Recent reports from Korea reveal that Apple has ceased sourcing display panels for the iPhone 17 Pro from Chinese manufacturer BOE due to persistent product reliability challenges. Despite efforts spanning much of the year, BOE was unable to resolve these issues to Apple's satisfaction.
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Due to BOE’s unresolved display panel issues, Apple has redirected orders originally intended for BOE to Samsung Display. BOE had been slated to supply up to 10 million LTPO OLED panels specifically for iPhone 17 Pro units sold in China.
Industry sources suggest BOE did not meet the stringent quality standards required for Apple’s LTPO panel technology on the iPhone 17 Pro, leading to its failure to secure a stable position as a screen supplier for this generation. Consequently, Samsung Display will increase its OLED panel shipments from the initial 80 million units to 90 million units to compensate.
When considering the other iPhone models BOE supplies panels for, it appears the company will not reach its annual production target of 40 million panels. The challenges faced by BOE stem mainly from the complexities of manufacturing LTPO displays at Apple's demanded quality and reliability benchmarks.
In a related development, Samsung recently resolved a patent dispute with BOE concerning OLED technology infringement, with BOE agreeing to pay royalties for the rights to utilize Samsung's intellectual property.
