China's BOE has reportedly lost its planned OLED panel supply for Apple's iPhone 17 due to unresolved quality issues. Samsung Display will take over the supply, increasing shipments to 90 million units, while BOE's contribution is expected to fall below 40 million, highlighting ongoing challenges in the Chinese panel maker's entry into high-end smartphone displays.
According to ZDNet Korea, China's BOE has reportedly failed to deliver on its planned supply of OLED panels for Apple's iPhone 17 this year, as persistent quality issues remain unresolved. The shortfall means that the 10 million panels initially intended for the iPhone 17 will now be supplied entirely by Samsung Display.
BOE had sought to enter Apple's supply chain through its LTPO OLED panels, aiming to provide up to 10 million units for the iPhone 17 Pro in the Chinese market after gaining mass-production approval in the early third quarter of 2025. However, product reliability problems have hindered the company's ability to meet Apple's standards, industry sources said.
As a result, the report notes that Samsung Display is expected to increase its shipments from 80 million units to 90 million, while BOE's overall contribution to Apple's OLED supply will likely fall below 40 million units. A display industry source explained that BOE's LTPO panels struggle to meet Apple's performance requirements, forcing the reallocation of Pro model panels to Samsung.
BOE has no prior experience producing LTPO OLED panels, despite having supplied OLED displays for devices such as the OnePlus 15, which features a 6.78-inch, 165Hz refresh rate screen. Its entry into Apple's supply chain was considered a significant milestone, but the company has yet to resolve technical challenges regarding reliability and performance.
The situation is further complicated by BOE's legal restrictions in the US. The US International Trade Commission found BOE guilty of intellectual property theft from Samsung Display, banning its panels from the US market for 15 years. This restriction leaves Samsung and LG with relatively unimpeded access to Apple's US supply chain.
Market data indicates that South Korean suppliers dominate the iPhone 17 panel supply. As of October 2025, Samsung Display accounted for 64.5% of OLED shipments to the iPhone 17 series, while LG Display accounted for 34.1%, and BOE only 1.4%, according to UBI Research. The dominance of Samsung and LG is expected to rise further with the shift of BOE's unfulfilled allocation.
Despite setbacks in the Apple supply chain, BOE continues domestic investment. Ddaily, in a previous report, said that the company is expanding AMOLED production lines in Chengdu, China, with a planned investment of approximately CNY63 billion (approx. US$8.86 billion) to achieve a monthly output of 32,000 panels per line. Sources indicate BOE is reassessing production lines 3 and 4 to meet domestic and Apple-related demand, suggesting the company remains committed to growing its OLED capacity despite current obstacles.
The incident underscores the challenges Chinese panel makers face in competing with established South Korean suppliers in high-end smartphone displays, particularly in meeting stringent reliability standards and navigating geopolitical restrictions.
Article edited by Jack Wu
