iPhone Production May Face Disruptions Due to OLED Display Chip Shortage

Due to the impacts on Samsung's production of OLED displays as a result of a global chip shortage, iPhone production could be facing disruptions, according to Nikkei Asia.

iphone12truedepth
Last month, Samsung was forced to shut down its chip fabrication plant in Texas due to large winter storms. The plant is responsible for 5% of the global supply of chips for smartphones and personal computers, and its closure has caused a widespread global shortage. The plant makes chips for Samsung OLED displays, which Apple uses for the ‌iPhone‌.

The Samsung Texas plant manufactures telecommunications chips for the U.S. semiconductor giant Qualcomm. The facility also produces chips for organic light-emitting diode panels and for image sensors.

The supply crunch hitting Qualcomm will affect a wide range of smartphone makers that rely on the company for key components. Apple, which procures OLED panels from Samsung, could also face disruptions in iPhone production.

The report doesn't elaborate on the specifics, including which ‌iPhone‌ models would be impacted or the length of the aforementioned disruptions. Last year, due to the global health crisis, Apple suppliers were forced to close factories in China and elsewhere around the world. The closures led to the delayed launch of the ‌iPhone‌ 12 in October, which typically happens in September.

Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says, however, that the 2021 ‌iPhone‌ should be expected in September, specifically saying that Apple suppliers are poised to begin mass production within Apple's usual summer timeframe. Reports last year indicated mass production for the ‌iPhone‌ 12 series did not begin until September.

Related Forum: iPhone

Top Rated Comments

Val-kyrie Avatar
33 months ago
At least it doesn't affect their best phone offering--the iPhone SE (2020) :)
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
now i see it Avatar
33 months ago
Hopefully the entire OLED supply chain comes to a stop — and the iPhone returns to LCD. Can't wait for OLED tech to become extinct forever.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Kylo83 Avatar
33 months ago
Could you imagine if 120hz can been delayed a year because they can’t get the screens arghhh
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
JoshuaBru Avatar
33 months ago
What are everyone’s thoughts on this idea...they skip an entire year and the 2022 iPhone has two years worth of updated specs?
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
newyorksole Avatar
33 months ago

I’m hoping iPhone 12S or 13 does not get delayed. Not waiting till November this year come on now.
Trust me... You’ll wait Lol. Everyone always does.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
69Mustang Avatar
33 months ago

Wrong, mini LEDs have zones that can be on or off. The number of zones is currently in the thousands for some TVs which isn’t a huge number but it’s increasing as the technology is refined.
@-DMN- isn't wrong. miniLED is backlighting technology. Yes it does have dimmable FALD zones, but those zones can't compare to the per pixel dimming of OLED. miniLED still suffers from localized blooming as well. To get image retention and ghosting on OLED now you'd basically have to be intentionally trying to created it. Mitigation techniques like pixel shifting and variable refresh rate have been employed for a while.

You are right that miniLED will continue to be refined. But it's not like OLED will remain in a static state of development. It's going to be refined as well. They'll both improve.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

BMW Logo iPhone 15 Pro

Warning: BMW Wireless Charging May Break iPhone 15's Apple Pay Chip

Sunday October 1, 2023 6:14 am PDT by
If you have an iPhone 15 and drive a BMW, it might be best to avoid charging the device with the vehicle's wireless charging pad for now. Over the past week, some BMW owners have complained that their iPhone 15's NFC chip no longer works after charging the device with their vehicle's wireless charging pad, according to comments shared on the MacRumors Forums and X, formerly known as Twitter. ...
Multi Display CarPlay 1

All-New Apple CarPlay Launching Later This Year With These 5 New Features

Friday September 29, 2023 11:29 am PDT by
At WWDC 2022 last year, Apple previewed the next generation of CarPlay, promising deeper integration with vehicle functions like A/C and FM radio, support for multiple displays across the dashboard, personalization options, and more. Apple said the first vehicles with support for the next-generation CarPlay experience would be announced in late 2023, but it has still not shared any additional...
Apple Watch Edition Gold 2015

Original Apple Watch is Now Obsolete, Including $17,000 Gold Model

Monday October 2, 2023 9:15 am PDT by
All first-generation Apple Watch models released in 2015 were added to Apple's obsolete products list on September 30, according to an internal memo obtained by MacRumors. As a result, these outdated "Series 0" watches are no longer eligible for repairs or other service at Apple Stores and Apple Authorized Service Provider locations. The list of obsolete models includes the first-generation...
iPhone 15 Pro lineup

Apple to Address iPhone 15 Pro Overheating Issue With iOS 17 Update

Saturday September 30, 2023 9:28 am PDT by
Apple plans to release an iOS 17 update to address a bug that may contribute to the reported iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max overheating issue, according to a statement the company shared today with MacRumors and Forbes reporter David Phelan. Apple also says some recent updates to third-party apps have overloaded the system and contributed to the overheating issue. The report notes that...
Apple Logo Spotlight

Mac Trade-In Changes May Indicate New Model to Launch This Month

Tuesday October 3, 2023 6:30 am PDT by
Apple may be proceeding with plans to release a new Mac model this month, according to potentially related information obtained by MacRumors. Details pertaining to imminent changes to Mac trade-ins provided to MacRumors by a verified source suggest that Apple will likely begin accepting new models for trade-in this month. Similar changes in June coincided with WWDC, when Apple began accepting...
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...