According to Korean media, The Elec reported that LG Display for iPhone 14 Pro Max development of low-temperature polycrystalline oxide (LTPO) OLED has entered the final stage of Apple’s review.
Whether LG Display can win the deal will be decided in about two weeks, sources said. This is LG Display’s first attempt at commercializing LTPO TFT OLED. Its rival Samsung Display is already making panels for the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max and commercialized the technology as early as 2020.
The Elec said that samples provided by LG Display to Cupertino (where Apple is headquartered) showed problems with the thin-film package and the hole at the top of the front camera. The company had to replace some of the materials used in the production process as a result, and the new samples after the changes are being tested for reliability, the source said.
If Apple refuses to accept the new samples within two weeks, LG Display will have to go through a similar process again, delaying approval by another two weeks to a month. If approved in early October, LG Display could begin mass production immediately and receive more orders.
Samsung Display ordered more devices for manufacturing LTPO OLEDs as demand unexpectedly increased due to competitor setbacks. Apple uses LTPO OLED panels in its Pro models, while the standard and Plus models use low-temperature polysilicon (LTPS) panels that are easier to manufacture compared to LTPO OLED.
