HONG KONG--Sharp Corp. (6753.TO) has just started shipping the
screens for Apple Inc.'s (AAPL) iPhone 5, a person with knowledge
of the situation said Thursday, after the Japanese electronics
maker's production of the liquid crystal display panels for the new
smartphone had been delayed for weeks.
Mass production of the screens for the iPhone 5, which Apple
unveiled Wednesday, began earlier this week at Sharp's factory in
central Japan, the person said.
The start of Sharp's delivery of the screens could help ease
concerns about whether Apple will have enough components to meet
global demand for the new iPhone. Sharp is one of the three
suppliers of the screens, along with Japan Display Inc. and South
Korea's LG Display Co. (034220.SE).
Last month, people familiar with the situation said Sharp hadn't
started mass producing the new iPhone's screens due in part to
manufacturing difficulties, while Japan Display and LG Display had
already started shipping them.
The iPhone 5 has a longer screen that measures four
inches--larger than the 3.5-inch displays used in all previous
iPhone models. The new iPhone is also thinner than its
predecessors.
Write to Juro Osawa at juro.osawa@wsj.com
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