Apple Has Already Ordered LCD Parts for ‘iPhone 7’: Digitimes

Earlier this week, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claimed in a research note that Apple’s next ‘iPhone 7’ will feature an A10 processor made by TSMC with 2GB of RAM, while the ‘iPhone 7 Plus’ will sport 3GB of RAM for superior performance. Today, Digitimes is reporting that the Cupertino tech giant has already placed LCD parts for its next generation iPhone. According to sources familiar with the matter, Apple has placed LCD driver IC orders for ‘iPhone 7′ with Synaptics.

The report however highlights that Apple placing orders for the next iPhone’s LCD drivers indicates that its rumoured in-house developed touch and display driver integration (TDDI) single-chip solutions will not be ready in time for ‘iPhone 7’. After acquiring Renesas SP Drivers (RSP), the sole supplier of LCD driver ICs for iPhones, Synaptics has been hard at work to maintain orders from Apple amid speculation that the tech giant could reduce its reliance on the supplier.

“The development of Apple’s in-house developed TDDI solutions has fallen behind schedule, as the smartphone vendor has released orders for its 2016 models to Synaptics, said the sources.

Apple is already engaged in the development of TDDI solutions after hiring senior engineers from Renesas, previous reports quoted industry sources as saying. Instead of looking for second-source suppliers, Apple is internally developing TDDI chips for its iPhones, the sources claimed”.

With rumours for the next generation ‘iPhone 7’ coming out this early, it won’t be long before we start seeing its leaked CAD drawings, case prototypes and more.