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Nintendo expanded LCD suppliers in 2017, JDI no longer major LCD supplier for Switch

ggx2ac

ggx2ac

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Link: http://techon.nikkeibp.co.jp/atcl/feature/15/122200045/010400368/?ST=SP&n_cid=nbptec_twbn_sp_t

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The above numbers are only estimates.
Edit 2: The above graph is all LCD screens being manufactured for Nintendo gaming systems.

Sharp does 3DS/2DS screens.
JDI, Innolux, AUO does Switch screens.

Edit: In case the above graph goes down, for 2016 it shows around 4 million screens produced from JDI, it estimates (for 2017) around 1-2 million screens produced from JDI, around 13 million from Innolux, and around 5-6 million from AU Optronics.

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Japan Display Inc initially supplied LCD screens for the Nintendo Switch in 2016. But in 2017, Nintendo expanded LCD suppliers for the Nintendo Switch by having Taiwanese companies Innolux and AU Optronics to manufacture LCD screens for the Nintendo Switch.

Why is Innolux currently the major supplier of Switch LCD screens? You may remember from past articles I posted about Japan Display Inc that they're on shaky grounds as they are a company with four years of financial net losses in a row and have been bailed out by Japanese Government institutions to receive R&D money to get into OLED manufacturing to catch up competing with LG and Samsung.

Back in August, Japan Display Inc had committed to structural reform which meant closing down manufacturing lines and laying off workers to reduce fixed costs, there is one quote here that I'll place from the following article:

http://evertiq.com/mobile/42296

Because the G6 OLED pilot line at Mobara Plant recently began operation, the G4.5 OLED pilot line at the Ishikawa Plant in Ishikawa site (in Kawakita-cho, Nomi-gun, Ishikawa Prefecture) will be discontinued and its functions integrated into the Mobara OLED line.
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The reason why is that the Nikkei article mentions this:

The company closed the 4.5th generation line of the Mobara factory that was producing the liquid crystal panel for game consoles, and it seems that shipping will be sharply reduced in 2017.
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The Mobara plant that was manufacturing the LCD screens for Switch is now focused on OLED production.

You might have noticed from the graph above that it estimates JDI only produced around 6 million screens for Switch. You may remember that JDI had plans to manufacture 10 million screens from this article back in January 2017:

https://www.wsj.com/articles/ninten...e-screen-panel-supplier-for-switch-1484719384

The contract calls for Japan Display to supply three million screens in an initial batch, and the company is gearing up to ship slightly more than 10 million units by the end of this year, the people said. However, the latter figure is subject to change depending on sales, they said. Spokesmen for Nintendo and JDI declined to comment.

People familiar with the deal said it probably wouldn't contribute much to JDI's profit, at least initially. The company's fortunes remain tied to smartphone makers, including Apple Inc., that buy more expensive display panels in far-larger quantities.
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Of course the structural reforms to JDI changed things and Nintendo had to resort to other manufacturers to procure the LCD screens for the Nintendo Switch.

If you'd like proof that Innolux produces the screens for the Nintendo Switch, there was a teardown by IHS Technology Teardown Services referenced here in September 2017:

http://electronics360.globalspec.com/article/9737/teardown-nintendo-switch

  • 6.2" Diagonal, TFT LCD, a-Si, IPS, 1280 x 720, N/T, 32g - MFR: INNOLUX CORP - MPN: P062CCA-A21
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Last edited:
Mr. Pointy

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Oct 28, 2017
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I'm curious to see if there are any noticeable differences between the JDI, Innolux and AU Optronics screens. It's probably nothing. I doubt it's like a TN versus IPS difference like the older 3DSes.

Someone get Erica Griffin on the case.
 
bry

bry

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Oct 27, 2017
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I wonder how the quality of the suppliers screens will vary
Almost makes me want to grab a switch sooner
 
Shahadan

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Oct 27, 2017
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Weren't there some comparison pics recently with some screens having some yellow tint or whatever

edit: well apparently some of those issue were already there at launch anyway, disregard
 
MesaEterna

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Would this be the cause of some Switches having a red tint in the scren? Because I got the switch at launch, my brother got it on christmas and it has that hue
 
rAndom

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Innolux is a pretty big LCD manufacturer, so no surprises there. Could also help bring the price down (or profit margins up).

Having 3 different LCDs (or 4 for that rare JDI units), hopefully screen and brightness quality won't have huge deviations.
 
Waffle

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Oct 28, 2017
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I like my launch Switch's screen. Now I'm afraid there will be screen lottery problems again.
 
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ggx2ac

ggx2ac

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rAndom said:
Innolux is a pretty big LCD manufacturer, so no surprises there. Could also help bring the price down (or profit margins up).
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According to the teardown I posted that mentions an Innolux display. IHS estimated the total build cost at $197.33.
 
wrowa

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MrCafecito said:
Then I suppose his has a defect too...
Not sending it to repair until cloud saves come.
Which is after the direct on Thursday ;)
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As long as your console isn't completely dead, Nintendo will transfer saves over to the new console during the process. If you are worried they might forget, you can also yourself transfer his profile with all of his saves to your Switch for the duration of the repair.
 
