Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Mobile
  3. News

Amid OLED supply issues, Apple mulls over another supplier for iPhone 8 screens

Adam Ismail
By

Apple iPhone 7
Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends
Apple has been assembling a team of suppliers to satisfy demand for OLED displays in future iPhones, and it appears one of those suppliers could be China’s BOE Technology Group, according to Bloomberg.

The switch from LCD technology, which has powered every previous iPhone, to OLED has been one of the major changes predicted for the upcoming iPhone 8. Trouble is, OLED panels are more costly and difficult to produce, and Samsung, which was initially tipped to be Apple’s exclusive OLED supplier for this year’s batch of smartphones, is not confident it will be able to produce enough. This has caused Apple to look elsewhere, and one of the companies it is reportedly courting is BOE.

Recommended Videos

BOE, which Bloomberg cites as the world’s largest producer of LCD displays by market value, is constructing one plant in Chengdu specifically for OLED manufacturing purposes, scheduled to be completed in the summer, and will start up on another in Mianyang soon after. Apple has been testing BOE’s displays for months, according to the report, and is still unsure if it will enlist the company’s services. While BOE seems likely to miss the cutoff for the iPhone 8, the companies might partner on Apple’s 2018 smartphones, and BOE is ramping up capacity in response.

Related

The upshot of all of this is that Apple still may not have enough OLED displays on hand by the end of the year to equip the entire iPhone range — something the Cupertino, California, company was reportedly considering. Even with production from LG, Japan Display, and Sharp, in addition to Samsung, some analysts say Apple might be forced to restrict OLED to the flagship iPhone 8, or just shelve the new screens entirely until next year.

OLED displays are favored for their impressive contrast ratio and frugal energy consumption compared to conventional LCD. Previous sources have suggested the iPhone 8’s implementation could be curved and run from side to side, similar to Samsung’s Galaxy Edge series.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Adam Ismail
Adam Ismail
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Adam’s obsession with tech began at a young age, with a Sega Dreamcast – and he’s been hooked ever since. Previously…
I hate my iPhone’s keyboard, but this app made it better
Theming on SwiftKey

The iPhone does a lot of things right. From serving a secure environment, a smooth operating system, unmatched performance, and consistently good cameras, there are plenty of practically justifiable reasons to overlook any of the best Android phones in favor of a pricey iPhone.

Interestingly, Apple tends to take a conservatively slow approach when it comes to smartphone innovations and only serves them after nearly near-perfecting the formula. But the default iPhone keyboard is a tale of stagnation. Or, to put it more accurately, it’s absurdly feature-devoid and depressingly non-exciting.

Read more
Your iPhone will soon be able to speak with your voice
Apple's preview of new accessibility features for its devices.

Apple has announced a slew of new accessibility features coming to the iPhone and its other devices later this year.

They include Personal Voice, which uses a synthesized version of your voice for spoken conversations, offering a more meaningful way to communicate with loved ones for those who have lost the ability to talk.

Read more
This iPhone 16 Pro rumor just ruined the iPhone 15 Pro
A black iPhone 14 Pro lying on a table.

Apple iPhone 14 Pro Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

I had a ton of hope when I splurged the equivalent of $1,700 on the iPhone 14 Pro last year, buying into the camera hype of the new 48-megapixel sensor, the snazzy Dynamic Island, and a faster chip. I was sorely disappointed, especially when I looked at the competition and noticed I was missing out on meaningful perks like a folded lens telephoto camera for a higher lossless zoom range. I was not alone in sharing the disappointment.

Read more