Apple Computer Inc has given some indication of just how popular it expects the iBook to be, signing a $100m deal with Samsung Corp to supply thin film transistor LCDs (TFT-LCDs) for its new portable and the G3 Powerbook. An Apple spokesperson said that the deal was a way of ensuring a steady supply of displays for its new product, which is expected to ship in October.
The deal could be even more important to Samsung, which is currently trying to shore up its position as the market leader in the TFT-LCD market against competitors such as Royal Philips Electronics NV. Philips recently brought 50% of LG Group’s LCD division to bolster its position in the sector. Avo Kanadjan, senior VP of memory marketing, said that OEM deals, rather than mergers, were Samsung’s preferred method of accelerating its capacity expansion. Kanadjan said that the LCD deal had been laid before other manufacturers but Apple was the first to bite. The displays will be sourced from Samsung’s plant in Chonan, South Korea.
