Apple May Invest in AMOLED Supplier AU Optronics for Future iPhones

iPhone6s-back-frontFollowing rumors claiming that iPhones will adopt OLED displays in less than three years, Taiwanese website Focus Taiwan cites local media reports stating that Apple is planning to invest in AMOLED display supplier AU Optronics.

According to the reports, Apple is likely to transform AUO into an active-matrix organic light-emitting diode (AMOLED) screen supplier for production of future iPhones, and if AUO agrees with Apple's fund injection plan, the Taiwanese firm could see its sales and gross margin grow significantly.

AU Optronics declined to comment on its potential investment deal with Apple, but the supplier's shares of the company gained 5.15% on Tuesday to close at NT$9.53 on the Taiwanese stock market amid the rumors.

AU Optronics, which has supplied LCD panels to Apple in the past, has reportedly been developing AMOLED displays for more than a decade, and last year it began shipping AMOLED panels to Huawei and other Chinese manufacturers. Apple currently uses LCD panels for iPhones, sourced primarily from Sharp and Japan Display.

Last month, it was reported that Apple has been recruiting talent from AU Optronics and Qualcomm to work at a Taiwanese factory, where the company is purportedly developing thinner, lighter and brighter displays for future Apple devices. The secretive lab may be specifically focused on OLED and Micro-LED technologies.

Samsung, LG and Japan Display have also been rumored to provide Apple with OLED displays for iPhones starting in 2018.

OLED displays typically have brighter colors and deeper blacks, and the lack of a backlight increases power efficiency, but the panels can also have shorter lifespans and higher manufacturing costs compared to LCD technology. Apple has reportedly been consulting with OLED panel makers to eliminate potential drawbacks.

Samsung is the most popular smartphone maker that uses AMOLED displays, while the Apple Watch became Apple's first AMOLED device last April.

Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro to Reverse iPhone X Design Decision

Monday July 7, 2025 9:46 am PDT by
Since the iPhone X in 2017, all of Apple's highest-end iPhone models have featured either stainless steel or titanium frames, but it has now been rumored that this design decision will be coming to an end with the iPhone 17 Pro models later this year. In a post on Chinese social media platform Weibo today, the account Instant Digital said that the iPhone 17 Pro models will have an aluminum...
iOS 26 Feature

Everything New in iOS 26 Beta 3

Monday July 7, 2025 1:20 pm PDT by
Apple is continuing to refine and update iOS 26, and beta three features smaller changes than we saw in beta 2, plus further tweaks to the Liquid Glass design. Apple is gearing up for the next phase of beta testing, and the company has promised that a public beta is set to come out in July. Transparency In some apps like Apple Music, Podcasts, and the App Store, Apple has toned down the...
apple wallet drivers license feature iPhone 15 pro

Apple Says iPhone Driver's Licenses Will Expand to These 8 U.S. States

Tuesday July 8, 2025 11:26 am PDT by
In select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, providing a convenient and contactless way to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. Unfortunately, this feature continues to roll out very slowly since it was announced in 2021, with only nine U.S. states, Puerto Rico,...
iphone 16 pro ghost hand

5 Reasons to Skip This Year's iPhone 17 Pro

Thursday July 10, 2025 4:54 am PDT by
Apple will launch its new iPhone 17 series in two months, and the iPhone 17 Pro models are expected to get a new design for the rear casing and the camera area. But more significant changes to the lineup are not expected until next year, when the iPhone 18 models arrive. If you're thinking of trading in your iPhone for this year's latest, consider the following features rumored to be coming...
apple account card feature

Apple Account Card Expanding to More Countries

Tuesday July 8, 2025 7:34 pm PDT by
Apple is expanding the ability to add an Apple Account Card to the Wallet app to more countries, according to backend Apple Pay changes. With iOS 15.5, Apple updated the Wallet app to allow users to add an Apple Account Card, which displays the Apple credit balance associated with an Apple ID. If you receive an Apple gift card, for example, it is added to an Apple Account that is also...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

Leaker Reveals Amount of RAM in iPhone 17 Through iPhone 17 Pro Max

Wednesday July 9, 2025 8:08 am PDT by
Three out of four iPhone 17 models will feature more RAM than the equivalent iPhone 16 models, according to a new leak that aligns with previous rumors. The all-new iPhone 17 Air, the iPhone 17 Pro, and the iPhone 17 Pro Max will each be equipped with 12GB of RAM, according to Fixed Focus Digital, an account with more than two million followers on Chinese social media platform Weibo. The...
iphone 16 pro models 1

