The latest salvo comes from Barclays, and analysts there joined, most recently, Deutsche Bank sell-side reports (and the analysts who wrote the report, of course). The Barclays report, penned by a group that included Mark Moskowitz, said that the newest iteration of the Apple’s smartphone, iPhone 8, may not see the uptake that some more enthusiastic industry observers expect — and that would be the one with the OLED screen. The OLED screen may also be a reason behind delays in the smartphones’ shipments.
The note stated that “while battery life could improve with OLED, our conversations with industry participants suggest that most consumers will not notice any major ‘must have’ experience changes because of new OLED displays versus LCD.”
As has been reported by various newswires, and as noted in Fortune, Bank of America Merrill Lynch analysts said earlier this week that the new iOS could be delayed as long as a month due to issues with the smart technology. That would push the launch from September into October. Analysts there had written that there had been issues with biometric fingerprint sensor and 3D-scanning technology.
BGR reported that, for the Barclay’s note, and turning to the OLED technology, “OLED displays continue to be top of mind for investors when contemplating form factor improvements that could drive a growth revival, particularly with the iPhone. With OLED, we struggle to see the incremental benefits visually that would inspire a customer to replace an adequately performing device.”
Even though battery life might improve, such factors might be overlooked by consumers, and “we think that this dynamic, if sustained, could limit the upside potential related to new OLED-based devices that likely sell for a premium, which could keep average selling prices from moving much higher.”
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