BOE Closes the Gap with Korean Competitors in OLED Panel Technology
China’s BOE Technology Group has been actively narrowing the technology gap with Korean giants in the organic light-emitting diode (OLED) panel domain. According to industry experts, BOE has reduced the technological gap with Korea regarding the high-growth mid-sized OLED sector to one to one and a half years.
BOE’s latest OLED panels
The Chinese display industry is rapidly expanding its presence in the OLED market, driven by robust governmental support as well as competitive pricing, while high domestic consumption also fuels sales growth.
BOE, top Chinese display maker, has gradually become a crucial part of the global supply chain for tech giants.
In late 2023, Apple finally approved BOE as an iPhone 15 AMOLED supplier. Though the delivery time was delayed due to quality issues, making it falling behind Samsung and LG, BOE is said to supply 2 million panels to Apple, about 3% of its total OLED supply in 2023.
BOE’s Latest OLED Panels
BOE has introduced a series of latest OLED panels at SID2024 in mid-May to showcase its progress. It disclosed a 31.6-inch slidable OLED panel, which can extend sideways when needed, concealing the screen while not in use. It is also noteworthy that BOE showcased 15-inch and 17-inch foldable panels, targeting the automotive OLED market.
BOE’s foldable OLED panel
BOE’s Ambition in OLED Panel Production
According to an earlier report from Japanese media outlet Nikkei News, BOE plans to boost its OLED panel production capacity by more than 50% compared to the current level within the next three years, demonstrating its ambition in the field.
BOE’s new OLED panel plant “B16” in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, began construction in late March. The goal is to complete the plant building by 2024, install manufacturing equipment by September 2025, and start mass production in 2026, producing 8.6-generation OLED panels. BOE’s competitor, Samsung Electronics, is also said to be looking for mass production of 8.6-generation OLED panels in 2026 by upgrading its existing plants.
BOE’s OLED panel production