Apple Pressing LG to Add OLED Display Production for 2018 iPhone, Limiting Samsung's Leverage

Amid reports Apple is investing billions of dollars to help LG begin production of OLED displays for future iPhones, KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has issued a new report sharing his take on the situation.

lg display logo
According to Kuo, the OLED display panel for this year's "iPhone 8" has been the "single most troublesome component for Apple in terms of bargaining power," as Samsung is currently the only company with design and production capabilities to make the displays. To counter Samsung's advantage, Apple is working hard to support LG's efforts to ramp up similar expertise and capabilities.

We think Apple is therefore committed to having LGD geared up for its OLED iPhone display business in 2018 as it seeks to reduce supply risks. Even though LGD may likely start off with minimal initial penetration in 2018 (we estimate no more than 4-6%), the effort, with the full commitment of both Apple and LGD, will help LGD mature during the process and steadily gain supply share from 2019 onward. This will in turn continuously boost Apple’s bargaining power on OLED prices.

Kuo predicts LG will capture 10–20 percent of iPhone OLED display production in 2019 and up to 20–30 percent in 2020, helping to diversify Apple's sourcing and limit Samsung's leverage.

While LG will have expertise at production of the display panels themselves, Kuo predicts Foxconn subsidiary General Interface Solution (GIS) will be brought on board to assist with lamination processes. GIS would also offer expertise in production troubleshooting and vertical integration with Foxconn, so it would be an ideal partner for accelerating LG's growth in Apple's display supply chain.

Top Rated Comments

DHagan4755 Avatar
81 months ago
I Doubt it. I don't for see the MacBook line ever having an OLED display. If anything, in the mere future, we might see micro LED make its debut at some point. It's still in development and I'm thinking if Apple decides to use a different display, micro LED would be the next step if the technology is mature enough at that point.
You don't follow things here close enough...
https://www.macrumors.com/2016/11/01/future-macbooks-oled-displays/
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mistasopz Avatar
81 months ago
It will be good for Apple to catch up in this area finally. Some of us have been using OLED for 7 years now.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
X--X Avatar
81 months ago
Pretty slim based on the 7 years it has taken them to put OLED into a phone after Samsung did it with the S2.
Yeah but those displays sucked BAD real bad.

OLED always had some advantages to LCD but it was HORRIBLE when it came to color accuracy, which was OK because it was relatively young tech.

They caught up about 2 years ago and are now very competitive if not better in some instances (if factory calibrated).

So... Apple is not that late on this, I'm happy they waited those months, because I need accurate colors on my displays.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BvizioN Avatar
81 months ago
Pretty slim based on the 7 years it has taken them to put OLED into a phone after Samsung did it with the S2.

Personally, I don't expect to see mLED in Apple products for at least another 7-10 years, and they could go the way of Nokia and Blackberry by then if they keep adopting new features years after their competitors.
That's what really separates Apple from these other companies. Apple does not usually put immature technology on their products, while others rush to be first and make their products suck. Apple tend to wait until technology is mature enough for their standards Good for them. That's one of the reasons I stick with Apple.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DHagan4755 Avatar
81 months ago
Apple probably wants OLED for the MacBooks as well.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
AFDoc Avatar
81 months ago
I have an LG OLED TV and am very happy with it. IF they can bring anything like that to their phone displays they will look great.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iphone se 4 modified flag edges

iPhone SE 4 Details: Action Button, USB-C Port, Face ID, and More

Wednesday September 27, 2023 1:34 pm PDT by
Significant changes are expected to arrive with Apple's fourth-generation iPhone SE, in terms of both design and hardware, MacRumors has learned. The iPhone SE 4, known internally under the codename Ghost, is expected to receive a new design derived almost entirely from the base model iPhone 14. According to our sources, the iPhone SE 4 will use a modified version of the iPhone 14 chassis...
iOS 17

Apple Releases iOS 17.0.2 and iPadOS 17.0.2 for All iPhones and iPads

Tuesday September 26, 2023 12:47 pm PDT by
Apple today released iOS 17.0.2 and iPadOS 17.0.2 updates, with the software coming five days after the releases of iOS 17.0.1 and iPadOS 17.0.1. Today's iOS 17.0.2 and iPadOS 17.0.2 updates arrive as build 21A351 and can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. Note that iOS 17.0.2 was previously made available for iPhone...
iPhone 15 Pro Lineup Feature

Kuo: iPhone 15 Pro Overheating Issues Likely Due to Thermal Compromises, Not 3nm Node

Tuesday September 26, 2023 9:12 am PDT by
Complaints about heat issues with the iPhone 15 Pro models are not related to TSMC's 3-nanometer node that was used for the A17 Pro chip, according to well-respected Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Kuo says that overheating could be caused by "compromises made in the thermal system design" that allowed Apple to cut down on the weight of the iPhone 15 Pro models. Kuo says that the reduced heat...
iOS 17

Everything New in iOS 17.1 Beta 1

Wednesday September 27, 2023 1:57 pm PDT by
Just a week after releasing iOS 17, Apple has seeded the first beta of iOS 17.1 to developers. iOS 17.1 adds some features that Apple promised were coming to iOS 17 in the future, plus it refines and improves some existing features. This guide covers everything new in the first iOS 17.1 beta. Apple Music Favorites You can favorite songs, albums, playlists, and artists in the iOS 17.1...
macos sonoma 4

Apple Releases macOS Sonoma With New Widget Features, Safari Updates, Screen Sharing Improvements and More

Tuesday September 26, 2023 10:01 am PDT by
Apple today released macOS 14 Sonoma, the newest version of the operating system that runs on the Mac. macOS Sonoma has been in beta testing for several months, and it is compatible with the 2019 and later iMac, the iMac Pro, the 2018 and later Mac mini, the 2018 and later MacBook Pro, the 2019 and later Mac Pro, and the Mac Studio. The ‌macOS Sonoma update can be downloaded for free on...