14 DAY TRIAL // Apple is believed to be planning the switch from LCD screens to AMOLED in 2018 or 2019, which means that the iPhone 8 could be the very first model to come with the new technology.
But for the moment, Apple is still trying to determine which company should be in charge of the manufacturing process, and negotiations are said to be underway with several firms.
A report coming from FocusTaiwan reveals that AU Optronics has recently started talks with Apple over the production of AMOLED screens, but since it doesn’t have the capacity to build enough displays to cope with the iPhone demand, an investment from the Cupertino-based firm is very likely.
At the moment, AU Optronics is already producing AMOLED screens for Huawei, but if a partnership with Apple goes through, a significant boost in manufacturing capacity is absolutely needed, so the fruity-named company is ready to step in and provide an investment that would help set up more production lines.
Samsung and LG also in manufacturing talks
AU Optronics is not the only company that could manufacture AMOLED screens for a future iPhone, as Apple is also said to be in talks with Samsung and LG Display. Currently, LG Display is the manufacturer of OLED screens for the Apple Watch, so people close to the matter believe Apple is ready to expand the partnership with displays for a future iPhone too.
But at the same time, Cupertino wants to avoid production issues that might impact LG Display’s capacity if the company splits its output for two different devices, so further partnerships are needed.
As far as the first iPhone to come with an OLED screen is concerned, word has it Apple is planning to give up on LCD in 2018 or 2019, so the next-generation model will definitely come with the same technology as the existing one.