Apple had tied-up with Samsung for making its first OLED panel smartphone – the iPhone X last year. The company is most likely to stick with the same for the upcoming 2018's iPhones as well. A new report suggests Samsung would still be the Apple's backup solution for manufacturing OLED panels instead of the proposed LG's panels.
A report from the WSJ and other sources indicate that LG seems to have a difficulty in arranging with Apple’s OLED panel requirements. It also states that “manufacturing problems have caused it to fall behind the schedule that many suppliers follow before beginning mass production for iPhones.”
Usually, Apple is supposed to kick off the new iPhone's manufacturing slated in July. But LG's efforts in making the panels would most likely end up the company as a second supplier to Apple. This leaves Samsung to be the primary manufacturer for OLED panels supplier to the upcoming iPhones.
Apple has been reportedly requesting LG to begin the third round of prototype production for the 2018' iPhone. The company is believed to be struggling hard in ensuring the manufacturing issues won't hold back its next-generation devices. Last year, the iPhone X was delayed due to inefficient Face ID facial recognition models. However, Samsung becoming the primary supplier of the OLED displays may leave Apple to still keep the price of the iPhone expensive, which can be a bigger problem for the company.
The addition of LG making the OLED panels for Apple was planned to make iPhones available at a lower price. But, Samsung's displays cost up to 100$ per unit for the current iPhone X display, which eventually makes the iPhone expensive.
Apple is planning to launch three different iPhone models this year, out of which two would feature OLED screens. The other iPhone would most likely feature an LCD panel.
(Source)
