Why does Apple Company have their phone screens made by Samsung?

Samsung is one of several manufactures that provides screens for Apple. Right now, Samsung happens to be the leading manufacturer of OLED screens for phones. (Different OLED technology is used on larger TV screens). Also, Apple is not just using off the shelf parts from Samsung. Apple holds many patents in screen technology and Samsung is the manufacturer of these screens using some of Apple’s patents and built to Apple’s specifications. I would also remind you that the panel is just one layer of the overall display.

Why does Apple have their phone screens made by Samsung?

Apple does not make their own components.

• Just like all other computer manufacturers, Apple has components made for them all over the world then they are sent to China for final assembly
• Apple uses panels from several different companies, which are assembled with the protective glass, the touch layer, the pressure sensitive layer, etc. all squeezed together to make the display so Samsung actually doesn't “make displays” for Apple
• Some of the panels, but not all of them, are made by Samsung
• Sharp, LG and Japan Display have manufactured the majority of iPhone panels
• Samsung has been making OLED panels recently for Apple, the media and Apple-Haters have overblown that one tiny detail. The other companies have had problems making OLED panels in the quantity and quality level that Apple needs, but once that is sorted out, Apple will drastically reduce orders to Samsung and use other manufacturers instead

Samsung’s OLED panels still suffer from multiple problems:

• They draw far too much power, 30 years ago the promise from OLED researchers was that OLED would use microscopic amounts of power but in reality Samsung’s OLED is a massive power hog
• Samsung’s OLEDs do not have color accuracy, colors change as the brightness changes. Apple has a lot of customers who are professional artists and filmmakers so the inconsistent color accuracy has held Apple back from buying Samsung OLEDs for years
• Burn-in is still a major problem with Samsung OLEDs
• Gamers complain of poor refresh rates when playing games
• Samsung OLEDs are excessively expensive, that is why the iPhones leaped up in price when Apple finally started offering Samsung OLED panels
• Apple has avoided OLED for as long as possible, for the above reasons, but the media assault on Apple was unbearable so Apple finally broke down and started offering Samsung OLED panels in some models
• Apple has been funding Japan Display to fix their manufacturing problems so once they get their issues sorted out Japan Display will make OLEDs for Apple, then we believe that Japan Display will set up a production line in the LG factory so that Apple will have three suppliers for OLED panels.
• Apple is also working with Sharp for future panels some expect that in the near future Apple will be using Sharp, LG and Japan Display for panels, and probably stop buying panels from Samsung altogether.

Conclusion:

Apple is using Samsung OLED panels because the other manufacturers have had problems delivering what Apple needs. Once they sort out their issues, Apple will have four different factories to supply panels to them.