Samsung Electronics to provide LCD panels to Nokia

Samsung Electronics is supplying LCD panels for mobile phones for world`s No. 1 mobile phone company Nokia. Upon this opportunity, Samsung Electronics is expected to catch up with current No. 1 Sharp in 10" and less panel market including mobile phones.

"Samsung Electronics` LCD Department is recently registered as Nokia`s new vendor. We will provide LCD for mobile phones as early as the end of this year," said Samsung Electronics Official.

It is known that Samsung Electronics will provide more than 20 million units a year. It is over 21% of its small/medium sized LCD panels sold last year including mobile phones which was 92 million units.

Nokia is sharing 35% of the world`s mobile phone market by selling 350 million units a year. Since only a few companies, such as Sharp, EID, TMD, ST-LCD, and Samsung SDI, are currently supplying LCD panels for Nokia, Samsung Electronics expects to add its annual supply up to 50 million units.

"Though Samsung Electronics tried several times to supply LCD panels to Nokia, which is the biggest client, Nokia turned it down every time, based on the fact they are competing each other. The reason why Nokia changed their position is because it is having difficulties owing to its price competitiveness decreasing and difficulties in insuring the supply," said an industry official.

Along with this, Samsung Electronics is said to supply premium mobile phone LCD panels (LTPS, Low Temperature Poly Silicon), which will be produced from this month at 4th generation line, to Apple for its new mobile phone `iPhone` which will be released in next month.

Source