In August 2017, Japan Display announced a strategic focus on OLED displays as the losing display maker failed to keep up with the industry shift to OLEDs. JDI announced it will raise funds to accelerate its OLED plans and prepare for mass production in 2019.
In October 2017 Japan Display estimated that it will require more than 200 billion Yen (around $1.77 billion USD) to start mass producing OLEDs in 2019, and the company started reaching out to display makers in China and Korea as finding a partner in Japan is difficult. JDI hoped to finalize its financing by March 2018, but according to a new report from Japan the investors in China, while initially eager to participate, are now hesitating.
JDI told its shareholders that a deal will only be signed in April at the earliest. The company is in talks with BOE, CSoT, Visionox and Hon Hai Precision (Foxconn). The Nikkei speculates that all these companies are more cautious now, due to changes in subsidies in China, as the government is shifting its focus from displays to the chip industry.
The only good news JDI has is that Apple may be increasing LCD orders for 2018 and reducing its OLED orders, following the disappointing sales of its first OLED phone, the iPhone X. This could mean increased LCD sales from JDI, at least in the short term.
