While this is technically Apple news, it also happens to be a big deal in the mobile tech world, and includes two of the largest Android competitors as well. According to a lengthy report, Apple is "close" to a deal in which both LG and Samsung will provide the AMOLED displays for future iPhones.
Supposedly, these OLED panels will be supplied for iPhones coming out in 2018. The report details that Samsung and LG plan to invest a total of $12.8 billion over the next 2 or 3 years into improved OLED display tech, and Apple will likely help finance that investment. Specifically, LG is working to “reduce…investments for facilities by changing current LCD lines to flexible OLED lines.”
LG Display will initially start supplying 30,000 panels per month, but plans to increase that to 45,000 to 60,000 per month after they reach a stable production yield. Samsung's numbers will hit around 90,000 sheets each month, for that same 2 or 3 year period.
It looks like the only caveat to the big deal is that negotiations between Apple and Samsung have been slow going. It's not because of any rivalry between the two companies, it's simply because Apple traditional requires extra low margins from its suppliers, and Samsung is used to eking out more profit from its deals.
The main advantage of these displays over traditional LCD panels includes brighter colors and sharper images. The disadvantage is that they have higher manufacturing costs and shorter lifespans. Apple engineers are supposedly consulting with Samsung and LG to help develop methods which will mitigate the disadvantages.
Source: AndroidAuthority
