Apple has effectively removed Chinese display maker BOE from the iPhone 13 supply chain after discovering design changes to its OLED panels, Electricity Report.
BOE has reportedly been supplying OLED display panels for the 6.1-inch iPhone models since last year, but since February the company has only produced a “small amount” of OLED panels for the iPhone. Electricity. Panel production is said to have “fallen significantly over the past four months”.
The initial reason for the drop in output was a shortage of display driver integrated circuits (ICs) as IC supplier LX Semin prioritized orders from LG Display. What’s more, BOE has reportedly changed the design of its OLED panels by expanding the circuit width of the thin-film transistors. Electricity Claims that when Apple discovered the change, it told BOE to stop production.
Still, BOE is unlikely to be excluded from Apple’s OLED panel supply chain, as its presence puts pressure on Samsung Display and LG Display to improve competitiveness and cut prices. BOE’s factory in Sichuan is said to be still operating, and BOE may be currently working on a workaround to meet Apple’s demands.
BOE’s two factories in China, which make OLED panels for the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13, will account for only 10% of all iPhone displays by 2021, but the company has been planning a massive expansion to overtake LG Display as Apple’s main supplier one of the merchants. The iPhone will be shown in 2023.
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