Samsung Becomes Apple's Top iPad Display Supplier in Q1 2014

According to a new report from market research firm DisplaySearch (via CNET and ZDNet Korea), Samsung claimed the top spot as Apple's biggest iPad display panel supplier in the first quarter of 2014, shipping 5.2 million units of the high resolution 9.7-inch panels that were used in the iPad Air and the reintroduced 4th generation iPad.

ipad_air_family_20136
Samsung's panels accounted for 62% of Apple's 9.7-inch displays, while longtime partner LG Display shipped 3.2 million displays to account for 38% of the total. Apple was said to have chosen Samsung as a primary iPad display supplier last August, and reportedly turned to the Korean company in October to produce displays for the Retina iPad mini as Sharp and LG Display struggled with low yields.

Apple has been reported for quite some time to be seeking to reduce its reliance on Samsung as a component supplier due to tensions between the two companies as they have become top competitors in the mobile device market. However, Samsung's technological advantages and production capacity as a display supplier have proven valuable to Apple's needs over the years, as the two companies are likely to continue that partnership for the foreseeable future.

Related Roundup: iPad
Tags: CNET, Samsung
Buyer's Guide: iPad (Buy Now)
Related Forum: iPad

Popular Stories

Beyond iPhone 13 Better Triad

Apple's 20th Anniversary iPhone May Finally Go All Screen

Tuesday April 15, 2025 6:31 am PDT by
Apple is preparing a "bold" new iPhone Pro model for the iPhone's 20th anniversary in 2027, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. As part of what's being described as a "major shake-up," Apple is said to be developing a design that makes more extensive use of glass – and this could point directly to the display itself. Here's the case for Apple releasing a truly all-screen iPhone with no...
iPhone 17 Pro 3 4ths Perspective Aluminum Camera Module 1

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 12 New Features

Sunday April 13, 2025 7:52 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of April 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro models have a titanium frame, and the iPhone ...
iOS 19 Roundup Feature

iOS 19 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Tuesday April 15, 2025 7:37 am PDT by
The first iOS 19 beta is less than two months away, and there are already a handful of new features that are expected with the update. Apple should release the first iOS 19 beta to developers immediately following the WWDC 2025 keynote, which is scheduled for Monday, June 9. Following beta testing, the update should be released to the general public in September. Below, we recap the key...
CarPlay Hero

Apple Releases Wireless CarPlay Fix

Wednesday April 16, 2025 11:28 am PDT by
If you have been experiencing issues with wireless CarPlay in your vehicle lately, it was likely due to a software bug that has now been fixed. Apple released iOS 18.4.1 today, and the update's release notes say it "addresses a rare issue that prevents wireless CarPlay connection in certain vehicles." If wireless CarPlay was acting up for you, updating your iPhone to iOS 18.4.1 should...
iphone 16 pro models 1

17 Reasons to Wait for the iPhone 17

Thursday April 17, 2025 4:12 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models simultaneously, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 17 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect from Apple's 2025 smartphone lineup. If you skipped the iPhone...
Apple 2025 Thumb 1

10 Products Still Coming From Apple in 2025

Friday April 11, 2025 4:14 pm PDT by
Apple may have updated several iPads and Macs late last year and early this year, but there are still multiple new devices that we're looking forward to seeing in 2025. Most will come in September or October, but there could be a few surprises before then. We've rounded up a list of everything that we're still waiting to see from Apple in 2025. iPhone 17, 17 Air, and 17 Pro - We get...
iOS 18

Apple Releases iOS 18.4.1 With Bug Fixes

Wednesday April 16, 2025 10:11 am PDT by
Apple today released iOS 18.4.1 and iPadOS 18.4.1, minor updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 operating systems that came out last September. iOS 18.4.1 and iPadOS 18.4.1 come two weeks after the launch of iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. There have been complaints about ...
iPhone 6s MacRumors YouTube

Apple Says These Products Are Now Vintage

Tuesday April 15, 2025 9:53 am PDT by
Apple today updated its vintage products list to add the 2018 Mac mini and the iPhone 6s, devices that will get more limited service and repairs now that they are considered vintage. The iPhone 6s initially launched in 2015, but Apple kept it around as a low-cost device until 2018, which is why it is only now being added to the vintage list. The iPhone 6s had Apple's A9 chip, and it was...
macOS Sequoia Feature

Apple Releases macOS Sequoia 15.4.1 With Bug Fixes

Wednesday April 16, 2025 10:16 am PDT by
Apple today released macOS Sequoia 15.4.1, a minor update to the macOS Sequoia operating system that launched in September. macOS Sequoia 15.4.1 comes two weeks after the launch of macOS Sequoia 15.4. Mac users can download the ‌‌macOS Sequoia‌‌ update through the Software Update section of System Settings. It is available for free on all Macs able to run macOS 15. According to...

Top Rated Comments

roadbloc Avatar
143 months ago
This is the last year this is gonna happen.

I bet it isn't.
Score: 26 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Acidsplat Avatar
143 months ago
This is bad news for consumers who don't enjoy Samsung's inferior technology in their Apple devices. I hope Apple can phase Samsung out of the supply chain entirely within the next 12 months. This has to end for the good of Apple and for consumers who want the very best products money can buy.
Except Samsung's displays, memory, and SSDs used in many generations of Apple products did not cause them to be inferior.

Need we be reminded how many people went on exchange sprees trying to get a Retina MacBook Pro with a Samsung display because LG's screens had problems and were inferior?
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
cdmoore74 Avatar
143 months ago
I wish I could group all the Samsung haters in a single room and look at their faces. Told them that their still buying Samsung if they like it or not. Nothing but hypocrites here.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Broph Avatar
143 months ago
Even though they try and sue the pants off each other, neither one would be as successful as it is without the other.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Mystic386 Avatar
143 months ago
This is bad news for consumers who don't enjoy Samsung's inferior technology in their Apple devices. I hope Apple can phase Samsung out of the supply chain entirely within the next 12 months. This has to end for the good of Apple and for consumers who want the very best products money can buy.

I don't have a problem with Apple using Samsung parts as long as those parts have no software in them and don't run Android. Hardware is all good.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
macs4nw Avatar
143 months ago
This is bad news for consumers who don't enjoy Samsung's inferior technology in their Apple devices. I hope Apple can phase Samsung out of the supply chain entirely within the next 12 months. This has to end for the good of Apple and for consumers who want the very best products money can buy.
There's no problem with the quality of most Samsung components. Also as the article states, it seems they had no problem supplying Apple, while Sharp and LG Display struggled with low yields.

It's Samsung's business MO that many Apple followers have issues with. Face the facts, this is for now, a mutually beneficial business relationship that is unlikely to end within 12 months.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)