OLED displays, which use organic compounds that emit light on their own, offer more vivid colors and sharper contrast than LCDs due to the absence of a backlight
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Apple plans to equip all iPhone models with organic light-emitting diode (OLED) displays starting next year.
With this, the United States-based tech giant will be phasing out the liquid crystal displays (LCDs) in its lower-priced iPhone SE models, according to a report by Nikkei.
What are OLED displays?
OLED displays, which use organic compounds that emit light on their own, offer more vivid colors and sharper contrast than LCDs due to the absence of a backlight.
Apple first introduced OLED panels with the iPhone X in 2017, gradually replacing LCDs in its premium models. Around 2015, JDI and Sharp supplied nearly 200 million LCDs annually for iPhones, a figure that dropped to about 20 million by 2023.
As Apple expands its use of advanced OLED screens to iPads and other products, the company is expected to further reduce its reliance on LCDs.
Japanese suppliers to take a hit
The shift marks the exclusion of Japan Display (JDI) and Sharp from Apple’s handset business.
A decade ago, the two Japanese suppliers held a 70 per cent share of iPhone displays, but their role diminished as Apple transitioned to OLEDs for its premium models, leaving them to supply LCDs only for the iPhone SE. The OLED market is now dominated by South Korean and Chinese companies.
Nikkei, citing multiple sources, reported that Apple has begun placing orders for OLED displays for the upcoming iPhone SE with China’s BOE Technology Group and South Korea’s LG Display. Mass production is likely to begin in October 2024, with a potential release in early 2025.
Samsung Electronics, the leading supplier, holds about 50 per cent of the iPhone OLED display market, followed by LG Display with 30 per cent and BOE with 20 per cent.