AMOLED Yield Issues Pushes Apple iWatch Launch Date Back

Apple’s much anticipated iWatch launch date might be postponed to 4Q14, as the company runs into AMOLED manufacturing issues, according to Chinese-language China Times report.

AMOLED panels are being applied to the curved iWatch design, but Korean OLED manufacturer LG Display’s (LGD) low AMOLED yield rates are expected to push down iWatch product volume output for 2014 from previous estimations of 10 million units to less than 2 million. According to market rumors, LGD is experiencing flexible AMOLED panel manufacturing issues.

Manufacturing difficulties and limited initial supplies are expected, since this is the first time flexible AMOLED is being mass produced, said David Hsieh, Vice President, Greater China Market, Display Search.

The iWatch’s market position as a high-end luxury product is another reason behind the lowered production volume projections.

Taiwanese touch panel suppliers that will be affected by the delayed iWatch launch include F-TPK, assembly manufacturer Quanta Computers and others.

Previous reports by AppleInsider and others noted the new flexible AMOLED display for iWatch will come in 1.3-inch to 1.5-inch specs and equipped with a standard sapphire glass cover.

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