Samsung is believed to be Apple's exclusive supplier of OLED displays for iPhones, but it may have company soon.

2018 iphone trio
In a research note shared with MacRumors, Barclays analysts said fellow Korean company LG will likely support OLED display production for 2019 iPhones, possibly followed by Chinese manufacturer BOE as early as 2020.

Multiple reports have indicated that Apple may tap LG and BOE as additional OLED display suppliers. Apple aims to diversify its supply chain as much as possible, often securing at least two suppliers for any given component, a strategy that reduces its supply chain risk and improves its negotiating position.

Apple is widely expected to launch three new iPhones in 2019, including two higher-end 5.8-inch and 6.5-inch OLED models and one lower-end 6.1-inch LCD model. In 2020, rumors suggest Apple will complete its transition to an all-OLED lineup, including 5.4-inch, 6.1-inch, and 6.7-inch models.

Tags: Barclays, LG, OLED, BOE
Related Forum: iPhone

Top Rated Comments

BootsWalking Avatar
69 months ago
Here comes OLEDgate, where owners keep returning their new iPhones until they get one that has a Samsung panel in it.
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Harthag Avatar
69 months ago
So for $1000 I can get an iPhone with an inferior Intel modem and now in all likelihood inferior OLED display. I have more confidence in BOE than LG when it comes to phone OLED. Up until this point, there has been a very noticeable difference in quality of Samsung vs. LG OLED phone screens for those who have used both. I hope I am wrong.

Every single phone on display at Apple stores will use Samsung screens to show off quality. And you'll get home and open up your craptastic LG display full of grain, smear, and pink hue.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Zwhaler Avatar
69 months ago
Cue the "mine has an LG, should I return it?" posts
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Harthag Avatar
69 months ago
1. I doubt it is happening in 2019 iPhone, after Apple could not fulfil its previous expected OLED order and paid the penalty, the likelihood of Apple not bargaining a much better deal for 2019 iPhone OLED supply is next to zero. ( You can think of the penalty more like a upfront payment for their next contract )

2. I doubt OLED from LG and BOE will be anywhere near as good as Samsung, especially the OLED used on iPhone which is quite different to even OLED used in Samsung's phone. So the only possibility of an OLED supply from LG and BOE are OLED being used in 2020 iPhone 12R. The S Line will continue to be Samsung dominated.
I don't understand why Google is able to use (a very good) Samsung OLED in the "cheap" 3a and 1+ uses the best screen I've ever seen from Samsung in the 7 Pro (it is better than Samsung's own S10+ that I had, and my XS for that matter).

If Google can put a Samsung OLED into its $400 phone there is no reason other than greed / choice to pay less for components (in my opinion) for Apple to use LG / BOE.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Mactendo Avatar
69 months ago
I’m glad I prefer LCD.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
CarpalMac Avatar
69 months ago
Here comes OLEDgate, where owners keep returning their new iPhones until they get one that has a Samsung panel in it.
But, but, but.. that'd be Samsung. So many on here keep stating how they will never buy anything Samsung, ever.

I'm so confused....:confused:
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 18

10 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 18.2

Thursday October 31, 2024 9:42 am PDT by
Apple is set to release iOS 18.2 in December, bringing the second round of Apple Intelligence features to iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 16 models. This update brings several major advancements to Apple's AI integration, including completely new image generation tools and a range of Visual Intelligence-based enhancements. There are a handful of new non-AI related feature controls incoming as well. ...
Apple MacBook Pro M4 Cinema 4D Slack Finder Xcode 1

Apple Announces MacBook Pro Models With M4 Pro and M4 Max Chips, Thunderbolt 5 Support, and More

Wednesday October 30, 2024 8:01 am PDT by
Apple today announced new 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models featuring M4 Pro and M4 Max chips, alongside a new entry-level 14-inch MacBook Pro powered by the M4 chip. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. The new M4 Pro and M4 Max machines come with a minimum of 24GB of Unified Memory as standard, up from 18GB in the previous models. Both models feature three...
M4 Pro on Blue

M4 Pro Chip Benchmark Results Reveal an Extremely Impressive Performance Feat

Thursday October 31, 2024 7:06 pm PDT by
The first Geekbench 6 benchmark results for the M4 Pro chip surfaced today. Impressively, the results that are available so far show that the highest-end M4 Pro chip is faster than the highest-end M2 Ultra chip in terms of peak multi-core CPU performance. Here is a comparison of the results: Mac mini with M4 Pro (14-core CPU): 22,094 multi-core score (average of 11 results) Mac Studio...
m3 macbook air blue

Apple Announces MacBook Air Now Starts With Increased 16GB of RAM With No Price Increase

Wednesday October 30, 2024 8:04 am PDT by
Apple today in its new MacBook Pro press release announced that the MacBook Air lineup now starts with 16GB of RAM, up from 8GB previously. This change applies to the 13-inch model with the M2 chip, the 13-inch model with the M3 chip, and the 15-inch model with the M3 chip. In the U.S., the MacBook Air lineup continues to start at $999, so there is no price increase associated with the...
maxresdefault

Apple Announces Redesigned Mac Mini With M4 and M4 Pro Chips, Two Front USB-C Ports, and More

Tuesday October 29, 2024 8:01 am PDT by
Apple today announced fully redesigned Mac mini models featuring the M4 and M4 Pro chips, a considerably smaller casing, two front-facing USB-C ports, Thunderbolt 5 connectivity, and more. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. The product refresh marks the first time the Mac mini has been redesigned in over a decade. The enclosure now measures just five by five inches...
M4 M4 Pro vs M4 Max Feature

Apple Announcements Recap: M4 iMac, Mac Mini, and MacBook Pro

Wednesday October 30, 2024 9:24 am PDT by
Apple this week made three key Mac product announcements: new iMac, Mac mini, and MacBook Pro models. These machines bring the M4 chip series to Apple's Mac lineup for the first time, but each in its own way offers several new features and changes that go beyond processors. Below, we've compiled a recap of all the highlights. New iMac Apple on Monday announced its latest 24-inch iMac,...
Apple MacBook Pro M4 hero

Skipping the New MacBook Pro? Here Are Two Bigger Changes Rumored

Thursday October 31, 2024 4:00 pm PDT by
While the new MacBook Pro lineup features faster M4 chip options, Thunderbolt 5 support for higher-end configurations, a nano-texture display option, and more, most of the previous MacBook Pro models with Apple silicon chips still offer the latest overall design, and fast performance, which might lead you to avoid upgrading this year. If you are planning to skip the new MacBook Pro, here are ...