Apple iPhone 8: Device Not Fully Made In China; Will Have South Korean Parts, Report Says

Apple has been maneuvering to move production out of China for long, but now it seems that the company might start doing so more proactively with the upcoming iPhone — some key iPhone 8 components will be sourced from South Korea.

“Apple will seek to diversify suppliers for the OLED model but Samsung Display and its key suppliers will dominate the supply chain for some time,” Korean publication the Investor reported Monday, citing industry sources.

Read: Apple Might Make iPhone SE In India

The iPhone 8’s OLED panels will be made by Samsung Display, which is currently the only company in the world mass producing smartphone OLED panels. Since Apple is not experienced in making OLED display smartphones, it will also be sourcing key components from other South Korean suppliers — the display driver will be made by System LSI, while STEMCO and LG Innotek will provide chips that connect to the printed circuit board. The circuit board itself will be manufactured by three companies — Interflex, BH and Samsung Electro-Mechanics.

Until now, Apple’s iPhones have been ‘Designed in California, Made in China.’ But with iPhone 8, Apple will change this trend. This is not the first time that the company has tried to venture.

Reports indicated in January, that Apple might start making low-cost iPhones in India to address the local market’s demands.

President Donald Trump has been pushing the company to manufacture in the U.S. He said in January that he was in talks with Apple and the company’s CEO Tim Cook had told him that he had his ‘Eyes Open’ to U.S. production and that he wanted to do something major.

Read: iPhones Made In The US Could Cost $100-200 More Than China-Made Devices

Apple is yet to issue any confirmation or even an indication of such plans.

“To make iPhones, there will need to be a cluster of suppliers in the same place, which the U.S. does not have at the moment,” Cook told CBS’ 60 minutes in 2015.