A company doesn’t buy 70 million components unless you’re probably going to include it in a future product.
Apple has reportedly placed an order for 70 million OLED panels from Samsung, which looks to be set to become Apple’s sold OLED supplier.
Demand for the 2017 iPhone, which is expected to feature a major design overhaul with an edge-to-edge display, glass body, and a premium price tag, is expected to be high as it typically is in a year when a new look is unveiled. Apple and Samsung are gearing up to meet demand with the large panel order.
The story is followed by the following comment from IHS Markit analyst David Hsieh:
“Apple has ordered 70 million units of OLED panels from Samsung this year, while Samsung is preparing to churn out as many as 95 million for Apple in 2017, in case demand exceeds expectations.”
It’s rumored that the OLED panels will be in short supply come the next-gen iPhone’s launch in September, with the majority of the stock unavailable until later in the year. Hsieh has stated that “it is also possible that some of these 70 million handsets will not be shipped to customers this year and be carried over to next year depending on demand.”
An anonymous source also stated that the next-gen iPhone will feature a 5.2-inch screen and no home button, which will be sold alongside standard 4.7 and 5.5-inch devices with LCD screens and home buttons. All three iPhones will include wireless charging functionality (lately said to be inductive) and waterproofing, while at least one model, presumably the OLED iPhone, will include a 3D sensor that supports facial recognition.
Other rumored features include improvements to the camera, a faster and more efficient A11 processor, Touch ID built into the display, True Tone ambient light adjustment, and perhaps augmented reality functionality enabled through the camera.
As always, stay tuned for additional details as they become available.