Japan Display Confirms OLED Production in 2018 Amid iPhone Adoption Rumors

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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Top Rated Comments

HiRez Avatar
123 months ago
Can't wait for OLED iPhone screens. 0 black levels FTW.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dannyyankou Avatar
123 months ago
Great. I'll upgrade to the iPhone 7 this year, then iPhone 8 in 2018.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
\-V-/ Avatar
123 months ago
Why is OLED a determining factor? It's a manufacturing advantage mostly?
Uh ... what?
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Orlandoech Avatar
123 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.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
macnewbie91 Avatar
123 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.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
drumcat Avatar
123 months ago
For iPhone 8, The Ocho.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)