2019 iPhone will be thinner and lighter thanks to Galaxy S9 display tech

According to ETNews, Samsung is going to sell Apple some of its “secret sauce” when it comes to display technology. According to the report, Apple will use a Y-OCTA Samsung display in at least one of its 2019 iPhones. This display is currently used in both the Samsung Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 Plus.

This wouldn’t be the first time Samsung has sold Apple display tech (most iPhones have Samsung displays in them), nor would it be the first time Samsung has sold a Y-OCTA display to another company (the OPPO Find X has it). However, this would be the first time Samsung has sold Y-OCTA tech to Apple.

Y-OCTA displays are beneficial for three reasons: they are thinner, lighter, and cheaper to produce over traditional displays. The reason for the displays being thinner and lighter is because Y-OCTA displays incorporate a touch-sensitive layer right into the display itself, rather than needing a layer for the display and then a layer of touch-sensitive material (and then glass on top of both). By eliminating a layer, the smartphone can be marginally lighter and thinner.

Reportedly, Samsung pitched Apple on using this display tech in order to keep its business. It’s no secret that Apple is trying to develop partnerships with other display manufacturers to lessen its reliance on Samsung. LG, for example, was reportedly going to supply some panels for iPhones this year, although that apparently did not come to pass. It’s possible Samsung is offering up the Y-OCTA tech as a show of good faith to keep Apple coming back for more.

It’s interesting to note that, so far, there hasn’t been a Y-OCTA display on the market with a notch. What could this potentially mean for Apple’s 2019 iPhones?

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