LG may make LTPO OLED panels for your next iPhone, and why it’s important – Times of India

NEW DELHI: LG Display will reportedly supply low-temperature polycrystalline oxide (LTPO) thin-film transistor (TFT) OLED panels for Apple’s iPhone 14 series. According to a report in TheElec, “In 2022, LG Display will be supplying some of the LTPO TFT OLED panels used by Apple for the 6.68-inch iPhone 14 Pro Max.”
As per the report the order is a big win for LG Display despite its small size. “Winning the order for LTPO TFT OLED from Cupertino, despite the volume being small, is critical for the South Korean panel maker as it will allow it to maintain an edge over Chinese rival BOE, which is aggressively looking to expand its share in Apple’s OLED panel supply chain,” says the report.
Chinese major BOE too is developing LTPO TFT technology, however, the company is yet to commercialize it. The company has supplied low-temperature polycrystalline silicon (LTPS) TFT OLED panels, which is less advanced than LTPO TFT, for iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 models.
LTPO TFT supports 120Hz refresh rate and is more advanced technology that smartphone makers use for premium smartphones with OLED panels.
Samsung, the home country rival of LG Display, dominates the supply of OLED panels to Apple. Samsung provided the LTPO TFT OLED panel used in 2021’s Pro models of the iPhone 13 series. The company will also be supplying more units of LTPO TFT OLED panels used in the Pro Max model, while it is claimed to be the sole supplier of LTPO TFT OLED panels used in the 6.06-inch iPhone 14 Pro.
The addition of LG Display as a supplier is also said to be an advantage for Apple as it will help the iPhone maker to reduce reliance on Samsung and get leverage in price negotiations.