Apple has asked Samsung to be more careful and take extra precautions such as the use of more advanced production processes when creating the pill shaped cut-out on the displays that go into the making of the iPhone Pro devices. Apple’s concern is to ensure the display surrounding the cut-out does not suffer from any degradation in the image quality. The idea is to save the thin film encapsulation from getting damaged, or else the surrounding pixels too become prone to damage.
Apple is reported to have asked Samsung to use extra inkjet equipment if needed to ensure the portions surrounding the cut-out have all its display qualities preserved, and that the pixels and panels do not suffer any damage. Else, the portions could be exposed to moisture and oxygen, which could reduce the lifespan of the display drastically. Samsung, on its part, is known to build a dam using inkjet equipment that forms a barrier between the cut-out and the pixels surrounding it, thereby saving it from moisture and oxygen exposure. Samsung is known to use a laser process for creating the cut-out though Apple seems to be more drawn to using an inkjet process instead.
The new iPhone 14 Pro models come with a pill shaped cut-out which replaces the notch that has been a constant design feature with all iPhone models since the launch of the iPhone X back in 2017. However, Apple replaced the same with a pill shaped cut-out this time and has a nice animation surrounding the cut-out, which it fondly refers to as the Dynamic island. Naturally, that would require the surrounding OLED portion to have optimum image quality for the animation to look perfect.
Samsung, which happens to be one of the primary suppliers of display panels – the other being LG – for the iPhone 14 range is however no novice when it comes to producing displays having holes that are drilled right within the OLED panel itself. Many of its own smartphone models including its flagship offering, the Galaxy S22 also come with a hole punch that is carved out directly on the OLED panel.
