Samsung will invest $3.1 billion to expand OLED panel production lines
Many manufacturers believe that, with technological advancements and maturity, OLEDs will replace LCDs as the dominant force in the display market as the next-generation display technology, and market demand will continue to grow. South Korea’s Samsung and LG have long controlled most of the production capacity for OLED panels. However, with the rise of domestic OLED panels in recent years, market competition has become more intense.
According to Reuters, Samsung will invest $3.1 billion in its Asan campus in South Korea to expand OLED panel production lines, with mass production expected by 2026. This will become the world’s first 8.6-generation OLED panel production line for IT devices. Samsung plans to integrate OLED panels into its laptops and tablets, and it is rumored that Samsung and Apple have signed a supply contract to provide OLED panels for future MacBook models. The new factory will help Samsung fulfill Apple’s orders.
There are reports that Apple intends to introduce OLED screens on its iPad and MacBook models, although this has not been officially confirmed. Samsung has always been a major supplier of screens for various Apple devices and hopes to maintain a long-term cooperative relationship while gaining a competitive edge over domestic and international competitors. It is understood that LG, one of Samsung’s main competitors, is currently unable to take on new Apple orders due to capacity constraints.
Recently, Japanese manufacturer JOLED announced that it has applied to the Tokyo District Court to initiate bankruptcy reorganization proceedings and will exit the manufacturing and sales business in the future. This means that one less competitor in OLED technology will exist in the market, with future OLED panel production mainly concentrated among Chinese and South Korean manufacturers.
