What you need to know
- The display suppliers for iPhone 12 have been revealed.
- LG and Samsung will produce the OLED displays for all four models.
- The report suggests Apple may be reducing its reliance on Samsung as a display supplier.
Two new reports regarding displays for the iPhone 12 confirm that LG and Samsung will both provide OLED displays for the upcoming smartphone.
Reports from both DigiTimes and TheElec seem to have revealed that the load will be shared by the two suppliers, with Samsung taking on the brunt of the work.
From DigiTimes:
Samsung Display reportedly have obtained the majority of AMOLED panel orders needed for the production of Apple's 2020 iPhone lineup, with LG Display and BOE Technology sharing the remaining orders, according to industry sources.
The news is also reflected by TheElec, who revealed more detail about the breakdown of supply:
According to the industry on the 26th, LG Display will supply up to 20 million OLED panels to the iPhone 12 series this year. Samsung Display will produce approximately 55 million units and LG Display will produce approximately 20 million units from approximately 75 million OLED panels in the iPhone 12 series.
Previous iPhone 12 rumors have suggested we can expect four models of iPhone this fall, and three different sizes. Unlike previous years, Apple seems to be ditching LCD, as all upcoming iPhones are rumored to have an OLED display.
These reports reflect similar news in November, suggesting both LG and Samsung would help supply displays for the next iPhone. That report suggested that Samsung would be the sole supplier of improved Y-OCTA technology, which incorporates the touch sensor held within the display, making the display thinner, lighter, and cheaper to produce. This tech will likely debut in Apple's more premium offerings for the iPhone 12.
The report notes that LG is under increased pressure this year after it was unable to "significantly increase" its delivery volume last year due to a defect in its mass production process in 2019. A third supplier, BOE was unable to get the necessary quality approval to supply displays for the iPhone 12 in the first half of 2019. The report notes that if it does enter the fray as a third display supplier, it will likely be to produce repair panels, not displays for new products.