Lumination

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Oct 26, 2017
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Wait so JDI was the IPS manufacturer? So screen quality in 3DS's will become more chaotic? Hard to tell from reading here.
 
rAndom

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ggx2ac said:
According to the teardown I posted that mentions an Innolux display. IHS estimated the total build cost at $197.33.
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Wow. I just noticed that last part. So they've been using Innolux since last year. If they're ordering more this year, then we expect costs to be driven further down from that part alone.
 

Deleted member 8001

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There's no way they're dropping the IPS screen on Switch, it's actually needed for tabletop mode for multiplayer due to viewing angles.
 
AlexFlame116

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Wait, so does this means that the screen quality on newer Switch consoles will differ from those who got it during the release year?
 
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ggx2ac

ggx2ac

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AlexFlame116 said:
Wait, so does this means that the screen quality on newer Switch consoles will differ from those who got it during the release year?
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2017 was the release year... Nintendo has sold over 10 million Switch units already. Approximately 6 million had screens from JDI, the Innolux screens are IPS as well according to the teardown.
 
AlexFlame116

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ggx2ac said:
2017 was the release year... Nintendo has sold over 10 million Switch units already. Approximately 6 million had screens from JDI, the Innolux screens are IPS as well according to the teardown.
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Smiles said:
they have been out there for a while now, I am sure we would have heard something if the quality differed by a noticeable margin
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Oh! I see. Thanks for the extra info!

Hmm....I wonder which screen I have. I'm almost afraid to check lol.
 
Mark H

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So I guess JDI really dropped the ball here?
Switch being as successful as it is, with extremely high likelihood of ongoing hardware revisions, they had the chance for lucrative business for the next 5 years at least.
 
Yoshi88

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Oct 26, 2017
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Just a quick question: We now got two Switches in our home, but the new one is remarkably tinted (yellow/ orangey, kinda like having energy saving mode turned up to the max) and looks to be a quality level under my launch screen. I thought this was due to another screen lottery. So this is not the case and would be sth. worthy of sending back to Nintendo?
 
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ggx2ac

ggx2ac

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Yoshi88 said:
Just a quick question: We now got two Switches in our home, but the new one is remarkably tinted (yellow/ orangey, kinda like having energy saving mode turned up to the max) and looks to be a quality level under my launch screen. I thought this was due to another screen lottery. So this is not the case and would be sth. worthy of sending back to Nintendo?
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Probably:

SinCItyAssassin said:
No yellow tint problems this time around. The person who posted those pictures had a defect which was sent back.
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Antony

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To me it seems the colour temperature of new models is too prevalent for it to be a defect.
I've seen a few bought over Christmas and all are warmer than my launch model...
 
ILikeFeet

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Mark H said:
So I guess JDI really dropped the ball here?
Switch being as successful as it is, with extremely high likelihood of ongoing hardware revisions, they had the chance for lucrative business for the next 5 years at least.
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It's more like LCD is predicted to be a dying business and JDI needs to get on the new bandwagon as fast as possible to prevent themselves from going tits up
 
Elfotografoalocado

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Antony said:
To me it seems the colour temperature of new models is too prevalent for it to be a defect.
I've seen a few bought over Christmas and all are warmer than my launch model...
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An early analysis of a launch sample said the color temperature was cool-ish at ~7800K iirc. So maybe newer models are closer to the accurate 6500K. What I know is, my Switch bought in December 2017 looks remarkably close to my Ultrasharp monitor, save for the glossy finish.
So I wouldn't be too worried.
 
Skittzo

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So they were estimating 24-25M Switch screens were produced in 2017? I wonder where that number comes from, the rumored Switch production for the FY was 18M, I guess with ~3M more coming in the previous FY.
 

Leon123

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Dec 10, 2017
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This would explain why my sons launch has a perfect screen but the Switch I purchased just a few weeks ago had to be exchanged even though the new version isn't perfect either.
I'm to old now to get involved in screen lotteries with devices now but at least I know they're using different suppliers.
It's a shame this happens but a blessing also because it means the Switch is selling well.
 
shotgunbob04

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So more suppliers could mean even more variety in the color temperature of Switch displays, right? My friend and I both have Switches marked with 2016 (both are JDI, then), and mine has a cold, bluish tone while my friend's has a warm, almost-yellow tone.
 

Deleted member 1852

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Oh good, that means that glorious 3DS panel lottery can finally come to Switch. I suppose I should be glad I bought mine already now.
 

Leon123

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shotgunbob04 said:
So more suppliers could mean even more variety in the color temperature of Switch displays, right? My friend and I both have Switches marked with 2016 (both are JDI, then), and mine has a cold, bluish tone while my friend's has a warm, almost-yellow tone.
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I think the 2016 on the back is just the year it launched and not a year of manufactured.
 
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