Samsung is weighing BOE OLED displays for Galaxy S flagships after settling a patent dispute, seeking lower costs as build prices rise. What it could mean.
© A. Krivonosov
Samsung may be preparing an unexpected move: using OLED displays from China’s BOE in its flagship Galaxy S smartphones. Sources say the company is weighing purchases of BOE panels, though no final decision has been made.
According to a report, Samsung Display and BOE recently held talks made possible after a years-long patent dispute was resolved. BOE had previously been found to have infringed Samsung’s patents, but the settlement cleared the way for the two sides to discuss potential cooperation for the first time—opening the door to a relationship that would have seemed out of reach a few years ago.
The logic behind the potential shift is straightforward: cutting costs. Galaxy flagships have traditionally used Samsung’s in-house displays, widely regarded as among the best on the market. Yet rising build costs—driven in part by more expensive memory amid the expansion of AI infrastructure—are pushing the company to find savings.
Apple already relies on BOE’s OLED panels in the iPhone, drawn by prices that undercut Samsung Display and LG Display. In recent years, Apple has been gradually increasing BOE’s share of its supply chain to reduce dependence on Korean suppliers. For Samsung, a similar move could sting from an image standpoint but look sensible on the balance sheet.
If the tie-up goes ahead, it would send a pointed signal to the broader smartphone industry. Samsung is already leaning on its own Exynos chips to rein in costs and, on displays, appears ready to trade full vertical integration for sharper pricing. The lingering question is whether any partnership with BOE would prove durable.