Apple May Be Shifting Back to Samsung for Future Display Production

iphone_5_displayDespite an ongoing lawsuit with Samsung that has led to ever increasing animosity between the two companies, Apple is said to be considering new contracts with Samsung to provide displays for its product lineup. According to Korean site ETNews.com (via AppleInsider), Apple is planning to resume purchasing LCDs from Samsung Display as the company is better equipped to keep up with high demand.

As the thin glass process was adopted to the production of touch screen panels, the related industry is expected to show stiff growth every year - there are very few Japanese or Taiwanese competitors in the thin glass market.

The industry is guessing that one of the reasons Apple decided to come back to Samsung Display is because of the thin glass. Samsung Display’s thin glass vendors have made a very visible growth in the industry, because Samsung Display, unlike LG Display, relies on its vendors for most of the thin glass processes.

Late last year, it was reported that Apple and Samsung would cut display ties in 2013, with Apple instead relying on other suppliers like LG Display and AU Optronics. Apple also cut back on memory orders from Samsung and in April, news hit that Apple would exclude Samsung from the development of its A7 system-on-a-chip, shifting production to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company instead.

If Apple is indeed willing to begin mending ties with Samsung, the shift back to Samsung Display comes just as the company begins preparations for both the fifth generation iPad and the iPhone 5S. Reports have suggested that Apple will begin production of the next iPhone in June, with iPad production following shortly after in July.

Popular Stories

iPhone SE 4 Vertical Camera Feature

iPhone SE 4 Rumored to Use Same Rear Chassis as iPhone 16

Friday July 19, 2024 7:16 am PDT by
Apple will adopt the same rear chassis manufacturing process for the iPhone SE 4 that it is using for the upcoming standard iPhone 16, claims a new rumor coming out of China. According to the Weibo-based leaker "Fixed Focus Digital," the backplate manufacturing process for the iPhone SE 4 is "exactly the same" as the standard model in Apple's upcoming iPhone 16 lineup, which is expected to...
iPhone 16 Pro Sizes Feature

iPhone 16 Series Is Just Two Months Away: Everything We Know

Monday July 15, 2024 4:44 am PDT by
Apple typically releases its new iPhone series around mid-September, which means we are about two months out from the launch of the iPhone 16. Like the iPhone 15 series, this year's lineup is expected to stick with four models – iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max – although there are plenty of design differences and new features to take into account. To bring ...
bsod

Crowdstrike Says Global IT Outage Impacting Windows PCs, But Mac and Linux Hosts Not Affected

Friday July 19, 2024 3:12 am PDT by
A widespread system failure is currently affecting numerous Windows devices globally, causing critical boot failures across various industries, including banks, rail networks, airlines, retailers, broadcasters, healthcare, and many more sectors. The issue, manifesting as a Blue Screen of Death (BSOD), is preventing computers from starting up properly and forcing them into continuous recovery...
iphone 14 lineup

Cellebrite Unable to Unlock iPhones on iOS 17.4 or Later, Leak Reveals

Thursday July 18, 2024 4:18 am PDT by
Israel-based mobile forensics company Cellebrite is unable to unlock iPhones running iOS 17.4 or later, according to leaked documents verified by 404 Media. The documents provide a rare glimpse into the capabilities of the company's mobile forensics tools and highlight the ongoing security improvements in Apple's latest devices. The leaked "Cellebrite iOS Support Matrix" obtained by 404 Media...
Apple Watch Series 9

2024 Apple Watch Lineup: Key Changes We're Expecting

Tuesday July 16, 2024 7:59 am PDT by
Apple is seemingly planning a rework of the Apple Watch lineup for 2024, according to a range of reports from over the past year. Here's everything we know so far. Apple is expected to continue to offer three different Apple Watch models in five casing sizes, but the various display sizes will allegedly grow by up to 12% and the casings will get taller. Based on all of the latest rumors,...
tinypod apple watch

TinyPod Turns Your Apple Watch Into an iPod

Wednesday July 17, 2024 3:18 pm PDT by
If you have an old Apple Watch and you're not sure what to do with it, a new product called TinyPod might be the answer. Priced at $79, the TinyPod is a silicone case with a built-in scroll wheel that houses the Apple Watch chassis. When an Apple Watch is placed inside the TinyPod, the click wheel on the case is able to be used to scroll through the Apple Watch interface. The feature works...

Top Rated Comments

arctic Avatar
146 months ago
Shifting Back to Samsung

Bloody so. The Samsung panels utilized for the retina Macbook Pros are far better than the LG ones.
Score: 26 Votes (Like | Disagree)
samcraig Avatar
146 months ago
Grabs the popcorn because you just know people are going to go ape over this and this thread will be fun to watch...

ETA: Especially those that insisted Apple didn't need Samsung...
Score: 23 Votes (Like | Disagree)
LaDirection Avatar
146 months ago
Well well well, look who comes crawling back.
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
PollyK Avatar
146 months ago
So what happened to all the huffing and puffing Apple was doing in regards to getting rid of Samsung. Let's not forget all the posters on this forum singing the praises of Apple for making the choice to minimize Samsung as a supplier. and all that ridiculous talk about how Apple doesn't need Samsung. This is a prime example how you never let your emotions mix in with business. Bottom line, there is no supplier that can offer the quality and quantity of parts like Samsung. And this is why they are the prime player that has risen in the market to challenge Apple.
So how many times has Apple come back to Samsung now? I recall this happened a few other times.
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Krauser Avatar
146 months ago
As they should. As far as panels go, they're the best in the business. Case and point, the MacBook Retina displays. Apple should be worrying about what's best for the consumers to create the best product they can. If Samsung offers the best panels, the right thing to do is utilize them. If they want to hold true to their word of "making the best products they possibly can", they need to do it, even if it means working with a competitor.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
samcraig Avatar
146 months ago
Why can't Apple just make the displays themselves? And assemble the phone themselves? Get rid of middle men which would get rid of the product leakers! Because they could have Cupertino-level secrecy in an Apple factory too!

Use their billions to make their own Apple factories!

If it were that "simple" - they would have. Clearly it's not.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)