Samsung has plans for a new South Korean production line that will make larger OLED displays that can be used for tablets and notebooks. The company is set to build a new production line, with the aim of selling the displays to Apple for use in its devices.
The Elec says Samsung Display will decide on its final spending plan within the year and likely start ordering production equipment for the Gen 8.5 line next year, sources said. The production line will likely be set up to replace the now-defunct L8-1-2 line, which was used to manufacture liquid crystal displays up to last year.
Since the new production line will create larger OLED displays – which would be suitable for notebooks and tablets – could lead to Apple contracting with Samsung to create the displays for upcoming MacBook Pro notebooks and iPad tablets.
Apple has been transitioning its iPad and MacBook lineups to use mini-LED displays, and a move to OLED displays would be the next logical step. While mini-LED displays use a backlight, OLED panels use self-emitting pixels and do not require backlighting. This improves the display contrast ratio and also contributes to longer battery life on devices. Apple currently uses OLED displays for its most recent iPhones and all Apple Watch models.
