LG to supply Apple's flat panels

[dt]

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — LG Display Co. has reached a long-term deal with Apple Inc. to supply flat panels to the iconic maker of computers, music players and smart phones.
The contract between the two companies is for five years and calls for LG to receive an advance payment of $500 million sometime this month, the South Korean company said in a regulatory filing Monday.
Seoul-based LG Display and Apple, headquartered in Cupertino, California, planned to decide later on details such as the number of panels LG will provide, LG said.
LG Display declined to provide further details.

Source: The Associated Press: LG Display to supply flat panels to Apple

So, is this a good thing or a bad thing?

[Devil]

I don't see why it's a bad thing - I'm sure Apple will buy products to a certain specification.

Helps explain how LG can afford the deal with Formula 1

The Official Formula 1 Website

[bakeraus]

You must not have had much LG products before Devil.

Time will tell how well this goes but I'm sure if LG is failing to provide a good panel they will change to a different company quick smart.

[iCameron]

I think it means, crap ACD's

That means that you can buy any old screen with a LG panel and get the same results as buying a ACD? (I think I may be incredibly wrong here!)

I want to see OLED screens in ACD's!

[Maximage]

Ahhh, they've been using LG panels for quite some time, including in the Cinema Displays. Philips/LG to be precise. Apple has used a few other sources including Chimei too, but the LG/Philips ones have been used for ages. (LG/Philips had a joint venture when it came to panels, not sure if this is still the case.) Apple also uses LG to produce other components including some of the G3 iMac motherboards, various drives, etc. LG make both high and low end panels, so I certainly wouldn't worry.

[iPirate]

Originally Posted by Maximage

LG make both high and low end

unfortunately Apple seem to be heading that way too.

[melbmac]

If you hadn't read it on the "inter web" or pulled your computer apart I'm pretty sure you would have never known any different.

My official stance on this is simply "meh."

[Ben™]

This isn't bad at all. A panel is just a panel, in all honesty. It's the video processing that makes you go "Wow, that looks amazing"

[LCGuy]

Originally Posted by Maximage

Ahhh, they've been using LG panels for quite some time, including in the Cinema Displays. Philips/LG to be precise. Apple has used a few other sources including Chimei too, but the LG/Philips ones have been used for ages. (LG/Philips had a joint venture when it came to panels, not sure if this is still the case.) Apple also uses LG to produce other components including some of the G3 iMac motherboards, various drives, etc. LG make both high and low end panels, so I certainly wouldn't worry.

Thats what I was going to say...I thought that most Apple LCDs used an LG/Philips panel already, the same ones that Dell uses...hell, my 1999 iMac has an LG CRT! (as well as some other parts, in particular the power switch board, branded LG)

[Phase]

They're not that bad.

There's two different panels used in the Unibody Macbook Pro's, one's an LG, one's a Cheimei. They both look pretty gorgeous.

I wouldn't worry your pretty heads.

[gelfie]

LG is like, the largest or secomd largest LCD manufacturer in the world. I'm sure plenty of you own non LG branded displays and other equipment that have LG panels and/or other components in them.

Goldstar reinvented itself when it rebranded to LG, it is clearly now a consumer electronics company. And to tell you the truth, I'd by LG over Sony if given the choice. Sony may have the old school reputation and the high pricetags, but they've been coasting on their old reputation for years now, while in reality selling overpriced, cheap shit.

Also, as pointed out earlier, Apple has been using LG panels since the crystal ACD days and the first flat panel iMac.

[SyncMan]

The contract between the two companies is for five years and calls for LG to receive an advance payment of $500 million sometime this month

That sounds like a save.

ie LG May not be around in the future if Apple didn't do this.

Note: I am not saying that Apple is bailing out LG, what I am saying is this deal, which may have been discussed for many months in advance, is good timing.

[harryb2448]

As Maximage says, there is nothing new here. LG been manufacturing 70% of Apple display for some years and this is just a contrat extension.

Apple Extends Relationship with LG with 5 Year Display Contract - The Mac Observer