Other suppliers of rigid flexible printed circuit boards (RFPCBs) are stepping in to produce the components for the iPhone 13 lineup, as Samsung begins exiting the business …
Samsung has been a major global supplier of both flexible circuit boards and wireless modules, but has been losing money on the operations for some time. When incoming Samsung Electro-Mechanics CEO Kyung Kye-hyun took the helm, he decided the company would cease manufacturing both product lines, leaving a gap in Apple’s supply chain.
TheElec reports that Samsung’s share of the iPhone 13’s RFPCB business will this year fall to 30%, with two other suppliers picking up the slack.
South Korea board maker BH will be supplying over half of the rigid flexible printed circuit boards (RFPCB) used in Apple’s new iPhones launching later this year, TheElec has learned.
BH will be supplying mid-50% of the board used, while Samsung Electro-Mechanics will supply 30%. Youngpoong Electronics will supply mid-10% of the boards used.
RFPCB is used IS to connect the main board to the OLED to panel. Being rigid and flexible allows vendors such as Apple to design their phones easier. The boards also sends electric signals faster. It is more expensive component than FPCB.
Samsung had originally hoped to sell its wireless comms division to Chemtronics, but the sale fell through in May, and the company decided simply to cut its losses instead.
Visible changes expected to year’s iPhone models include a slightly smaller notch and a revised camera layout – as well as the possibility of some kind of always-on display thanks to the adoption of 120Hz ProMotion display technology. (As well as supporting faster frame rates for things like games, the tech allows the frame rate to be reduced to as little as 1Hz for low-power always-on content.)
Other reported improvements all center on photography.
First up is the sensor-shift image stabilization coming to the iPhone 13 Pro (it’s currently a 12 Pro Max exclusive), which provides faster response than lens-based stabilization. Both Pro models are also set to get an upgraded ultra-wide camera with autofocus, wider aperture, and an additional lens element for better low-light performance and reduced distortion. Finally, we’re expecting some kind of astrophotography features for improved photos of the night sky.
Check out our iPhone 13 guide for more.
Photo: iFixit
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