Samsung Reportedly in Talks to Make Oled iPhone Displays in 2018

The new Apple iPhone 6 and 6s are seen in the demo area after an Apple special event at Bill Graham Civic Auditorium September 9, 2015 in San Francisco, California.

Apple is one of the companies that has received a lot of attention ever since the release of the first iPhone, and with the new report that the rumored OLED display is “highly” unlikely in the upcoming iPhone 7, fans may start closing doors on the new flagship.

Apple is planning to make the switch to OLED display technology for its iPhone handsets, according to reports on Wednesday, but not until 2018.

According to the executive, this strategic plan could help to diversify Samsung’s client base and display portfolio, which at present, is only limited to Samsung Electronics.

The rumor about Apple’s move to use Samsung-made OLED panels for iPhones has been around for so long but is still not within reach.

If Samsung and LG do find a way around it, Apple will be able to reap the benefit. But securing enough panels for the more than 200 million phones Apples ships globally every year will likely prove hard. The tech giant now uses LCD displays for its smartphones and tablets, with only the Apple Watch getting the more advanced OLED displays. While Samsung’s OLED display has its advantages, its rival’s LCD panels are easier and cheaper to manufacture, which is a definite plus for Apple should they want to keep their profit margin as large as possible. The 2018 iPhone would imply iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus models, if following Apple’s current nomenclature. “But demand for handsets will remain weak as time goes by because the handset industry will be reshaped further”, a high-ranking executive told The Korea Times last week.

The report points out there’ll be major implications for Japanese companies Sharp and Japan Display who now can not built OLED screens in volume.