According to a new report from DigiTimes, Apple is planning on acquiring an estimated 13.6 million notebook panels in 2017. This number is less than the 16.2 million units the company bought in 2016, while LG Display will most likely remain its primary supplier.
“Panels for the MacBook Air will decrease from six million units in 2016 to 2.7 million units in 2017 because production of the 11.6-inch MacBook Air will end in 2017 and there is a considerable inventory of panels for the 13.3-inch model,” reads the report.
Additionally, Apple may continue to purchase a-Si TFT-LCD panels for their MacBook Pro models until the end of the first quarter of 2017, continues the report. At that point, the company could possibly shift to IGZO TFT-LCD panels for their displays.
Along with Samsung Display, Sharp will begin supplying Apple with new IGZO TFT-LCD panels as soon as mid-2017. According to the report, display purchases for MacBook Pros will increase from 8.8 million units last year to 9.7 million units in 2017.
Production of the 11.6-inch MacBook Air will end in 2017, leaving behind a considerable inventory of panels used for the 13.3-inch model, the report concludes.
