Reports are claiming that tech giant Apple is planning to switch to OLED panels for its iPhone devices by 2018. Apple devices, expect the Apple Watch, still use the older LCD technology.
According to Nikkei Asian Review, Apple will make the switch from LCD to OLED and plans to tap LG Display to provide the new panels. If the reports are true, Apple will be joining the likes of LG and Samsung which already use OLED panels on their flagship smartphones as well as other devices.
Reports said the Apple's announcement to switch to OLED panels have led many manufacturers racing to improve the technology as well as invest more and upgrade production.
Many experts believe that the current OLED panel production will not suffice to support Apple's high demand. The tech giant regularly ships more than 200 million iPhone units per year. In order to handle production limitation, the Cupertino-based company will opt to use a mix of OLED and LCD panels until production capacity can catch up.
Currently, Apple uses OLED exclusively on the Apple Watch which is a relatively low-volume product with a tiny display. There are reports claiming that Apple has started negotiating with South Korean company Samsung for supply of OLED panels.
According to Forbes, OLED displays, although a bit expensive and hard to produce, offer better power efficiency, deeper blacks, more saturated colors and better contrast compared to LCD. Tech experts believe that should Apple use OLED panels on iPhones, it will greatly improve the devices' battery life.