Samsung Display is one of the leading suppliers of display panels in the world. Chinese panel suppliers have aggressively been making investments to try and win some of its market share. There has been speculation recently that Apple could start sourcing panels from Chinese suppliers but market analysts in South Korea are of the view that Samsung will not see a significant impact should a potential deal go through.
Apple is believed to be thinking about diversifying its LCD supply chain to China as existing suppliers Samsung and LG are both shifting their focus from LCD to OLED. It would be the first time Apple sources LCD panels from China if it does end up going down this road. BOE – the largest panel supplier in China – is expected to be the strongest candidate for Apple's LCD orders for the MacBook.
Even if a deal goes through analysts believe that it will not have a major impact on Samsung Display's performance primarily due to the difference in technology. Chinese firms are yet to secure oxide thin-film transistor technologies used in most Apple devices so they won't be able to supply Apple with panels immediately, analysts don't see supply coming before 2018.
Samsung Display already accounts for 90 percent of the small OLED market and with Apple expected to shift the iPhone to OLED next year the conglomerate's display business doesn't need to worry about competition from China in the short term. However, analysts rightly point out that Chinese firms are making aggressive investments in OLED technology so they might put pressure on Samsung Display possibly by 2020.
