South Korea’s LG Display Co Ltd and the panel-making unit of Samsung Electronics Co Ltd will supply organic light emitting diode (OLED) screens for Apple Inc’s iPhones, the Electronic Times reported on Wednesday citing unnamed sources.
The report comes after years of speculation that Apple will start using the next-generation technology in its phones. OLED screens are thinner and offer better picture quality than the mainstay liquid crystal display screens.
Also Read : Finally Samsung Agreed To Pay Apple $548 Million In Patent Dispute
Japan’s Nikkei newspaper reported last month that Apple plans to start using OLED screens for iPhones starting in 2018.
LG and Samsung Display are close to a final agreement with Apple for the screens, the Electronic Times report said, adding the two Korean firms plan a combined 15 trillion won ($12.8 billion) in capital expenditure to build up OLED production capacity over the next two to three years.
Also Read : Apple Hit with Lawsuit Over iOS 9 Performance on Older iPhones
Apple will likely provide some funding to both firms to help with the investments, the paper added.
LG Display and Samsung Display declined to comment, while Apple could not be immediately reached for comment.
Samsung Display, which currently supplies OLED smartphone panels to parent Samsung Electronics and Chinese vendors, is likely getting bigger volumes from Apple than LG Display, the paper said.
Also Read : Did you Know, Apple Has Over 800 Engineers Working on the iPhone Camera
