Samsung Display has officially joined the supply chain of 13-inch OLED screens for the iPad Pro, expanding its scale from the previous 11-inch version and creating a direct confrontation with LG Display.

According to industry sources, Samsung started the production line for 13-inch OLED screens in May. This is the first time the company has taken on the production of large-size OLED screens for the iPad Pro, after supplying the 11-inch version last year. Samsung Display's delivery target for this year is 1 million units for the 13-inch version and 2.5 million units for the 11-inch version.

Orders for materials and components for the iPad line resumed last month after a hiatus since late last year. Apple's sharing of 13-inch orders with both LG Display and Samsung Display is seen as a strategy to spread risks in the supply chain and increase competition to optimize component costs. Previously, LG was the only company that produced 13-inch screens for the iPad.

Although OLED screens are bringing valuable upgrades in image, thinness and visual experience to the iPad Pro, the selling price is a big barrier. With a starting price equivalent to VND 27 million, sales of the OLED iPad line have not met expectations.

According to estimates, the total number of OLED screens supplied to Apple last year was about 6.5 million units, much lower than the initial expectation of 10 million units. Of which, Samsung Display supplied about 3 million and LG Display accounted for 3.5 million.

Currently, Samsung Display is said to have applied the improved T2 Prime material set on the 13-inch OLED screen. This is an upgrade from the T2 material set used for the 11-inch version. In the display industry, the material set is a key factor to optimize the performance and durability of the panel.

Samsung's participation in the production of 13-inch OLED screens for iPads not only increases competition in the market but also strengthens the increasingly close cooperation between two technology giants, Samsung and Apple.