Samsung Display to start iPhone 15 OLED production earlier from BOE’s setback 

Samsung Display will start manufacturing OLED panels for the iPhone 15 Series in May, a month earlier than initially planned, TheElec has learned.

This is because BOE, which was given the order by Apple to manufacture some OLED panels for the standard model of iPhone 15, is facing problems in production, sources said.

The OLED panel being planned for the standard model of iPhone 15 is similar to those used in iPhone 14 but now it has a hole at the top for the front camera and various sensors.

BOE is facing light leak problems around the hole and has missed the chance become one of the initial suppliers of the hole-display panels.

The light leak problem is different from those in liquid crystal display __ which happens when the light from the backlight unit is not covered properly by the panel.

In hole-display, the light leaks directly from the hole as the areas within the hole are not probably covered.

Samsung Display was always slated to also supply the OLED panel for the standard model of iPhone 15 but will start production early of the panel in light of the Chinese display panel maker’s problems.

Samsung Display will start manufacturing OLED panels aimed at the high-tier models in the iPhone 15 Series in June, as originally planned.

The standard and plus models in Apple’s iPhone 15 Series use low-temperature polycrystalline silicon (LTPS) thin-film transistor (TFT), while Pro and Pro Max use low-temperature polycrystalline oxide (LTPO) TFT.

Meanwhile, LG Display will also start producing LTPO TFT OLED panels aimed at the higher-tier models of iPhone 15 in June.

Samsung Display’s early start doesn’t spell the end for BOE in its supply to Apple.

Sources said the Chinese display panel maker is showing progress in solving the light leak issue, and could start supplying OLED panels for iPhone 15 within the year.