14 DAY TRIAL // Apple is projected to take the wraps off the second-generation iPhone SE in just a few months, as people close to the matter say the launch is due to happen in the first quarter of 2020.
One of the most important details about this device is the display it’s going to use, as Samsung, which currently builds OLED panels for the more premium iPhones, is apparently not involved in the talks.
Instead, LG Display is believed to be in pole-position for securing a supply deal for the new budget iPhone, but Korean media says that not even this company is too keen on building LCD screens for the iPhone SE 2.
The next-generation iPhone SE is expected to be based on iPhone 8, so it’ll use a 4.7-inch LCD panel without a notch but with a home button featuring Touch ID integration.
“LG Display cannot afford to pick and choose as the firm is undergoing heavy-duty reshuffling and restructuring,” a source familiar with the talks told TheElec.
Samsung not even a candidate
However, there’s a good chance the talks come to a conclusion shortly, at which point LG Display will prepare for the production of screens for the iPhone SE 2.
“We understand that the initial orders will be small in size,” another source told the same publication. “In the past, when LG Display was supplying LCDs to high-end iPhones, the facilities were for mass-production.”
While a decision hasn’t been made just yet, it looks like Apple is very keen on using LG Display screens on the second-generation iPhone SE. In other words, Samsung is not even a candidate for making these screens, which for Apple could be a double-edged sword.
The Cupertino-based tech giant has been trying for several years already to reduce reliance on Samsung, and the debut of the iPhone SE 2 could be a substantial step in this direction. On the other hand, Samsung’s displays have already been praised by the whole industry, and going for LG Display means Apple takes the risk of experiencing possible quality issues on the new budget model.