iPhone 7 Rumors: Apple to Use Samsung OLED Displays for Next iPhone
Samsung has been supplying Apple with displays for its smartwatch, but the latest iPhone 7 rumors say that the South Korean tech giant could also soon supply organic light-emitting diode (OLED) screens for the next iPhone.
There is a possibility that Apple may ask Samsung to build OLED displays for the upcoming iPhone 7. This move would see Apple doing away with screen backlights because an OLED screen's pixels will light up individually on their own, according to an ET News report cited by the International Business Times.
Whether the recent iPhone 7 rumors are true or not, Apple has until November to either finalize or ditch Samsung as its display supplier. Should Apple decide to tap Samsung as its OLED screen supplier, the move could affect the South Korean firm's supply for its own smartphones, the report details.
Another option that Apple could take is the construction of a plant that will exclusively build its LCD screens, since it has invested $1.4 billion in iPhone screen supplier Japan Display Inc. (JDI). However, Reuters points out that this plan could stretch over a long period of time since the new plant can only begin operating in 2015 , the report relays.
In addition, reports from Japan are contradicting the rumors and saying Apple will still work with JDI for its next iPhones. The new iPhone will still use IPS LCS displays, Tech News Today reports.
In June, rumors came out about Apple's plan to use Samsung's flexible OLED panels for its 2018 iPhone. Other rumors say Apple is considering reducing the iPhone's side bezels to give way to an edge-to-edge display.
For now, the final details of the iPhone 7 are still unconfirmed, and Apple has not yet revealed which iPhone unit will feature Samsung's non-flexible OLED panel. More details are expected to surface in the coming months.