The Galaxy S20 series released only a few months ago, but Samsung is reportedly already making plans for devices that may release in late 2020 and 2021.
In particular, the Korean manufacturer might be looking to source some of its flexible OLED display panels for future devices from the Chinese firm, Beijing Oriental Electronics (BOE). Reports from analysts at Display Supply Chain Consultants (DSCC) suggest that displays may be used on devices, including the “Samsung Galaxy S21+” and the Galaxy A91.
Rumors suggest the Galaxy A91 may feature a 6.67-inch Full HD+ OLED display made by BOE. If a deal is finalized, display production may begin as soon as June 2020. Details on Samsung’s 2021 flagship remain scarce at this point. Many are speculating as to whether the device series will be called the Galaxy S21 or the Galaxy S30.
However, Samsung may be looking for ways to cut costs on the production of future devices after the pricey Galaxy S20 series failed to sell as well as expected. With the devices launching amid the COVID-19 crisis, it makes sense for Samsung to do its best to diminish financial fallout from the lack of sales.
Having multiple component sources involved in the development of future devices could help temper production costs. Samsung is reportedly also in negotiation with CSOT, EverDisplay, and Visionox to source displays for future devices.
Samsung is also a major player in the display industry and a supplier in its own right for other consumer electronics companies. Some note Samsung may be looking to free up some of its own production resources so it can make display panels to sell to other companies at a markup. Several popular smartphone brands, including Xiaomi and OnePlus are known to use Samsung displays on their devices. Motorola’s new Edge+ flagship notably features a Samsung display.
Samsung’s display business may also have competition as Apple is expected to switch to BOE for the major share of handsets for its upcoming iPhone 12 series. If accurate, Samsung could see its display market share drop 11 percent from Q4 2019 to Q4 2020. BOE has already benefitted from its recently minted collaboration with Qualcomm to produce ultrasonic fingerprint sensors for high-end displays. Apple’s 2020 smartphone lineup may include a 5.4-inch iPhone 12, a 6.1-inch iPhone 12 Plus, a 6.1-inch iPhone 12 Pro, and a 6.7-inch iPhone 12 Pro Max.
