Foreign display manufacturer Japan Display Inc. (JDI) is seeking to be Apple's next go-to source for iPhone screens in the future, according to someone "familiar with the matter" (via The Wall Street Journal).
With the increase in profit overseas, especially following Apple's attempt at a bigger presence in places like China over the past few months, the source reported that JDI is hoping Apple takes much of the cost for the proposed plant's investment. As pointed out by Reuters, JDI is aiming for the plant to be operable by next year, and hopes Apple itself would pay much of the predicted 200 billion yen ($1.7 billion) cost of the project.
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“We are reviewing various considerations to strengthen our business competitiveness, including new factories, but we haven’t made any decision yet,” Japan Display said in a statement Friday. Apple declined to comment.
The unnamed source continued to describe the plant's possible location, stating that Ishikawa, in central Japan, is "most likely" the site for the manufacturing plant. JDI runs a plant southeast of Tokyo, in Mobara, "which makes 50,000 of the 1.5 by 1.85 metre sheets a month for iPhone 6 screens and other uses." According to the source, the new plant would have a "greater capacity" than even JDI's Mobara facility.
JDI, formed from the troubled display portions of Sony Corp, Toshiba Corp, and Hitachi Ltd, has already seen a resurgence of profit after two consecutive quarter losses thanks to increasing demand from Apple-related devices. Now it wants a bigger contract with the Cupertino-based company - and its record-breaking profits - to boost its own earnings even higher.
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(View all)Foreign display manufacturer Japan Display Inc. (http://www.j-display.com/english/) (JPI) is seeking to be Apple's next go-to source for iPhone screens in the future
"Foreign"? Depends on what country we are reading the article in, doesn't it?
/sarcasm (do I really have to type that?)
"Foreign"? Depends on what country we are reading the article in, doesn't it?
Yeah... does seem like a rather localized term to use. Why not just "Japanese display manufacturer"? Or, why not just cut out the word altogether?"Display manufacturer Japan Display Inc." - I don't think anyone is going to be confused and think that it's a local company unless said person is from and in Japan, and therefore, it wouldn't be a foreign company to them.
"Foreign"? Depends on what country we are reading the article in, doesn't it?
Foreign to Cupertino #
"Does DPI realize Apple is going to have unreasonable demands, like delivering properly QC'ed products on a schedule and at a predefined price?" -- GT Advanced Technologies
/sarcasm (do I really have to type that?)
Supposedly, JDI came wearing their big-boy pants so it's cool.
I do wonder where this leaves Sharp and their IGZO screens though.
It was my understanding that Apple used gorilla glass from corning. If JDI is already making "50,000 of the 1.5 by 1.85 metre sheets a month for iPhone 6 screens and other uses," does this completely contradict the gorilla glass expectation?
Some one please clarify this for me......
JDI makes the actual display (LCD & OLED). Gorilla Glass is the protective outer layer over these displays. They're not mutually exclusive.