Report: Apple may have found its supplier for the thin iPhone 17 Air display – 9to5Mac

Apple is prepping a significant new generation of iPhone for 2025, headlined by the expected iPhone 17 Air. And now, a new report could point to the technology and supplier that will make an ultra-thin iPhone possible.

Supplier ramping new OLED tech at just the right time

Jay Liu and Levi Li write for Digitimes:

Novatek, Taiwan’s leading display driver IC (DDI) manufacturer, has announced plans to commence mass production of its highly anticipated OLED TDDI technology as early as the second quarter of 2025.

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While industry insiders remain tight-lipped about potential end customers, speculation suggests that Novatek’s proposed shipping schedule could align with the next-generation iPhone displays in 2025…Apple is the focus of speculation primarily due to the alignment with component shipment schedules. If the target were Chinese flagship models released at year-end or Samsung devices launching in early 2026, there would be no need to ramp up shipments by the second quarter of 2025.

Apple is widely expected to introduce a major form factor change with next year’s iPhone 17 Air, which will be ultra-slim along the lines of the M4 iPad Pro models.

As Digitimes notes, the connection between Novatek and Apple is only rumor and speculation at this point. But the timing of Novatek’s ramp-up, as well as the expected fall launch of the iPhone 17 Air, does make a lot of sense.

One of the benefits of OLED TDDI is that it enables thinner screens. Thus, it’s a technology that would be a perfect fit for the iPhone 17 Air.

Expect to see plenty more details about the highly anticipated 17 Air come out in the year ahead.

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