In a bid to establish itself as the de facto leader in the display market, Samsung has just scored a deal to supply OLED panels for Xiaomi’s future flagships. Xiaomi is one of the largest smartphone companies, making it an even bigger occasion for Samsung.
The Chinese company had previously flirted with the idea of having LG’s flexible OLED panels, but a mismatch with manufacturing schedules has made the company switch to conventional AMOLED panels, which is Samsung’s domain.
The AMOLED displays which are said to be delivered measured 6″ in length, and might come with QHD (2160 x 1440) resolution.
The display will likely make it to the upcoming Xiaomi Mi Note flagship. LG, on the other hand, would’ve offered a smaller 5.5″ flexible OLED panel (not fluid but a curved panel), if given the contract. However, the problem rose with its manufacturing timetable, as the Korean company was not ready to mass produce such panels for at least three more months.
The delay comes as the company continues to grapple with issues as it shifts the resolution from 1080p to QHD and aims to achieve mass production.
Samsung will now deliver 1 million such panels by the end of December, while January of next year will see it deliver 2.2 million more screens, clearly indicating an increased rate of production for Xiaomi, too, which has been adamant about making its phone available for more markets.
To that end, the company has outlined plans for both online and offline retailer presence, something which is already proving to be fruitful with the company celebrating its best quarter just weeks ago.
As for Samsung’s display division, (one of the most successful divisions within the company) Xiaomi is yet another name in the catalog which already includes the likes of Apple and company’s own Galaxy lineup.
