In mid-2019, we commented on a multimillion dollar investment by Apple in the manufacturer Japan Display Inc. (JDI), which has faced bad times in recent years. In summary, Apple helped the company with $ 1.5 billion for the construction of a factory in 2015, followed by an investment of $ 100 million last year.
The debts of the display manufacturer did not end there: in January, the company would have received a ransom from $ 925 million, however this agreement was not finalized, according to her. All of this is a consequence of the 11 consecutive quarterly losses that JDI faced, in addition to internal problems with embezzlement, among others.
The fact is that, now, the company has stated that a “customer abroad” has invested in it other $ 200 million, as disclosed by Reuters. According to the publication, although JDI does not specify who this financier was, there are strong indications that it was the Cupertino giant.
THE [Japan Display] announced that it has finalized and entered into a contract with a customer to transfer some of the equipment at the Hakusan plant. The transferee is a foreign company that is one of JDI’s main customers. However, due to a confidentiality agreement that JDI maintains with the transferee, details about the agreement could not be disclosed.
As the manufacturer still owes Apple more than $ 800 million for billion-dollar financing to build the factory, the fund could be used in a new debt refinancing, according to the Reuters.
Samsung ending production of LCDs
In related news, Samsung, the main supplier of screens for iPhones, iPads and Macs, announced that it plans to end production of «conventional» LCD displays by the end of this year. The information is also Reuters.
What this means is that the company will invest in the manufacture of «quantum dot displays». This type of technology is based on LCD screens, but with several improvements in light emission. In other words, LCDs will not end, but they will adopt new technologies, such as adding tubes or quantum films on their LEDs.
According to a Samsung spokeswoman, the company will continue to provide LCD displays (with current technology) until the end of this year «without problems». However, starting in 2021, its two LCD factories will cease operations as part of the company’s new venture.
As we know, only the iPhone 11 uses LCD displays in Apple’s current device line, and the company started the migration to OLED with the iPhone X in 2017.
Regarding iPads and Macs, rumors suggest that the Cupertino giant will migrate to the technology of Mini-LED soon, and may further reduce its dependence on the LCD; if the rumor does not materialize, it could use these new, more advanced LCDs from Samsung or even use components from another supplier, such as LG.
via iMore, The Verge