Here's How the iPhone 17 Pro Max Will Compare to the iPhone 17 Pro

Saturday July 5, 2025 1:00 pm PDT by
Apple should unveil the iPhone 17 series in September, and there might be one bigger difference between the Pro and Pro Max models this year. As always, the Pro Max model will be larger than the Pro model:iPhone 17 Pro: 6.3-inch display iPhone 17 Pro Max: 6.9-inch displayGiven the Pro Max is physically larger than the Pro, it has more internal space, allowing for a larger battery and...
imac video apple feature

Apple Launching These 15+ Products Later This Year

Sunday July 6, 2025 8:05 am PDT by
The calendar has turned to July, meaning that 2025 is now more than half over. And while the summer months are often quiet for Apple, the company still has more than a dozen products coming later this year, according to rumors. Below, we have outlined at least 15 new Apple products that are expected to launch later this year, along with key rumored features for each. iPhone 17 Series iPho...

Top Rated Comments

BaltimoreMediaBlog Avatar
124 months ago
I own a Nexus 6P and a iPhone 6S for work and play. Now while I am a self-proclaimed Apple fan boy, I can honestly and objectively say and without bias, that the Nexus 6P with Samsung's WQHD Super AMOLED screen, completely destroys the iPhone's Retina HD Display—and it's not even close.

Why Apple would wait three more year's to improve their screen tech to match the quality of the current WQHD Super AMOLED is very surprising. I would assume that the next major advancement in iPhone screen design would arrive with this year's iPhone 7? If not, my guess is that the Retina HD displays are much cheaper to produce. Given Apple's exorbitant iPhone price points, they are making a lot of money off their consumers by holding back on the tech, all the while claiming that it's the "best" when in actuality, it is not.
People always assume that Apple can just use any technology that other companies might be using. Just think how many Nexus AMOLED phones there are in existence or sold compared to iPhones. Comparing limited production products to an iPhone is a useless comparison. Apple needs something that can withstand the hurtles of major mass production far beyond how these other phones are produced. Apple needs things that can't be done with the production of these phones. They need them produced cheaper and MUCH FASTER while keeping the same quality control and durability or hopefully even making it better.

This is why I have no problem with Apple waiting.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
melgross Avatar
124 months ago
They are not sharper! Where does this kind of thing come from? And they don't have "brighter" colors. They have had more saturated colors, which isn't really a good thing. When Samsung finally decided to calibrate its displays, as Apple had been doing for years, the displays no longer had those unnatural "brighter" colors. You know, when flesh tones look orange?

And they aren't more efficient either. On average, an AMOLED screen is about as efficient as an LCD screen.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
winston1236 Avatar
124 months ago
Makes sense to diversify with your suppliers. I'd be wary though if I were AU after the whole GT Advanced debacle.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
satchmo Avatar
124 months ago
Definitely some downsides to OLED. They get burn-in and die over time so your screen eventually loses brightness and dies.
A perfect technology for Apple then. :)
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
navaira Avatar
124 months ago
1. Plant a rumour about "potential investment deal with Apple"
2. Decline comment
3. Surprisingly, stock price goes up!

(Obviously I have no proof whatsoever, the above represents a completely fictional case unrelated to the topic, I do not own any AAPL stock and I'm actually a hamster.)
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Col4bin Avatar
124 months ago
I own a Nexus 6P and a iPhone 6S for work and play. Now while I am a self-proclaimed Apple fan boy, I can honestly and objectively say and without bias, that the Nexus 6P with Samsung's WQHD Super AMOLED screen, completely destroys the iPhone's Retina HD Display—and it's not even close.

Why Apple would wait three more year's to improve their screen tech to match the quality of the current WQHD Super AMOLED is very surprising. I would assume that the next major advancement in iPhone screen design would arrive with this year's iPhone 7? If not, my guess is that the Retina HD displays are much cheaper to produce. Given Apple's exorbitant iPhone price points, they are making a lot of money off their consumers by holding back on the tech, all the while claiming that it's the "best" when in actuality, it is not.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)