Apple iPhone Display Supplier BOE Reportedly Struggling with Production Issues
Apple iPhone’s OLED display panel supplier, BOE, is reportedly currently struggling with its production due to the raging global chip shortage mess.
The Elec (via MacRumors) is reporting that due to the continuing global shortage of computer chips, Chinese display giant BOE is facing production difficulties with its OLED panels for Apple’s iPhone.
The shortage will affect BOE’s production this month and next month, sources said. BOE has procured display driver ICs for the panels from South Korean chip firm LX Semicon, but the latter’s production volume is falling short of the planned amount.
BOE uses display driver ICs for its Apple display panels from the South Korean provider, LX Semicon. However, the company’s production has come up short of its target goals. LX Semicon, due to the lack of production capacity from foundries, is supplying its display driver ICs first to LG Display, its other customer besides BOE, they said.
As a result, BOE is expected to lower the OLED panel unit production volume up to next month by around 2 million units to 3 million units from the issue. Apple is expected to have ordered up to 10 million units of OLED panels for iPhones to BOE for the first half of 2022.
Apple can likely ask Samsung or LG to cover up the disparity caused by this setback, so the Cupertino company has some relief in that regard.
BOE was previously reported to overtake LG in iPhone OLED production in 2023, but if these issues persist, the Chinese firm can say goodbye to achieving that milestone. For the time being, the company is producing LTPS OLED panels for the less expensive iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini.