14 DAY TRIAL // Rumor has it that Apple is planning to make the switch to OLED displays for the iPhone lineup in the coming years, and a new report coming from Korea suggests that Cupertino has just reached a deal that would make this upgrade possible starting 2017.
Apple and Samsung have reached a deal for the production of OLED displays that would be installed on a future iPhone model, Korean Herald reports, with the partnership between the two companies to last for at least three years (it can be extended after that if the two sides agree).
Apple wants Samsung to supply approximately 100 million units in exchange for an investment of $2.59 billion (€2.3 billion), the report reads, noting that neither Apple nor Samsung has wanted to confirm the deal.
OLED exclusive for bigger iPhones?
The most interesting part of the story isn’t necessarily the fact that Apple has just signed a deal for the production of OLED display because we kind of knew that this change would take place at some point, but the fact that the company seems to be planning the upgrade only for the Plus model.
As part of the collaboration with Apple, Samsung will build only 5.5-inch OLED displays, which could be a sign that only the bigger Plus could give up on the traditional LCD screen still being used on the current generation.
Without any mention of a 4.7-inch display, it’s believed that Apple might adopt a different strategy for the 2017 iPhone lineup, but it’s very clear that there still are a lot of uncertain things for now.
Previous reports indicated that Apple was aiming to make the switch to OLED starting with the 2018 iPhone, but it appears that plans have since changed, and the company wants to speed up work on what seems to be the biggest screen upgrade ever made to the iPhone.