The iPhone 6 and Galaxy S5 will reportedly not have flexible displays, as some people may have expected, unnamed “industry sources” told The Korea Herald. Apparently Samsung is unable to mass-produce curved displays in sufficient numbers for its upcoming flagship device. “The current capacity for flexible panels is not high enough for the Galaxy S5, which will be rolled out early next year.” Eugene Investment & Securities analyst Kim Jong-hyun said. “Curved ones will be unveiled late next year as a Galaxy variant rather than as a flagship model.”
Because Samsung and LG are the only two companies producing curved displays, and because they can’t yet meet Apple’s volume requirements, it’s believed that the iPhone 6 that will launch next year will also lack a curved display. Other Chinese handset makers are not expected to make use of the technology either. “Apple is a very difficult client. Suppliers must disclose every cost and detail and reap little profit,” an unnamed source said. “Chinese companies may not stand it at least for now.”
Samsung is currently producing up to 500,000 flexible displays for smartphones, with a 30 percent yield, and production could go up to 1 million units in late 2014. However, Samsung’s first flexible display smartphone will reportedly only sell 50,000 units in South Korea – the Galaxy Round is not available in other markets. LG also makes curved displays for the LG G Flex handset, which is available in South Korea and other markets. LG is reportedly producing fewer curved screens than Samsung each month, while Japan Display “is even further behind.”
