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Japan Display Confirms OLED Production in 2018 Amid iPhone Adoption Rumors

Friday January 22, 2016 8:08 am PST by Mitchel Broussard
Japan Display today announced that it will begin the mass production of OLED panels in 2018 (via Reuters), confirming a rumor from December that the company would do so in attempts to be the supplier of OLED panels in a future iPhone model. This would put Japan Display -- a joint venture between Sony, Toshiba, and Hitachi -- in direct competition with LG Display and Samsung in the production of the rumored OLED-supported iPhone.

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"We will take advantage of our advanced thin-film transistor technology in developing OLED screens," Akio Takimoto, chief of Japan Display's research center, told reporters on Friday.
Japan Display, in addition to rival Sharp, already supplies the manufacturing of LCD panels for Apple's iPhone. In 2015, estimates of an iPhone supporting OLED panels -- which would be the first non-LCD model since the original iPhone -- put it off for at least the next three years, aligning with Japan Display's plans for the mass production of OLED panels.

Recent OLED rumors suggested that Apple's new Taiwanese lab could potentially focus on adopting OLED and micro-LED technology for future iPhone models. Towards the end of last year, a report also claimed that Apple is "close" to signing a final agreement with Samsung and LG Display in regards to OLED manufacturing for the so-called "iPhone 8." According to that report, both manufacturers are planning to spend $12.8 billion combined to prepare for the production of OLED in 2018's iPhone.

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Tags: Japan Display Inc, OLED
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HiRez
45 months ago
Can't wait for OLED iPhone screens. 0 black levels FTW.
Rating: 8 Votes
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dannyyankou
45 months ago
Great. I'll upgrade to the iPhone 7 this year, then iPhone 8 in 2018.
Rating: 7 Votes
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Orlandoech
45 months ago
ZZZZZ by then something will be far better and the iPhone will still be playing catch up so Apple they can milk all their consumers for more money on inferior and archaic technology.

Margina baby. Margins.
Rating: 4 Votes
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\-V-/
45 months ago

Why is OLED a determining factor? It's a manufacturing advantage mostly?

Uh ... what?
Rating: 4 Votes
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nutmac
45 months ago
Bring it on.

I assume OLED will bring some of the benefits of Apple Watch to iPhone, such as tap to wake and cover to sleep (possibly eliminating sleep/awake button in the process). Hopefully, 2018 will give Apple enough time to figure out how to squeeze in Touch ID under the screen.
Rating: 3 Votes
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LordQ
45 months ago
Guess I'll stick with the 4s two more years.
Rating: 3 Votes
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macnewbie91
45 months ago
Why two more years? OLED technology is fine.

Put it in the iPhone 7 and start production earlier this year.

Sick of all the launch day struggles of trying to get a device before a three month wait every year.

You would think Apple would look at that problem and go, "well it looks like we keep having a supply problem here, maybe we should start production earlier." Nope, never happens.
Rating: 3 Votes
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drumcat
45 months ago
For iPhone 8, The Ocho.
Rating: 3 Votes
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\-V-/
45 months ago

It amazes me that a 4 year old phone is still being used by many many people! Planned obsolescence my ass!

The experience on the latest OS is absolute rubbish on that phone. I still have an old 4S and it is dreadful. Maybe they're still on iOS 6 ... who knows?
Rating: 2 Votes
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Carlanga
45 months ago

Out of curiosity, how is your 4S battery holding up?

I bought one from ifixit on Black Friday the whole 4s kit for $20 shipped on especial bd price. It gave it a brand new full battery life for her. Since the original lasted 1/3 of what it had originally.
Rating: 2 Votes

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