April 24, 2024

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[THE INVESTOR] Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Kwon Oh-hyun, one of the company’s three co-CEOs, is visiting the US this week to meet multiple clients, including Apple, according to industry sources on June 8.

His business trip comes ahead of the company’s planned OLED supply for the upcoming iPhone that is expected to start later this month.

Kwon leads the company’s chip and parts business unit, while other two CEOs oversee smartphone and appliance businesses, respectively. Since April last year, he has also been leading Samsung Display, the company’s display-making unit. 

Kwon Oh-hyun

Related:
Samsung Display to start OLED production for iPhone this month
LG Display to invest W4tr in mobile OLED
LG Display’s OLED supply for iPhone to face further delay


Samsung Display is the sole supplier for the first OLED iPhone that is widely rumored to come out in September. Apple has reportedly ordered about 80 million OLED screens this year.

Sources say the new iPhone will come with a full-screen that covers the entire front body, while the tangible home button is also likely to be replaced with an on-screen fingerprint scanner – two key features Samsung failed to adopt for the Galaxy S8 due to low yields.

Apple, which plans to launch OLED models only for the iPhone from next year, is seeking to diversify OLED suppliers, but, considering the Korean firm’s more than 95 percent market dominance, Samsung and its local suppliers are expected to maintain their first-tier status for some time.

“Considering Kwon oversees both chip and display businesses, his visit is expected to affect the ongoing partnership between Samsung and Apple,” an industry source was quoted as saying by Maeil Business Daily. “They also could discuss further partnership, including more investment.”

By Lee Ji-yoon (jylee@heraldcorp.com)