Samsung Display is the world’s largest supplier of OLED displays for the mobile devices, accounting for more than 90% of the market. However, as OLED display technology becomes widely adopted by an increasing number of smartphone manufacturers, the world’s biggest OLED supplier is apparently gearing up for the high demand. According to recent reports from The Investor citing Vietnamese news outlet Chosun Biz, Samsung Display is now looking to invest $2 billion in its OLED production line in Vietnam.
Nearly 50% of smartphones sold worldwide by Samsung Electronics are manufactured in its two plants located in Vietnam, and Samsung Display – the company’s branch responsible for advancing display technologies – is now looking to expand its production capacity for OLED panels in Vietman as well. According to reports, Samsung Display is now considering a new investment worth $2 billion in order to increase its OLED production capacity in Vietnam, and sources say that Samsung Electronics is now finalizing deal conditions such as tax benefits with Tinh Bac Ninh’s provincial government in northern Vietnam. The report goes on to mention that the official, final announcement regarding the company’s plans in Vietnam will be made before the end of the first quarter of 2017.
OLED (organic light-emitting diode) display technology is becoming increasingly popular in the world of smartphones, and numerous reports so far have suggested that Apple is about to switch from LCD to OLED display technology with the release of its next iPhone later this year. Reports also say that Samsung Display will be Apple’s sole supplier of OLED panels (or at least the main supplier), which is apparently one of the reasons why the South Korean tech giant is now looking to expand its OLED production capacity in Vietnam. And even if we assume that Apple and Samsung will not collaborate, it’s safe to say that once the next iPhone adopts OLED display technology, other smartphone manufacturers will follow suit, which means that regardless of the terms between Apple and Samsung Display, demand for OLED panels on the global market is bound to increase and Samsung Display is more than likely to get the lion’s share. As for this $2 billion investment, once again, Samsung is expected to finalize the deal and make a final announcement within the first quarter of the year.