In late 2024 we reported several times that demand for Apple's iPad Pro devices is lower than expected, and the company reduced its OLED panel orders from both Samsung and LG.
According to a new report from Korea, LG may decide to start using its IT AMOLED production line to produce smartphone displays. The company looks to supply 70 million iPhone AMOLED displays to Apple in 2025, up from around 65 million in 2024 (and 52 million in 2023). Converting the IT AMOLED line to smartphone panel production will enable LGD to increase capacity without a large investment in new equipment.
The IT OLED line has advanced technology (to enable it to produce tandem OLED displays), that LGD will not use for the smartphone displays. In addition, the IT OLED line produces panels on thin glass (and TFE encapsulation), as opposed to the polyimide used in Apple's smartphone OLEDs. This will require some cahnges to the line, but the investment will still be much lower than building a new line, and production may begin much sooner as well.
