TAIPEI/TOKYO/OSAKA — Apple will use OLED screens for all its forthcoming 5G iPhones this year, going all-in with the world’s premium display technology for its flagship range in a move that is sure to spark new competition among suppliers of smartphone panels.
The U.S. tech giant plans to introduce four 5G iPhones with three different screen sizes — 5.4-inch, 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch — all of which will use the OLED technology, the Nikkei Asian Review has learned. OLED stands for organic light-emitting diode. The technology not only is more power-efficient, but also produces sharper contrast, deeper back than liquid-crystal displays.
Apple first used OLED displays in its iPhone X in 2017 but this is the first time it will use the more expensive technology for all models in its top-of-the-range phone.
Among the three iPhones launched last year, Apple’s bestselling iPhone 11 uses more affordable LCDs, but the iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max have OLED displays. Apple’s more affordable iPhone SE, which went on sale in April, also uses an LCD screen.
Production of OLED disp