Apple is 'Close' to OLED Screen Deal With LG and Samsung for Future iPhones

Apple is close to signing a final agreement with LG Display and Samsung to provide OLED screens for next-generation iPhones, according to a new report from ET News [Google Translate] (via Reuters). The OLED panels are rumored to be included with iPhones starting in 2018.

iphonedisplay
The two Korean companies plan to spend around $12.8 billion (15 trillion won) combined to build up OLED production capacity over the next two to three years. ET News also adds that Apple is likely to provide some funding to both LG and Samsung to help with their investments. Additionally, LG plans on converting existing LCD production lines into OLED production lines to reduce costs. Samsung, on the other hand, will produce 30 percent fewer orders than LG.

Last month, Nikkei reported that Apple plans to switch iPhones over to OLED displays starting in 2018, with both LG and Samsung sharing a large portion of OLED panel production. LG was already planning capacity upgrades for high-volume OLED screen production that would be required for iPhone demand. Earlier this month, it was reported that Japan Display was also planning mass production of OLED displays for iPhones starting in 2018.

OLED displays can provide sharper images and brighter colors compared to LCD displays. However, OLED displays tend to have shorter lifespans and come with higher manufacturing costs. Apple has been reportedly "consulting with display makers" on how to minimize potential drawbacks.

Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

Apple Watch Ultra Night Mode Screen

Apple Watch Ultra 3 Launching Later This Year With Two Key Upgrades

Wednesday July 2, 2025 1:13 pm PDT by
The long wait for an Apple Watch Ultra 3 appears to be nearly over, and it is rumored to feature both satellite connectivity and 5G support. Apple Watch Ultra's existing Night Mode In his latest Power On newsletter, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said that the Apple Watch Ultra 3 is on track to launch this year with "significant" new features, including satellite connectivity, which would let you...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro Coming Soon With These 14 New Features

Friday July 4, 2025 1:05 pm PDT by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are just over two months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models. Latest Rumors These rumors surfaced in June and July:Apple logo repositioned: Apple's logo may have a lower position on the back of the iPhone 17 Pro models, compared to previous...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro Max Battery Capacity Leaked

Thursday July 3, 2025 5:40 am PDT by
The iPhone 17 Pro Max will feature the biggest ever battery in an iPhone, according to the Weibo leaker known as "Instant Digital." In a new post, the leaker listed the battery capacities of the iPhone 11 Pro Max through to the iPhone 16 Pro Max, and added that the iPhone 17 Pro Max will feature a battery capacity of 5,000mAh: iPhone 11 Pro Max: 3,969mAh iPhone 12 Pro Max: 3,687mAh...
iPhone 17 Pro Lower Logo Magsafe

iPhone 17 Pro's New MagSafe Design Revealed in Leaked Photo

Wednesday July 2, 2025 8:37 am PDT by
The upcoming iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are rumored to have a slightly different MagSafe magnet layout compared to existing iPhone models, and a leaked photo has offered a closer look at the supposed new design. The leaker Majin Bu today shared a photo of alleged MagSafe magnet arrays for third-party iPhone 17 Pro cases. On existing iPhone models with MagSafe, the magnets form a...
airpods pro 2

AirPods Pro 3 to Help Maintain Apple's Place in Earbud Market Amid Increasing Low-Cost Competition

Thursday July 3, 2025 7:25 am PDT by
Apple's position as the dominant force in the global true wireless stereo (TWS) earbud market is expected to continue through 2025, according to Counterpoint Research. The forecast outlines a 3% year-over-year increase in global TWS unit shipments for 2025, signaling a transition from rapid growth to a more mature phase for the category. While Apple is set to remain the leading brand by...
Wi Fi WiFi General Feature

iOS 26 Adds a Useful New Wi-Fi Feature to Your iPhone

Wednesday July 2, 2025 6:36 am PDT by
iOS 26 and iPadOS 26 add a smaller yet useful Wi-Fi feature to iPhones and iPads. As spotted by Creative Strategies analyst Max Weinbach, sign-in details for captive Wi-Fi networks are now synced across iPhones and iPads running iOS 26 and iPadOS 26. For example, while Weinbach was staying at a Hilton hotel, his iPhone prompted him to fill in Wi-Fi details from his iPad that was already...
iOS 18

Apple Releases Second iOS 18.6 Public Beta

Tuesday July 1, 2025 10:19 am PDT by
Apple today seeded the second betas of upcoming iOS 18.6 and iPadOS 18.6 updates to public beta testers, with the betas coming just a day after Apple provided the betas to developers. Apple has also released a second beta of macOS Sequoia 15.6. Testers who have signed up for beta updates through Apple's beta site can download iOS 18.6 and iPadOS 18.6 from the Settings app on a compatible...

Top Rated Comments

Hal~9000 Avatar
124 months ago
Oh baby!

I just can't wait for all the "OMG I got a LG display, should I return it to try and get a Samsung display?" threads :rolleyes:
Score: 29 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Agent OrangeZ Avatar
124 months ago
Get ready for.... Displaygate!

iPhone 7 release... MacRumor users:

"What's the best way to get a Rose Gold iPhone 7 Plus with a TSMC A10 Chip and LG display? I read online that the LG display is 2% brighter and 1% more energy efficient. I deserve only the best!"
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
nviz22 Avatar
124 months ago
Finally they are making progress towards making the screens better. Lcds are nice, but OLED is much better.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
\-V-/ Avatar
124 months ago
I have an iPhone 5 and waiting for an iPhone 7 and now news of OLED making it to an iPhone but not until 2018. Sad day for me and my first world problems. :(
Do you want a silk handkerchief to wipe those tears?
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DoctorTech Avatar
124 months ago
It boggles my mind that a company (ok, two companies) can spend $12.8 Billion for a factory just to make iPhone screens.
That is some serious manufacturing capacity and I am sure extremely high quality standards.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
musika Avatar
124 months ago
On OLED screens, black takes less power, while white on the LED tech on current iPhones takes less power. I'd like to see them offer a 'Dark Mode' or just a black-based UI in general, like the Apple Watch.

As much as I don't like the Apple Watch, the UI is pretty cool in places, especially because it seems to blend into the black bezel quite well.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)