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Samsung gains as Apple display supplier, says researcher

Despite expectations to the contrary, the South Korean electronics giant is growing as a display supplier to Apple, says NPD DisplaySearch.

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.
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iPad 4: Samsung is increasing display shipments to Apple.
iPad 4: Samsung is increasing display shipments to Apple. Apple

Samsung was expected to fade as a major Apple component supplier. But that's not happening. It is, rather, gaining on major Apple display supplier LGD, says NPD DisplaySearch.

Samsung supplied more 9.7-inch panels to Apple than LG Display (LGD) in April and June, according to a research note from NPD DisplaySearch. Panels measuring 9.7 inches are used on the iPad 4.

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Apple, in fact, has been boosting purchases of displays from Samsung since January, according to the market analyst. Apple got about 2.3 million units from Samsung in the first quarter. That figure jumped about 80 percent quarter-to-quarter to more than 4.1 million units in the second quarter, according to DisplaySearch.

Samsung will also begin supplying 7.9-inch panels for the new iPad mini in the second half of 2013. It's not clear if that's a rumored Retina-class iPad Mini or an expected update to the non-Retina version of the Mini. LGD is the top supplier of iPad Mini displays to date, said DisplaySearch.

LGD and Japan Display are also expected to supply panels for the rumored iPad Mini Retina.

The report cited an "industry official," who claimed that Apple is having problems procuring displays from suppliers such as Sharp and AU Optronics.

The DisplaySearch note follows a report last month that claimed Samsung would supply displays for the upcoming iPad Mini Retina.

Apple did not respond to a request for comment.

[Via BrightWire News]