Apple has dropped Chinese display maker BOE from its iPhone 13 supply chain after discovering the vendor had made design changes to its OLED panels, The Elec reports.
BOE has been a supplier of 6.1-inch OLED display panels for iPhone models since last year. However, the company has only manufactured a “meager amount” of OLED panels for the iPhone since February, according to The Elec. The vendor’s panel production volume is said to have “plummeted over the past four months.”
The dip in production was initially due to a shortage of display driver Integrated Circuits (ICs), since IC supplier LX Semicon prioritized LG Display’s orders. BOE has also reportedly changed the design of its OLED display panels, expanding the circuit width of thin-film transistors. When Apple discovered the change, it instructed BOE to halt production, says The Elec.
BOE has been manufacturing OLED panels for the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 at its two factories in China and accounted for just 10% of all iPhone displays in 2021
BOE is likely to be restored to Apple’s OLED panel supply chain in the future, as its inclusion puts pressure on Samsung Display and LG Display to be more competitive and cut prices. BOE is likely developing a workaround to meet Apple’s requirements.