Apple will reportedly begin using OLED displays in all of its new iPhones released next year, according to two industry sources who are familiar with the matter. Cupertino has long been aiming to make the switch, though the timeline has been murky thus far.
This year, of course, Apple is largely expected to release its first OLED-equipped handset: the premium, radically redesigned iPhone X (alternatively known as the iPhone 8 or iPhone Edition). Cupertino is also expected to round out the trio of 2017 devices with two, lower-priced iPhone 7s models — both of which are expected to retain the LCD displays used in every iPhone thus far, and both of which will likely be sold well into 2019.
But even though this year’s iPhones have yet to be announced, Apple is reportedly hard at work designing 2018’s trio of handsets. And all three are tentatively reported to sport OLED displays, according to one industry source cited by Nikkei. This updates the timeline given by previous rumors, including a March supply chain report out of Korea which stated that Apple would hold off on switching its entire lineup to OLED until 2019.
The move would obviously cement OLED as the mainstream choice for premium-tier smartphones, but it would also mean a big win for Samsung Display — which is currently the world’s largest supplier of OLED display panels. On the other hand, some panel makers expressed concern that the OLED industry might not be able to keep up with demand if Apple indeed uses OLED panels in its 2018 iPhone trio. This year, Taiwanese firm Yuanta Investment Consulting predicted that new iPhones released in 2017 will hit the 90 million shipment mark, with around half of those being equipped with OLED panels.
Samsung will be the sole supplier of OLED panels for this year’s highly anticipated iPhone 8, and Apple is already gobbling up components in the supply chain. To keep up with demand, Samsung Display recently announced plans to boost its production capabilities by way of two OLED production facilities expected to cost $21 billion. Apple, which usually prefers to refrain from relying on single supply sources, has reportedly been pushing LG to begin producing medium-sized OLED panels. Despite all the rumors, however, Apple’s current LCD suppliers — including JDI and Sharp — say it’s “not likely” that Apple will make the total switch to OLED by next year, Nikkei reported.
iPhone 9 Display Rumors
While the Apple news sphere is still intently focused on this year’s premium iPhones, we’ve already heard rumors about next year’s Apple handsets. According to a May report by The Investor, Samsung Display will produce two differently sized OLED panels for Apple’s “iPhone 9” in 2018 — including a 5.28-inch panel and a massive 6.46-inch panel. While little else was revealed about next year’s devices, we can assume that Apple is already working on the design and is planning to make good on the promise to move its entire lineup over to OLED displays.