Apple reportedly in talks to build $1.7B plant in partnership with Japan Display
Apple may soon secure a more stable source for small to medium sized device displays, as the company is said to be in talks with Japan Display on the buildout of a $1.7 billion manufacturing plant.
Japan Display -- the result of a 2012 merger of Sony, Hitachi and Toshiba's display divisions -- is mulling an agreement with Apple that could see the Cupertino, Calif., company cover a substantial portion of costs on the buildout of a 200 billion yen (about $1.68 billion) LCD display manufacturing facility, reports Japan's Nikkan Kogyo. In return for its investment, Apple would receive most or all of the factory's output.
According to sources, the suggested plant is to be built in Ishikawa, Japan next year and will produce LTPS (low temperature polysilicon), a technology first used by Apple in the latest generation iPhone 6. If green lit, the sixth-generation facility will be capable of churning out large glass substrates at a high rate, and could potentially transition over to the production of OLED panels. Apple's first OLED product will be the Apple Watch, which is currently slated for release in April.
At this point talks are fluid, sources said, noting Apple is also negotiating a display deal with Foxconn. It was reported in November that Foxconn subsidiary Innolux Corp. is sinking $2.6 billion into a state-of-the-art plant to serve Apple's ballooning demand for iPhone panels.
"No formal decision has been made regarding any matter that we need to disclose," Japan Display said in a statement obtained by Reuters.
The report also notes that Apple sources iPhone displays from Japanese companies JDI and Sharp, as well as South Korea's LG Display.
Japan Display -- the result of a 2012 merger of Sony, Hitachi and Toshiba's display divisions -- is mulling an agreement with Apple that could see the Cupertino, Calif., company cover a substantial portion of costs on the buildout of a 200 billion yen (about $1.68 billion) LCD display manufacturing facility, reports Japan's Nikkan Kogyo. In return for its investment, Apple would receive most or all of the factory's output.
According to sources, the suggested plant is to be built in Ishikawa, Japan next year and will produce LTPS (low temperature polysilicon), a technology first used by Apple in the latest generation iPhone 6. If green lit, the sixth-generation facility will be capable of churning out large glass substrates at a high rate, and could potentially transition over to the production of OLED panels. Apple's first OLED product will be the Apple Watch, which is currently slated for release in April.
At this point talks are fluid, sources said, noting Apple is also negotiating a display deal with Foxconn. It was reported in November that Foxconn subsidiary Innolux Corp. is sinking $2.6 billion into a state-of-the-art plant to serve Apple's ballooning demand for iPhone panels.
"No formal decision has been made regarding any matter that we need to disclose," Japan Display said in a statement obtained by Reuters.
The report also notes that Apple sources iPhone displays from Japanese companies JDI and Sharp, as well as South Korea's LG Display.
Comments
Curious about what this phrase means.
It sounds like gibberish to me, but that is the case of AppleInsider more frequently these days.
Nah, this is for Munster's 60" Apple Television.
But hey, I don't know. Is sixty inches too small for a television these days? My living room hasn't grown any larger, even if sixty inches were the "bare mininum" for a premium television, I still couldn't fit it in the space that I've earmarked for my TV.
Is sixty inches too small for a television these days?
Apple’s making a flexible SAMOLEDOOFUS+ panel for their TV. Comes in a tube to save space. Just roll it out to the size you want and the UI matches the roll, up to 100” 2.39:1.
I was surprised that none of the iPods were updated last year. They had moved to a 2-year cycle, but I think updating this year will be the 3rd year.
If they update the iPod Touch with a 4.7" and/or 5.5" option with most of the 2014 iPhone specs they could potentially keep decent margins, but are there even enough buyers to warrant the effort? Macs accounted for more than double that of iPod sale for the fiscal year ending 2014, and in 2015 the iPod segment was gone.
IGZO-based OLED panels maybe?
I thought Apple and Sharp developed a new OLED "printing" production process.
And yes. They patented it IIRC.
According to sources, the suggested plant is to be built in Ishikawa, Japan next year and will produce LTPS (low temperature polysilicon), a technology first used by Apple in the latest generation iPhone 6.[/QUOTE]
I believe that LTPS screens go all the way back to the iPhone 4 Retinas. Here's a sample piece of evidence for that, as well as some background for this story. Plus bonus vintage small-vs.-bigger-screen squabbling from some familiar forum members when they were younger and more innocent.
http://forums.appleinsider.com/t/150335/apples-next-iphone-expected-to-consume-70-of-high-res-ltps-screen-supply
The story is a bit garbled, but it for sure indicates that the iPhone 5 would be LTPS. We have to infer that the 4 and 4S were using LTPS.
Get a bigger living room.
Looks like we'll be waiting another year for that 5.5 inch iPod touch.
Don't hold your breath.
I was surprised that none of the iPods were updated last year.
I wasn't.
iPod sales will continue to go down as long as Apple ignores the line and doesn't update them.
There is still interest for them but who wants to buy old technology? If new iPods were announced we'd see a sales spike. They make good toys for kids especially a 5.5" one.
I always told my friend that if the Galaxy Note were released and marketed as a toy it would have been a huge success. Similar to the iPods in the 2000's.
Furthermore if they can release the iPod touch with an iPhone 6 lens they can sell as good handheld cameras.
IGZO-based OLED panels maybe?
I thought Apple and Sharp developed a new OLED "printing" production process.
And yes. They patented it IIRC.
But Samsung is now a major shareholder of Sharp. And we have all heard Sharp wasn't too happy with Foxconn and working with Apple.
I guess this 1.7B with Japan Display and 2.8B in Innolux were to secure enough panels for the future and a indication that the deal with Sharp hasn't worked out.
Last week we also heard the news Apple Watch's display will be using LG OLED exclusively.
Get a bigger living room.
Or stick it on the ceiling and put a big fat shaggy rug and a few pillows on the floor. Who needs furniture?
In any event a lot of people like me really wanted to see Touch updated for other reasons. If I wanted to listen to music I'd turn the radio on.
Well one thing is certain, nobody with any sense would buy today's iPod Touch.
I use a Touch exclusively, because 95% of my family and friends have iPhones and I can iMessage them from wifi which I have access to about 95% of my life.
Literally saved me thousands of dollars.
But Samsung is now a major shareholder of Sharp. And we have all heard Sharp wasn't too happy with Foxconn and working with Apple.
I guess this 1.7B with Japan Display and 2.8B in Innolux were to secure enough panels for the future and a indication that the deal with Sharp hasn't worked out.
Last week we also heard the news Apple Watch's display will be using LG OLED exclusively.
Good points all. And yes, Apple has paid up front for components before.
So maybe the Japan Display deal is only for iMac / MacBook / Thunderbolt Display panels.
(And I'd bet a dollar they're not for an Apple-branded TV set. LOL.)