Samsung Systems LSI is planning to secure more production capacity for OLED display driver ICs from its contract chip maker UMC of Taiwan next year. Samsung System LSI, the unit that designs logic chips, is expected to order more of its display driver ICs made due to high demand for them by key customers, Samsung and Apple.
Its ICs are used by Samsung Display, the display-making unit of Samsung, which uses them on its OLED panels supplied to Samsung and Apple.
The South Korean tech giant is expected to secure 15% more capacity next year compared to 2022, from 13,000 wafers per month to around 15,000 wafers per month. Display driver ICs are used to convert digital signals to light and is a key component in display panels. ICs made from 12-inch wafers are used mostly for panels for smartphones. For more, read the full report by The Elec.
There was no particular reason given for next year’s 15% increase in capacity. Considering that falling economies around the globe are currently affecting sales of smartphones (excluding Apple), the increase seems to be an odd one. Are the expected advances and demand for the iPhone 15 or Galaxy smartphones causing this increase in capacity? Only time will tell.