LG Innotek is expected to start mass production of flexible printed circuit boards for smartphones starting from next year, with potential clients to include Apple.

With this move to become a flexible PCB supplier for Apple's iPhone, LG Innotek would pose a challenge to Samsung Electro-Mechanics which has already accumulated know-how in this area.

The South Korean company is close to completing the development of flexible PCBs plans to break the ground for related facilities in the latter half of this year.

Flexible PCBs are essential parts of smartphones designed with curved OLEDs. They have been already used by Samsung in the Galaxy S6 Edge device. Those PCBs were made by Samsung Electro-Mechanics, which is the main compatitor of LG Innotek in the segment.