Apple iPhone’s leading the global market in the premium smartphone segment. Recently, Apple released a supply chain list that includes 11 domestic companies. As per this list, Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix are the leading suppliers. But there are dozens of domestic partners that are also associated with Apple, and the list we include further in this article.
As covered earlier, Apple recently released a list of 11 domestic companies. This consists of the list of the fiscal year 2021 (October 2021-September 2022). The same list includes Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix, LG Chem, LG Display, LG Innotek, LX Semicon, Samsung SDI, Seoul Semiconductor, Yeongpung Group, Deokwoo Electronics, and Bumcheon Precision.
List of Companies that supplies various components to Apple
The supplier list also includes several domestic companies also that supply materials necessary for the mass production of OLED. Additionally, Samsung Display’s OLED supply chain includes Deoksan Neolux, Solus Advanced Materials, LG Chem, and Samsung SDI. LG Display’s OLED material partners include PNH Tech, LG Chem, and Heesung respectively. Now further, it includes the suppliers on the basis of parts or components.
OLEDs
Talking about Apple iPhone’s organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) are primarily supplied by Samsung Display and LG Display. While as per the list, this year iPhone 14 series, Samsung Display will deliver all four types. On the other hand, LG Display will deliver only two. China’s BOE which entered in iPhone OLED supply chain for the third time is probably looking to expand its share. Samsung Display is the first to enter the market and still leading.
Display driver ICs
Display driver ICs (DDIs) are supplied by Samsung Electronics System LSI and LX Semicon. While Samsung Electronics System LSI supplies DDI to Samsung Display. Whereas on the other hand, LX Semicon supplies DDI to LG Display and BOE, respectively. Also, the LX Semicon’s DDI distribution will be determined by Apple.
Camera module
Coming to the camera module then this market was dominated by LG Innotek. Notably, LG Innotek previously mainly supplied the rear camera module for the iPhone. But from this year, it will also supply the front camera module.
3D ToF
The 3D ToF (Time of Flight) module is also virtually exclusively supplied by LG Innotek. It’s a technology that is used to expand the application in augmented reality (AR) with respect to future perspectives.
Camera module actuator
The next module is the camera module actuator. The market of the same has traditionally been controlled by Japan’s Alphas and Mitsumi.
Antenna-in-package (AiP)
Now there are other parts that LG Innotek supplies to the iPhone. And it includes a substrate for antenna-in-package (AiP). It is supplied by Samsung Electro-Mechanics which majorly supplies AiP substrates to Apple. Samsung Electro-Mechanics makes multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs) for iPhones. Other players include Japan’s Murata Corporation and Taiyo Yuden. Both of them are competitors in the MLCC category.
Meanwhile, Apple’s supply chain this year included Wintech. It is Chinese producer development and production (ODM) smartphone company that further diversified its business recently. Wingtech bought the camera module division after Ofilm was pulled out of Apple’s supply chain. It is to be noted that Wingtech is not delivering any parts to Apple at a meaningful level yet.
