Apple OLED panel supplier BOE continues to face production issues with its panel production for the iPhone, leading Apple to reconsider its relationship with the Chinese display manufacturer. Apple is considering redirecting OLED panel orders to its other display suppliers, Samsung Display and LG Display, according to a report by OLED-info.
BOE has reportedly bee struggling to meet Apple’s stringent quality standards for its LTPS AMOLED displays destined for iPhone 14, 15, and 16 models.
BOE has managed to only deliver approximately 7-8 million panels to Apple since the start of 2024, falling horribly short of the roughly 40 million units Apple ordered.
Industry insiders indicate that Samsung Display is likely to receive the brunt of any redirected orders during the six weeks it is expected to resolve BOE’s production issues. The majority of LG Display’s production capacity is focused primarily on making LTPO AMOLED displays for iPhone “Pro” models.
This is not the first time BOE has had trouble meeting Apple’s standards for OLED panels. In 2023, the company struggled to fix light leakage issues around the Dynamic Island cutout for iPhone 15 displays, leading Apple to reduce orders significantly.
The OLED-info report claims BOE and LG Display have been chosen as OLED suppliers for the upcoming iPhone SE 4 smartphone, which is expected to be unveiled sometime this week. The entry-level handset is expected to boast a 6.1″ AMOLED display. The report indicated that Apple’s target price for the new display is $25, which was considered too low a price for Samsung Display, causing it to drop out of its discussions with Apple for the supply of the panels.
