There’s been several big and persistent iPhone 8 rumours we’ve been hearing in recent months, as the cavalcade of leaks and speculation builds.
The most pervasive thus far have been the removal of the physical home button and an edge-to-edge OLED screen for Apple’s upcoming handset.
And while there’s been some debate over whether that OLED display will be curved or not, it seems highly likely Apple is ready to make the switch from LCD tech with its next iPhone.
Related: What will the next iPhone be called?
And seeing as Samsung has been heavily rumoured to be the supplier of the iPhone 8’s OLED panels, the company’s commentary on its latest financial results was always likely to be the source of some hints about its plans for 2017.
Having released its first quarter financial results, the firm has provided a statement in which it breaks down the results and says it expects OLED sales to grow in the second half of 2017.
That heavily suggests it will indeed be supplying its rival with OLED panels for the upcoming iPhone 8, which is expected to launch in late-2017.
Here’s the full quote: “For OLED, revenue is expected to grow [year-on-year] due to an increase in the supply of flexible panels in the second half.”
The company goes on to state: “Looking to the second quarter, the company plans to actively address the expected continuous rise in demand for OLED panels, including flexible displays.”
Many iPhone 8 rumours have suggested Apple will make use of a curved panel on the new handset, so the “flexible” element could well refer to that.
It’s far from confirmation, of course, but it makes a lot of sense to imagine the growth in revenue will be driven by Apple’s rumoured use of Samsung OLED tech.
There’s always the possibility that Samsung is expecting the launch of its Galaxy Note 8 phablet to boost the use of OLED, but the firm specifically states “supply” and “rise in demand”, which hints at its intention to provide the technology to outside companies.
Apple is expected to debut the iPhone 8 later this year, though the phone’s actual release could be delayed until 2018 according to some recent reports. Stay tuned for more.
Let us know what you think of Samsung’s update in the comments.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
