It was first reported last month that Samsung was in talks with rival LG to source LCD panels for upcoming TVs. Kim Hyun-suk, the head of Samsung's TV division, partially confirmed this during the Consumer Electronics Show 2017 when he said that “There are no specifics decided yet but the two companies are deliberating on the matter carefully and seriously.” According to a new report, LG Display may start supplying Samsung with 40- to 60-inch panels as early as June this year.
The company has been looking for another LCD panel supplier ever since Sharp notified Samsung that it would stop supplying it with LCD panels. Samsung then decided to turn to LG Display and it has been talking to this division of its rival for a few months now. Samsung is expected to sign a deal with LG by the end of the first quarter and start receiving panels as early as June 2017. It's said that LG Display has agreed to supply Samsung multiple models of its 40- to 60-inch LCD TV panels. The companies are now discussing contract details like price, model and supply time.
If this deal goes through, it would be the first time that Samsung manufactures TVs that have LG's panels inside. Samsung and LG have not dealt in panels with each other previously because both compete in the global TV market. This presents a good business opportunity for LG Display as well which is the world's largest LCD panel maker.
