14 DAY TRIAL // Apple was projected to go all-in on OLED for the 2019 generation of iPhones, with the 2018 lineup to bring us the very last model featuring LCD.
But according to a report from the Wall Street Journal, this isn’t going to happen, as Apple might wait one more year to give up on LCD entirely. This is a decision that’s mostly based on the existing supplier portfolio, as Samsung is currently the only company building OLED panels that can meet Apple’s requirements and very likely to remain so in the near future.
While Apple is actively involved in a partnership with LG that would have the South Korean firm build OLEDs as well, this project is advancing slowly, and the firm has no other option than to stick with LCD for at least one more year, the report adds.
Otherwise, bringing OLED to all iPhone models would lead to higher prices for the entire lineup, a strategy that Apple itself cannot afford right now. The LCD version projected to launch this year is expected to be the most affordable in the entire generation, as Apple specifically wants a low-cost alternative to its premium iPhones.
All iPhone models to use a notch regardless of display
Samsung, in its turn, is pushing for higher display prices, and the existing panel on the iPhone X is said to be the most expensive part of the device. If this approach is maintained for future models, iPhones could hit the shelves at even higher price tags – Apple is believed to be working on an iPhone X Plus with an even bigger display that would obviously cost more.
For the time being, it looks like sticking with LCD is Apple’s only choice, and despite the Cupertino-based company clearly wanting to make the switch to OLED, it’s more or less forced to keep this display technology around for a little longer.
This doesn’t necessarily mean that sticking with LCD wouldn’t allow Apple to add new features to its devices. All models will come with a notch and integrate Face ID facial recognition, with the edge-to-edge bezel-less screen to be used regardless of display tech.