Apple took its sweet time switching to OLED display panels for its mainline iPhones, but the iPhone SE stuck with the cheaper LCD technology. That will, however, change when the next iPhone SE is released, most likely next year.
According to a new report out of Asia, the next iPhone SE will have an OLED panel as well. This confirms many previous rumors. Thus, Apple will no longer be making any smartphone using LCD panels, which will hurt Japan Display and Sharp, as they were the suppliers for those and neither makes OLED panels for phones (JDI supplies small OLEDs for the Apple Watch).
The last iPhone SE’s LCD screen will be the last of its kind
Apple has allegedly begun placing orders for OLED displays for the next iPhone SE from China’s BOE and Korea’s LG. As of now, Samsung supplies about half of the OLED panels required for iPhones, LG has a 30% share, and BOE makes up the remaining 20%.
UK-based market researcher Omdia says OLEDs will overtake LCDs by number of panels shipped for smartphones this year. We’re a bit surprised that it took this long.