Apple Shifts OLED Panel Manufacturing to Samsung After BOE Delays iPhone Production for 2 Months

Following a series of unexpected technical challenges at BOE, Apple has decided to relocate a substantial portion of its OLED panel orders to Samsung to mitigate further disruptions in iPhone production.

Production Challenges at BOE Impacting Various iPhone Models

Recent reports from South Korea’s The Elec indicate that production issues at BOE have caused significant delays in Apple’s iPhone assembly processes for the last two months. This has led the tech giant to pivot and allocate OLED panel orders to Samsung instead.

Notably, Samsung has now acquired approximately half of BOE’s previous OLED orders from Apple. For reference, BOE supplied around 40 million OLED panels to Apple in 2024—translating to a volume of about 3 million units produced each month.

In addition to the challenges related to the advanced Low Temperature Polycrystalline Oxide (LTPO) OLED panels for the iPhone 17, it seems BOE is also struggling with production of the simpler Low Temperature Polycrystalline Silicon (LTPS) OLED panels for the upcoming iPhone 17e, along with several legacy models such as the iPhone 13, 14, 15, 16, and the anticipated iPhone 16e.

This situation is particularly concerning as BOE’s production yields for the iPhone 15 and 16 were stable throughout the previous year, suggesting that the current issues are likely due to unforeseen complications in their manufacturing process.

Initially, Apple had chosen BOE as the primary supplier for the OLED panels for the iPhone 17e. Given the current delays, it appears that Samsung may now be poised to step in and provide the necessary panels for Apple’s new budget-friendly offering.

Compounding the issue, BOE has struggled to meet Apple’s stringent standards for the OLED panels designed for the iPhone 17. Apple had anticipated receiving around 10 million LTPO OLED panels from BOE as part of their original contract.

This all unfolds in the context of a recent legal ruling whereby Samsung Display won a significant case against BOE for the theft of OLED technology. This legal battle dates back to 2023, when Samsung accused BOE of importing OLED products into the U. S.utilizing Samsung’s proprietary trade secrets.

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