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LX Semicon may replace Samsung Electronics System LSI for display driver ICs for the updated 2025 OLED iPad coming this fall

1 cover LX Semicon

A new supply chain report this morning claims that LX Semicon is known to be developing display driver ICs for the OLED iPad that Apple is scheduled to release later this year. LX Semicon has yet to receive the final mass production approval from Apple. DDI is a chip that controls display pixel operation through a thin film transistor (TFT).

The Elec reports that Apple plans to release a slightly modified version of the OLED iPad that was first released last year (a “minor change” model) this year. The overall product will be similar, but Apple has given this year’s model a new development code.

If LX Semicon receives approval for DDI mass production around March, it will be able to supply DDIs for OLED iPads this year. OLED iPad parts will go into mass production in April or May.

Last year, Samsung Electronics System LSI was the sole supplier of DDIs for iPad OLEDs to both LG Display and Samsung Display. If LX Semicon fails to receive mass production approval around March, Samsung Electronics System LSI will supply all DDIs this year as well.

The reason why OLED iPad DDI is important to LX Semicon is because of the intensifying competition in the OLED iPhone DDI market. LX Semicon is supplying OLED iPhone DDI to both LG Display and BOE. Samsung Electronics System LSI supplies DDI to Samsung Display.

However, in order to lower the manufacturing cost of iPhone OLEDs, LG Display has been sourcing DDIs from LX Semicon as well as Taiwan's Novatek since the iPhone 16 series OLEDs last year. Up until the previous iPhone 15 series, LG Display procured all DDIs from LX Semicon.

LG Display's iPhone OLED shipments in 2024 are known to be in the mid-to-late 60 million units. This is an increase of 10 million units from the 2023 volume (51.8 million units), but LX Semicon and Novatek supplied the DDI together. LX Semicon's benefits were limited.

This year, LX Semicon and Novatek will supply DDIs for iPhone OLEDs to LG Display for the iPhone 17 series. Samsung Display’s DDIs for iPhone OLEDs will be supplied only to Samsung Electronics System LSI this year as well. BOE will procure DDIs for iPhone OLEDs from LX Semicon.

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