BOE expands capacity as it bets on gaining iPhone orders

The iPhone 17 generation is on the way – Image Credit: AppleInsider

After a rocky start in Apple’s display supply chain, display supplier BOE has bulked out its OLED panel supply chain in the hope it can secure more iPhone screen orders.

The display supply chain for iPhones has been dominated by Samsung Display and LG Display, with BOE being a much smaller supplier in comparison. However, BOE really wants to be a big player, and has expanded its production capacity in the hope that Apple will use it.

According to the China Display Trend Report from UBI Research, seen by ZDNet Korea on Friday, BOE has managed to construct an annual production capacity for 100 million OLED panels for iPhones.

This consists of 26 module lines dedicated to Apple, including 11 lines for mass production and three for module development. BOE has also worked to cut the assembly time per panel to 5.5 seconds, with each line capable of making up to 350,000 units in a month.

It is believed that the lines, known as B11, can make up to 8 million or 9 million panels per month. In total, that comes out to about 100 million panels per year. This is based on a 90% utilization rate and an 85% yield, which is slightly lower than Samsung’s production percentages.

Ambitious capacity

BOE’s work to be more capable of producing iPhone displays is hopeful, but its current requirements from Apple are not that lofty. It is a current supplier, but nowhere near the level of the two main display makers Apple relies on for its products.

Unlike Samsung and LG, Apple has dealt with many issues with BOE, despite it being used in a relatively small scale compared to the other two.

For example, in 2022, BOE was caught changing Apple’s specifications for displays, prompting Apple to cut orders. In a 2023 attempt to get into the iPad OLED display supply chain, BOE failed to make the grade.

Current estimates for BOE shipments to Apple in the second half of 2025 are expected to reach 24 million panels, with a total of 45 million panels for the year.

BOE does want to gain more work from Apple, and has built the supply chain to handle it. There is a hope by the company to secure orders for the iPhone 17 series, alongside Samsung and LG.

Improving its standing will be a tough hill to climb, due to Apple’s extremely high standards when it comes to supplying components for new products. BOE is behind Samsung and LG in terms of technological know-how, but it is catching up fast to its rivals.

If the gamble pays off, BOE may finally see full utilization of its Apple-specific production lines after all.

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