Apple to Switch All iPhone Screens to OLED Next Year

Apple is set to make a significant change in its display technology by transitioning all iPhone models, including the affordable iPhone SE series, to OLED panels starting next year. This strategic move will lead to the complete discontinuation of LCD displays in iPhones, effectively phasing out Japanese suppliers Sharp and Japan Display Inc. (JDI) from Apple's display supply chain.

Reports indicate that Apple has already started placing orders for OLED panels for the next-generation iPhone SE from China's BOE Technology and South Korea's LG Display. This shift to OLED for the SE model marks the end of LCD use in iPhones, with the new SE models set to feature OLED displays exclusively.

A decade ago, Sharp and JDI commanded a 70% market share in iPhone displays. However, their role has diminished to providing LCD panels solely for the iPhone SE, with no significant production of OLED screens. As older SE models are phased out, Sharp and JDI's supply of LCD panels for iPhones is expected to cease altogether. In 2015, these companies produced nearly 200 million LCDs annually for iPhones, a figure that has dropped to approximately 20 million by 2023.

According to market research firm Omdia, OLED panel shipments for smartphones are projected to surpass those of LCDs for the first time this year. With Apple also moving its iPad and other products to advanced OLED screens, the company is likely to further reduce its procurement of LCD displays.

Apple first introduced OLED displays with the iPhone X in 2017 and has since transitioned its high-end models from LCD to OLED. Currently, Samsung Electronics holds around 50% of the iPhone OLED display market, while LG Display and BOE Technology account for approximately 30% and 20%, respectively.