Samsung runs out of AMOLEDs, halts Galaxy S and Wave production? All Super AMOLED displays bought by Apple?

Florin  By on 30 Sep 10

We’ve got some interesting info coming out of Russia today, from Mobile-review’s Eldar Murtazin.

According to him (see these Tweets: 1, 2, 3), the Samsung Galaxy S and Samsung Wave S8500 aren’t in production anymore, because Samsung hasn’t got enough AMOLED displays.

Reportedly, the Wave should be replaced with a new model that features a bigger, Super TFT screen, while all its other features will remain the same.

As for the Galaxy S, it’s said that Samsung doesn’t have any replacement for it at the moment, although the smartphone’s “carrier versions” (probably meaning the Vibrant, Captivate, Epic 4G and Fascinate) will still be in production “due to contracts.”

Assuming this is true – although it seems that a Samsung PR Manager denies it – how could have Samsung ran out of Super AMOLED displays? A possible answer, which also comes from Eldar Murtazin (see this tweet), is that Apple may have bought “all quantities of Super AMOLEDs for 2011.” Of course, this is only a rumor, and I don’t think there’s any grain of truth in it. Apple won’t give up on its IPS Retina Display for iPhone, not after virtually all reviewers said it’s one of the best displays ever included in a smartphone.

Sure enough, the Cupertino company may have bought all AMOLED displays for its future iPads, but that still doesn’t make much sense: why would Samsung not use one of its best technologies in its own products, and instead sell it to a rival company? Just to make more money, maybe? Nah, Samsung makes enough money without needing to reach such a compromise.

I’ll be waiting to see if the Galaxy S and Wave S8500 go out of stock – if this happens, then Samsung does, indeed, have a problem with the Super AMOLED display production. But I hope that’s not true.

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  • Ian

    Samsung invented and manufactures the AMOLED displays, it is highly unlikely that they have run out due to Apple buying them! Very unlikely indeed. I even doubt any truth to the rumour that production has stopped, it just makes no sense at all.

  • Hobin5148

    Samsung did not invent AMOLED. Kodak did. Samsung most definitely improved upon it by patenting the technology behind Super AMOLED.

    Samsung Mobile Display is a joint venture between Samsung Electronics and Samsung SDI. Samsung SDI has the majority share of the JV’s interest. They are neither contractually limited to make AMOLED’s only for Samsung. They are able to sell it to other companies, such as Apple in this case or other companies who would want it.

  • Ian

    Understood on inventor, appreciated. Personally, however, I still do not believe production has run out due to Apple buying the screens…

  • http://twitter.com/gregoriajk gregoriajk

    Well it’s a far better handset than the Beam. Still not sure I would trust Samsung on the OS support side even with Android.

    Interesting that it has a huge Google logo on the back, maybe meaning that it will get more support as a Google experience device. Acai Reduce

  • http://twitter.com/deraildoax Derail Doax

    I definitely cannot believe that Samsung has sold ALL 2011 SAMOLED production to Apple. That’s a tall order to believe. But the predicted shortage of SAMOLED is one of the things that really spurred me to keep an eye out on Craigslist for a Vibrant. I’m glad I bought when I did. Cus I’d hate to have been looking for one and have to figure out if it’s TFT or SAMOLED. Just like HTC Incredibles, must be hard to distinguish between the two.

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