Apple currently relies on Samsung for the supply of OLED displays for the iPhone X. However, according to a new report from The Wall Street Journal, China seems to be pushing itself in becoming a supplier of OLED displays to Apple. This comes as a part of its efforts to increase advanced manufacturing.
Furthermore, the report claims that China’s BOE Technology Group is seeking to supply Apple with OLED displays for future iPhone models. At present, BOE supplies displays for iPads and MacBooks and is also the largest supplier of large LCD screens. It is the only Chinese display company that supplies to Apple and is controlled by the Beijing city government.
This change has another advantage as it helps Apple in staying on good terms with the Chinese government. As for BOE, it is a win for China in its race to catch up with South Korea and Japan in advanced display-screen manufacturing. There reports about LG Display supplying 2 to 4 million OLED Panels for 6.5-inch Apple iPhone X Plus.
The Wall Street Journal report says:
Buying display screens from BOE, which is controlled by the Beijing city government and whose biggest shareholders are state-linked companies, could help Apple stay in China’s good graces—as long as BOE can meet Apple’s high bar for quality.