Samsung Display will likely supply up to 50 million units of OLED display panels for Apple in the second half this year, thanks to the positive market response for the latest iPhone lineup, according to news reports on Oct. 22.

Citing industry sources, local news outlet Money Today reported on the number of panels the South Korean display maker provided for the US tech giant in recent months. 

In the third quarter, ending September, the display firm supplied 22.2 million units of 5.85-inch and 6.46-inch panels for Apple’s iPhones --3.9 million in July, 8.4 million in August, and 9.9 million in September. The supply volume in September, in particular, is 40 percent higher than the initially planned 6.9 million units, the report said.

In October and November, the display maker is forecast to provide 9.8 million and 5 million units, respectively. Depending on the supply volume in December, the number of panels given to Apple this year will likely reach 40-50 million.

The two companies were once in a strained situation because of lukewarm iPhones sales earlier this year. The supply volume in the first half stood at 6 million, far below the previous estimates. After a series of intense negotiations, the US smartphone maker reportedly reimbursed the display manufacturer $683 million for missing a sales target that the two firms had agreed upon.

In the first quarter, Samsung Display posted an operating loss of 560 billion won ($478.4 million) while logging 750 billion won in operating profit in the second quarter, thanks partly to the reimbursement from the US partner.

Samsung Display is the main display supplier for Apple, shipping 90 percent of the OLED panels for the iPhones, including the iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max,

LCD-based iPhones, like the iPhone 11, feature displays manufactured by Japanese Display, LG Display and Sharp.

LG Display has recently become a new OLED screen vendor for Apple, offering 7-8 million panels for the iPhone 11 Pro Max.

By Kim Young-won (wone0102@heraldcorp.com)