iPhone SE 2: Apple Taps LG Display To Supply LCD; Order Will Start On Small Size

Korean manufacturing giant LG Display is looking to supply LCD panels for Apple’s rumored next-generation iPhone SE 2 smartphone. The LCD panels are, reportedly, undergoing some last-minute quality checks to ensure that those products are of a high-enough quality to be used in the production of the new iPhone model.

The rumored iPhone SE 2 smartphone is an updated version of the tech giant’s popular compact and budget iPhone model, which was introduced by Apple in 2016. At that time, Japan-based companies JDI and Sharp, which was recently acquired by the Taiwan-based Foxconn Corporation, supplied LCD screens for the production of the iPhone models.

The deal is not yet complete but, as soon as the deal is confirmed by both parties, LG said that it will work to modify its module manufacturing equipment. But, unlike the previous iPhone production deal, which involved the production of LG LCD screens in mass volume, the initial orders might likely start on a small in size.

This is the first time LG Display will supply LCD materials for Apple. The two have already worked in the past years, where the Korean firm used mass production facilities to supply LCD panels for the more expensive iPhone models. However, the fast-growing mobile competitions and market dynamics have forced the Cupertino-based company to change strategy and shifted towards OLED screens, which now largely supplied by Samsung. LG Display also makes OLED panels for mobile devices, but the vast majority of LCD orders are supplied by Samsung.

Based in Seoul, South Korea, LG Display is, currently, one of the world’s largest producers and suppliers of OLEDs, flexible displays and thin-film transistor liquid crystal display. The Korean manufacturing giant, currently, operates and maintains nine fabrication plants as well as seven back-end assembly plants in Korea, Mexico, Poland, and China.

According to Ming-Chi Kuo, the rumored Apple smartphone will arrive in early 2020. The renowned Apple analyst added that the new second-generation mobile device will have the same size as the iPhone 8 and will feature an A13 processor along with 3GB of RAM and 64GB and 128GB of storage capacities. As for the initial price, Ming-Chi Kuo is predicting a $399 price tag. The iPhone SE 2 is expected to be a key growth driver for the American tech giant.