Starting in 2025, Apple will exclusively use OLED screens for all iPhone models, marking a complete departure from liquid crystal displays (LCDs) that have long been a staple of the company’s smartphones. This significant shift was reported in an article published Tuesday by the Japanese financial daily Nikkei, and picked up by Reuters .
OLED screens have become the preferred choice among television and smartphone manufacturers due to their ability to deliver brighter colors and stronger contrast, making them ideal for high-definition video content. According to Nikkei, citing unnamed sources, Apple has already begun placing orders for OLED displays intended for the upcoming iPhone SE model with Chinese firm BOE Technology and South Korean company LG Display.
This transition by Apple effectively sidelines Japanese companies Sharp and Japan Display from its iPhone business—a major setback for these suppliers. A decade ago, Sharp and Japan Display jointly accounted for 70% of the LCD screens used by Apple, but in recent years they have only supplied LCDs for the iPhone SE model. Importantly, neither company manufactures OLED screens for mainstream smartphones.
Apple first introduced OLED screens with the iPhone X in 2017, and has since gradually transitioned to OLED displays for its premium models. The most recent move in this direction was the inclusion of OLED screens in the latest generation of iPad Pro tablets, released in May this year.
