Rumor: Apple reportedly looking to Samsung for thin glass LCDs
Faced with the need for thin glass for use in iPhone, iPad, and MacBook LCDs, Apple has reportedly turned to rival Samsung's display division to fill its component needs, reversing a trend that has seen the iPhone maker slowly move its supply chain away from the South Korean tech giant.
Tuesday brought word of Apple's alleged reversal, which is said to have reinvigorated the thin glass market in South Korea, according to ETNews. Demand for thin glass, which is a major component used in LCD displays for mobile devices and ultra-thin notebooks, is expected to grow to $464 million in 2013, up 34 percent year-over-year.
That increase stems largely from the massive popularity of both Apple and Samsung products. The two companies sell more phones and tablets than any other manufacturers.
In the past, Apple and Samsung collaborated much more closely, with Apple inking lucrative deals with Samsung for numerous components that went into its iPhones and iPads.
Now, though, the two are fierce rivals, continually fighting out patent issues even as they compete in various markets around the world. Apple in recent months has been distancing itself from Samsung, trying to move as much of its sourcing away from its chief competitor in order to lessen the possibility of Samsung gaining foreknowledge of its products.
Samsung Display, though, has a considerable stable of thin glass vendors, each of which has seen explosive growth as mobile devices gain popularity worldwide. Additionally, the South Korean company may be one of the more reliable component suppliers. Recent reports have indicated that, despite having achieved certification for iPad mini LCD panel production, AU Optronics ? another supplier Apple has relied upon in lieu of Samsung ? has been experiencing problems ramping up to mass production levels.
As Tuesday's report was light on specifics, it is difficult to determine whether Apple is only sourcing LCDs from Samsung until it can find another capable supplier or whether the company has decided to start a longer term relationship.
Tuesday brought word of Apple's alleged reversal, which is said to have reinvigorated the thin glass market in South Korea, according to ETNews. Demand for thin glass, which is a major component used in LCD displays for mobile devices and ultra-thin notebooks, is expected to grow to $464 million in 2013, up 34 percent year-over-year.
That increase stems largely from the massive popularity of both Apple and Samsung products. The two companies sell more phones and tablets than any other manufacturers.
In the past, Apple and Samsung collaborated much more closely, with Apple inking lucrative deals with Samsung for numerous components that went into its iPhones and iPads.
Now, though, the two are fierce rivals, continually fighting out patent issues even as they compete in various markets around the world. Apple in recent months has been distancing itself from Samsung, trying to move as much of its sourcing away from its chief competitor in order to lessen the possibility of Samsung gaining foreknowledge of its products.
Samsung Display, though, has a considerable stable of thin glass vendors, each of which has seen explosive growth as mobile devices gain popularity worldwide. Additionally, the South Korean company may be one of the more reliable component suppliers. Recent reports have indicated that, despite having achieved certification for iPad mini LCD panel production, AU Optronics ? another supplier Apple has relied upon in lieu of Samsung ? has been experiencing problems ramping up to mass production levels.
As Tuesday's report was light on specifics, it is difficult to determine whether Apple is only sourcing LCDs from Samsung until it can find another capable supplier or whether the company has decided to start a longer term relationship.
Comments
Has Apple ever considered transparent aluminium instead?
"Computer? Hello, computer!?"
Quote:
Originally Posted by SpamSandwich
Has Apple ever considered transparent aluminium instead?
Good choice
Quote:
Originally Posted by hentaiboy
Good choice
What, exactly, do you think that video is a test of?
That's the outer glass in the video. The glass the article is about is the actual LED glass underneath it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by hentaiboy
Good choice
Awesome display of Samsung technology on the Galaxy S4. Gorilla glass...gotta love it!
They did post the formula on Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
There's a punchline here somewhere.
If it's Gorilla Glass that means it's Corning's technology, not Samsung's. There are other companies that are working on and apparently selling alkali-aluminosilicate sheet glass but i think the S4 uses GG.
[VIDEO]
Quote:
Originally Posted by SpamSandwich
Has Apple ever considered transparent aluminium instead?
Transparent aluminium would turn the iPhone into a nuclear wessel
Quote:
Originally Posted by SolipsismX
If it's Gorilla Glass that means it's Corning's technology, not Samsung's. There are other companies that are working on and apparently selling alkali-aluminosilicate sheet glass but i think the S4 uses GG.
Please read my comments again.......No where did I say Gorilla Glass was a Samsung invention. You just assumed that. I even called it by name GORILLA GLASS not SAMSUNG GLASS....at least if you want to criticize get it right....
"Awesome display of Samsung technology on the Galaxy S4. Gorilla glass...gotta love it!"
Yes! You said Samsung technology in a video showing how GG3 is scratch resistant. Where are there any displays of Samsung tech being tested? The video is even called a scratch test.
There will be divisions within Samsung (components) that have been burned by its CE division(s) that has/have betrayed the relationship with Apple that seemed previously to have been so mutually beneficial. These divisions would be more than happy to have Apple's business and Apple's leadership pragmatic enough to give their business to them. That's my take at least.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SolipsismX
Yes! You said Samsung technology in a video showing how GG3 is scratch resistant. Where are there any displays of Samsung tech being tested? The video is even called a scratch test.
NO.....You made that leap...there is also other technology as well in the Galaxy S4....it did not take the time to list them all. I called out the awesome technology on the Galaxy S4...then said how great Gorilla Glass was. The video was a demo of Gorilla glasson a Samsung Galaxy S4. The Galaxy S4 is the technology i was commenting on along with the Gorilla glass......
You two bitching back and forth DO realize that iPhones use Gorilla Glass too, right? They have been seen the very first one. Apple just doesn't advertise that in bullet points.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Slurpy
You two bitching back and forth DO realize that iPhones use Gorilla Glass too, right? They have been seen the very first one. Apple just doesn't advertise that in bullet points.
Yes...and if that video had an IP5 in it i would have said Awesome Apple Technology...Gorilla glass gotta love it!
But i don't think he would have commented at all...
No need to list them all. How about listing just one Samsung technology that video displayed. The only technology I see displayed in that video is GG3 being tested, which, again is a Corning technology utilized by Samsung.
The gullibility of people on the Internet.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SolipsismX
No need to list them all. How about listing just one Samsung technology that video displayed. The only technology I see displayed in that video is GG3 being tested, which, again is a Corning technology utilized by Samsung.
First off the phone was a Galaxy S4....wake screen said "Life Companion" which comes default on the S4 not the S3. He even says it in the video....
The video displayed the S4......that was enough for me. Here is the link to the YouTube video where it says "
Samsung Galaxy sIV Scratch Test (Knives, Keys, Pennies)"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=DOW_IuZQ-5E#!
To your highlighted comment....you could say the same thing about the iPhone...it has Samsung, LG, Sharp technology utilized by Apple.