display entering the race

Samsung's display division may have been the sole OLED panel supplier for Apple in 2017, yet there are strong indications that things are about to change this year. Recently, it became clear that LG Display could be taking a piece of the iPhone pie in 2018, but if a new report is anything to go by, other manufacturers also harbor ambitions of providing panels for future Apple smartphones.

According to information from DigiTimes, Japan Display (JDI) and Sharp will try to compete with Samsung and LG for Cupertino's business. Foxconn-owned Sharp will likely start producing OLED panels ahead of JDI, with sources suggesting that production will commence as early as H2 2018. Apparently, Sharp will also use the OLED screens on some of its 2018 smartphone models.

The media outlet also states that the increased production of OLED screens by Asian manufacturers will "definitely" lead to oversupply in the coming years. Usually, prices drop when supply exceeds demand. That would be great news for Apple, as the display panel on the iPhone X -- the company's first OLED handset -- is its single most expensive component.

source: DigiTimes