Display manufacturer BOE projected to score a major win with Apple
Chinese display manufacturer BOE is about to get its lucky break with Apple.
Chinese display manufacturer BOE, which recently failed to secure iPhone 17 orders, is projected to score a major win with Apple by research firm Omdia. The manufacturer’s share of supplying LCD panels for the MacBook is expected to be 51 percent this year, especially thanks to the popularity of the MacBook Air. This means it will massively overtake the previous largest supplier: LG Display.
BOE was unable to meet Apple’s standards for the upcoming iPhone 17 line, which will have panels supplied solely by Samsung and LG. Apple is upgrading all of its flagship phones to LTPO OLED displays, something that BOE was apparently unable to master in time. Furthermore, even the MacBook win will be short-lived, according to a report (translated source).
Apple is reportedly planning on shifting its MacBook models over to “Tandem OLED” panels next year, which will likely bring back demand for panels supplied by Samsung and LG. Tandem OLED panels improve upon traditional OLED by increasing both the lifespan as well as the brightness of a display. BOE may suffer a setback because of this change next year.
Worth keeping in mind are the recent reports of a MacBook powered by an iPhone chip. Such a budget model may use older panels — like the iPhone 16e reused iPhone 14 panels — which would make for a new opportunity for BOE.
If BOE is able to catch up to Samsung and LG, both it and Apple would be very happy campers. The iPhone 17 is expected to see a bump in its price due to increasing manufacturing costs. BOE supplying most of the panels would allow Apple to reduce these costs, and in turn keep the prices of new phones the same as well.
However, due to some shenanigans by BOE in the past, Apple also needs to stay on alert for now.
Apple and BOE have had a confusing relationship for a long time. While Apple desperately wants to acquire panels from BOE over Samsung Display and LG Display, the manufacturer often fails to meet Apple’s standards. Whenever BOE does successfully make panels that satisfy Apple, the latter is able to reduce manufacturing costs by a significant margin.
BOE was unable to meet Apple’s standards for the upcoming iPhone 17 line, which will have panels supplied solely by Samsung and LG. Apple is upgrading all of its flagship phones to LTPO OLED displays, something that BOE was apparently unable to master in time. Furthermore, even the MacBook win will be short-lived, according to a report (translated source).
BOE also supplied panels for the iPhone 16e this year. | Video credit — Apple
Apple is reportedly planning on shifting its MacBook models over to “Tandem OLED” panels next year, which will likely bring back demand for panels supplied by Samsung and LG. Tandem OLED panels improve upon traditional OLED by increasing both the lifespan as well as the brightness of a display. BOE may suffer a setback because of this change next year.
Worth keeping in mind are the recent reports of a MacBook powered by an iPhone chip. Such a budget model may use older panels — like the iPhone 16e reused iPhone 14 panels — which would make for a new opportunity for BOE.
If BOE is able to catch up to Samsung and LG, both it and Apple would be very happy campers. The iPhone 17 is expected to see a bump in its price due to increasing manufacturing costs. BOE supplying most of the panels would allow Apple to reduce these costs, and in turn keep the prices of new phones the same as well.
However, due to some shenanigans by BOE in the past, Apple also needs to stay on alert for now.
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