An Apple Store (image: Public Domain)
SEOUL, Sept. 1 (Korea Bizwire) — Apple is preparing to unveil its iPhone 17 series next month, including a new ultra-thin “Air” model, in a launch closely watched by South Korea’s top electronics suppliers whose earnings are tightly bound to the device’s global success.
The event, scheduled for September 9 at Apple Park’s Steve Jobs Theater in Cupertino, will introduce four versions of the iPhone 17 — standard, Air, Pro, and Pro Max. The new Air model, expected to replace the Plus line, is said to measure just 5.5 millimeters thick, making it the slimmest iPhone yet.
Analysts project Apple will produce roughly 78–85 million units in the second half of the year, broadly in line with last year’s iPhone 16 launch, though new artificial intelligence features could fuel higher-than-expected demand. Trade tensions, including U.S. tariff threats, remain a looming risk.
This photo, provided by LG Display Co., shows the company’s booth at the Society for Information Display 2025 trade shows held in the U.S. (Yonhap)
The release carries significant implications for South Korea’s supply chain. Samsung Display will furnish panels for all iPhone 17 models, while LG Display will focus on Pro and Pro Max versions.
For the first time, China’s BOE is expected to supply some OLED panels for Pro models sold in China, though industry forecasts suggest Korean firms will maintain a dominant share.
According to UBI Research, Samsung Display is set to ship 78 million panels for the iPhone 17 series this year, a 22 percent increase from last year. LG Display is projected to deliver 45.6 million units, while BOE contributes about 5 million.
Analysts expect LG Display, which posted a loss in the first half of the year, to swing back to profitability in the third and fourth quarters thanks to iPhone demand.
Other Korean suppliers also stand to benefit. Samsung Electro-Mechanics will provide multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs), and LG Innotek will supply camera modules, including advanced folded zoom lenses for the Pro models.
Market consensus suggests LG Innotek’s optical business could return to the black in the second half, after reporting losses earlier this year.
Samsung Display, buoyed by both iPhone and its own Galaxy Z line, is projected to post nearly 2 trillion won in operating profit in the second half. Samsung Electro-Mechanics is forecast to deliver about 300 billion won in profit from its components division alone.
The stakes are high: as Apple redefines the smartphone once more, its Korean partners will again test whether the “iPhone effect” can offset global trade uncertainties and sustain their recovery.
Kevin Lee (kevinlee@koreabizwire.com)
