Apple OLED Supplier Samsung to Start iPhone 15 Panel Production One Month Earlier Than Planned
Apple OLED supplier Samsung Display will start manufacturing OLED panels for the iPhone 15 series a month earlier than planned due to production problems with one of Apple's other suppliers, according to a new report out of Korea.
According to The Elec, Samsung will now begin manufacturing the OLED panels in May instead of June to compensate for the lack of planned initial orders from BOE, which is having problems with light leakage around the portion of the OLED display where the pill and hole cutouts secure the space necessary for the TrueDepth camera and Face ID.
Apple gave the order to Chinese partner BOE to manufacture some OLED panels for the standard model of iPhone 15, but the issues appear to have been so entrenched that Apple has dropped the order, and BOE has now missed its chance to become one of the initial suppliers.
Samsung was always slated to also supply the OLED panel for the standard model of iPhone 15, but now will start production early in light of the Chinese display panel maker's problems.
The standard and Plus iPhone 15 models are set to use low-temperature polycrystalline silicon (LTPS) thin-film transistor (TFT), suggesting that the devices will continue to lack ProMotion support and an always-on display option like Apple's Pro models have.
Meanwhile, LG Display will start producing LTPO TFT OLED panels aimed at the higher-tier models of iPhone 15 in June. The LPTO panels feature 120Hz ProMotion support and a 1Hz refresh rate capability that enables an idle Lock Screen to stay visible without significantly impacting battery.
Samsung's early start doesn't necessarily mean the end for BOE as an Apple supplier, according to the report. The Chinese display panel maker is reportedly showing progress in solving the light leak issue, and could start supplying OLED panels for iPhone 15 within the year.
The iPhone 15 series is expected to arrive in September, as usual. For everything we know about the new models, be sure to check out our dedicated roundups by clicking the links below.
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