A new supply chain report this morning is claiming that Apple has decided to make the switch to OLED panels for its iPads starting in 2022. Reportedly Apple made requests to Samsung and LG Display.

The move marks positive news for South Korean display manufacturers who will be able to secure even a tighter grips over the global OLED market along with expansion of the market.

Specifically, Apple will use hybrid OLED panels that are thinner than normal OLED panels as they are a combination of flexible and rigid OLED technologies. Samsung Display will start supplying these panels in 2022 while LG Display will start supplying them in 2023.

It is reported that the companies’ panels have characteristics of rigid OLED by using rigid glass as TFT (Thin Film Transistor) substrate and are applied with TFE (Thin Film Encapsulation) technology that protects OLED devices.

TFE technology is currently used for flexible OLEDs and it uses thin film instead of glass that is currently used for encapsulation. As a result, the technology is able reduce overall thickness of a panel. Samsung Display and LG Display call such panel as “UT (Ultra Thin)” panel and “ATO (Advanced Thin OLED)” respectively.

One official from the display said that Samsung Display plans to start supplying UT panels to Apple in 2022 and that the company has already begun making preparations for necessary facilities and equipment.

Another official said that both Samsung Display and LG Display received orders from Apple and that Samsung Display will begin supplying its panels in 2022 for one iPad model and both of them will begin supplying their panels on full-scale starting from 2023.