The US may soon enforce a ban on the import of OLED panels from Chinese manufacturer BOE, following a lawsuit filed by Samsung two years ago. Samsung accused BOE of stealing trade secrets related to OLED technology, a claim that could have significant consequences for both companies. The US International Trade Commission (ITC) has ruled preliminarily that BOE, along with its seven affiliates, violated the US Tariff Act by using Samsung’s proprietary technology to produce its panels.
This ruling could lead to a ban lasting over 14 years.
While the decision isn’t final, experts suggest that the ITC is likely to uphold the ban, especially since the evidence against BOE is robust. If the ban is confirmed in November, Samsung will get a break from a fierce competitor. Over the past few years, BOE has aggressively contested Samsung’s dominance in the OLED market by producing panels that match Samsung’s in quality and performance, but at much lower prices. This has allowed BOE to capture a significant market share.
In addition to Samsung, Apple could be affected by the ban. BOE currently supplies around 22.7% of the OLED panels for iPhones, and if the ban is implemented, Apple will have to turn to other suppliers, like Samsung and LG, to meet its needs. Other US-based companies such as HP and Dell, which use BOE’s panels in some of their products, may also face disruptions.