The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) has ruled that Chinese display maker BOE infringed on Samsung's patents. However, the ITC rejected Samsung's request to ban the import and sale of BOE displays, a decision that could significantly impact Apple's upcoming iPhone SE 4.
While the ruling favors Samsung in terms of patent infringement, the ITC's preliminary decision allows BOE to continue supplying displays to Apple. Samsung has requested a re-examination of the decision, with a final verdict expected in March 2025, around the same time the iPhone SE 4 is rumored to launch.
This isn't the first time BOE has faced scrutiny in the U.S. Previous concerns have been raised about potential security risks posed by Chinese display suppliers. However, the ITC reportedly rejected the import ban because it wouldn't significantly impact the U.S. display industry.
An anonymous patent industry insider stated that the ITC considers the broader industry impact when deciding on import bans. In this case, the lack of a significant negative impact on the U.S. industry led to the rejection of Samsung's request.
Samsung's motivation is likely tied to its competition with BOE for supplying displays to Apple. With BOE out of the picture, Samsung would become Apple's primary supplier of low-cost panels for its budget-friendly devices.
BOE recently outbid Samsung to become the primary supplier of iPhone SE 4 displays, reportedly offering a lower price per OLED panel than Samsung was willing to match.
