Apple and LG Negotiating Exclusive Deal for OLED Displays
July 3, 2017

Apple is reportedly in talks with LG Display to invest about 2 to 3 trillion won (US$1.75-2.62 billion) into the Korean display maker’s new OLED production lines exclusively dedicated to Apple orders. According to recent news reports, the two firms have tentatively agreed on the investment plans, even though details, including investment timing and size, have not yet been finalized. The new plant, known as E6, is expected to come online in 2019. LG was last month said to be planning to invest about $3.5B in OLED production, and it now seems that a significant amount of this cash may come directly from Apple. The deal is likely to be a double-win for Apple. It will guarantee volume supplies of OLED panels at a time when they are still likely to be in a short supply, and it’s also a near-certainty that the deal includes extremely competitive pricing for Apple’s orders. The exclusivity is a one-way thing: Apple will still be free to source some of its OLED panels elsewhere. The company generally likes to have multiple suppliers to reduce risk and strengthen its negotiating position.

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