BOE fails to supply OLED for iPhone again

Chinese display giant BOE has yet again failed to clinch a supply order from Apple for OLED panels, TheElec has learned.

The display maker will now have to try again in the first half of 2021 __ which means next year’s iPhone series will likely use panels made by Samsung Display and LG Display again.

BOE’s B7 line at Chengdu, Sichuan province has failed Apple’s review for OLED supply, people familiar with the matter said.

Earlier this year, BOE’s B11 line at Mianyang of the same province had also failed to pass Apple’s review due to low production yield rate of around 20%.

B7 was built earlier than B11 and was used to supply OLED panels for Chinese smartphone makers such as Huawei.

Cupertino’s review for B7 started in September but the review only lasted a month and ended in failure in October.

The line’s OLED panels fell enormously short of being able to pass Apple’s standards, the people said.

The results for BOE’s reattempt next year in the first half of 2021 will only come out between May and June. If the Chinese company passes the review, its panel will be able to be used for refurbished iPhone 12 models.

The new iPhone series launching next year will now likely only use panels made by Samsung and LG.

Next year’s OLED panel used for the iPhone will be more technologically sophisticated to make compared to those used in iPhone 12.

Two out of the four models launching next year will use low-temperature polycrystalline oxide (LPTO) thin-film transistors (TFT). LPTO technology is needed for the screens to reach 120Hz refresh rate. 

All four models will use on-cell touch screens as well.

Samsung Display applied LPTO TFT for its OLED panels for Samsung Electronics’ Galaxy Note20 Ultra. LG Display is installing LPTO TFT production equipment at its factory in Paju. 

BOE is considered behind in LPTO TFT technology compared to its two South Korean rivals.