Apple finally made the switch from LCD to OLED this year with the iPhone X, and Samsung was the sole supplier of these panels for the current generation. And while Apple is expected to work with Samsung for at least another year, it is believed that the company is trying to reduce its reliance on its South Korean partner and look elsewhere for OLED displays for its iPhone.
LG Display was one of the potential partners, with several sources confirming ongoing talks over the summer and hinting at plans to produce iPhone X displays by the end of the year.
However, LG says it has not manufactured a single OLED panel for Apple's iPhone X, adding that a deal with the US -based company has not yet been reached .
Speculation that made headlines earlier this year reported that Apple invested in a new LG manufacturing facility that would supposedly focus solely on making displays for the iPhone.
So far, however, Samsung remains the exclusive supplier of iPhone X displays, and from the looks of things, it will continue to be the only company making such panels in the first half of 2018.
Recent media reports have indicated that Apple plans to purchase at least 200 million OLED displays from Samsung in 2018, which would mean $22 billion in revenue for the South Korean giant.
Samsung built about 50 million iPhone X displays this year alone, according to estimates, with yield rates reaching 90 percent in December and likely rising to their peak level by the end of the year or early 2018.
Apple is considering expanding its OLED iPhone lineup next year with a second model featuring such technology, so LG wouldn't necessarily replace Samsung entirely, but rather bring it in as a secondary supplier of such panels for the 2018 generation.
