Samsung is preparing to supply Apple with 80 million OLED screens for the “iPhone 8” before the end of the year. This doesn’t mean the new handset will be available for shipment in September like past models, however, according to Digitimes.
According to the “upstream supply chain,” component production has begun for all three new iPhones expected to be announced this fall. This includes the long-rumored 5.8-inch iPhone 8, 4.7-inch iPhone 7s, and 5.5-inch “iPhone 7s Plus.”
The models are all expected to feature a reinforced glass chassis and aluminum metal frame.
Commenting on Samsung’s OLED order, the report notes:
Samsung Display’s remaining capacity, which is expected to output another 80 million AMOLED panels in 2017, will be used to supply orders from Samsung Electronics and its other smartphone clients, but the panel maker is expected to keep some flexibility in case Apple places additional orders, the sources noted.
Only the iPhone 8 is expected to have an OLED display, while the other two models will use LED.
In total, Apple’s expected to see iPhone 8 shipments of between 50-55 million units before the end of the year. An additional 25-30 million iPhone 7s and iPhone 7s Plus units are also expected.
Though manufacturing on the component parts for the iPhone 8 has begun, mass production isn’t expected to begin until mid-September, according to Digitimes Research’s Luke Lin. The analyst believes only about 3 million units will be produced before the end of September.
This isn’t the first time we heard that iPhone 8 sales might not begin until October or later. Back in April, reputable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo noted Apple would unveil the iPhone 8 in September, but not release the handset until later in the year.
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