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Korean supplier said to be testing 65-inch Apple iTVs

A South Korean manufacturer is making samples of an Apple TV set based on OLED technology, a report claims.

Brooke Crothers Former CNET contributor
Brooke Crothers writes about mobile computer systems, including laptops, tablets, smartphones: how they define the computing experience and the hardware that makes them tick. He has served as an editor at large at CNET News and a contributing reporter to The New York Times' Bits and Technology sections. His interest in things small began when living in Tokyo in a very small apartment for a very long time.
Brooke Crothers

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Apple iTV mock-up CNET

Will Apple go with OLED for a future TV set? Who knows, but it is testing panels, according to a South Korea-based report.

An "unnamed" South Korean display manufacture is making organic light emitting diode (OLED) panel samples for Apple's "iTV," which is "expected be mass-produced next year," according to the Korea Herald, which cited Lee Seung-woo, an analyst at Seoul-based IBK Securities.

The analyst offers a quick qualifier, however, saying it's "not certain whether Apple will use it for the mass production of its long-rumored iTV as it is still running tests."

Though the Herald story does not specify a manufacturer, BrightWire is reporting that it is LG Display.

Probably the most surprising aspect of the news, if accurate, is the choice of an OLED panel. Historically, Apple has shown a preference for LCDs. And OLED panels are hard to make at sizes used for TVs, which which makes them very expensive.

And this has led to delays. "The delay is reportedly due to Apple's attempt to shift LCD panels to OLED," the report said.

"Though the yield rate of OLED panels is still not high for mass production, they are considered to be the best panels for TVs because of its high definition and the potential of curvedness," the report said, citing John Seo, an analyst at Shinhan Investment.