Apple reported to be adopting OLED iPhone screens with new HomePod and iOS 11.4 releases, as current provider Japan Display’s shares slump
Apple has reportedly moved towards using organic light-emitting diode (OLED) screens in all three of its new iPhone models planned for 2019, while also releasing the latest version of its iOS software, 11.4, and new international market locations for its HomePod speaker.
The announcement, revealed today by South Korea’s Electronic Times, has sent share prices of one of Apple’s main suppliers for iPhone liquid crystal display (LCD) screens tumbling to a record low, as Japan Display has fallen behind in recent months on OLED production plans.
As of the end of this morning’s trading, Japan Display’s stock was down 10.1 per cent at a market value of about ¥ 104bn (£724.5bn), but it fell as much as 21 per cent after the news broke. Meanwhile shares in LG Display gained 5 per cent.
The report cited multiple unnamed industry sources in explaining Apple’s decision to include OLED panels in the next three iPhone models, while representatives from both Apple in South Korea and Japan Display declined to comment.
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Meanwhile Apple tonight will release the latest version of its iPhone and iPad software, iOS 11.4, which will add storage support and syncing across all devices for its Messages feature in iCloud, as well as some new features.
The update will most notably include AirPlay 2, which will allow users to stream audio in their homes to different devices, and support stereo pairing for its HomePod speaker. This means that users could ask Siri to play one song in their living room, while simultaneously playing another in their bathroom, both on different HomePod speakers or another iOS device.
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A number of speaker companies have already lined up to support AirPlay 2, including Bang & Olufsen, Bose, Bower & Wilkins, Pioneer and Sonos among others.
HomePod will also be launching to new additional key markets in June, arriving in Canada, France and Germany. This takes the speaker’s availability up to six countries, including the US, UK and Australia.