UPDATE: Samsung’s lawsuit with BOE may have some ripple effects across the industry. While Samsung has already begun relying on LG to supply its WOLED panels for Samsung TVs, it looks like the Korean tech giant may also be outsourcing production of its LCD panels as well. Business Korea is reporting that Samsung’s recent lawsuit with BOE over patent infringement is the catalyst, as Samsung had been relying on BOE for some percentage of their LCD panels. Reports estimate an increase of LCD panels shipped from LG of 10%:
“In the display industry, Samsung Electronics is reportedly considering reducing its procurement of panels from BOE and expanding panel supply from LG Display and SDP, an affiliate of Sharp,” reports Business Korea. “As a result, LG Display’s share of Samsung Electronics’ LCD panel volume is expected to increase to 17 percent from 7 percent. In monetary terms, based on LCD panel prices in July 2023, the figure is expected to top 1 trillion won.”
The following was originally published July 6, 2023:
Samsung Display has filed a lawsuit against display company BOE, asserting that the Chinese manufacturer has infringed on five of their patents.
Samsung Display filed the suit last Wednesday in the U.S. court system, claiming the BOE has infringed on multiple patents for displays intended for mobile devices. The case sees Samsung Display asking a federal jury to award damages as well as halt the sale of the infringing technologies.
During a conference call with investors in January, Executive Vice President of Samsung Display Choi Kwon-young said, “We have accumulated numerous patents and know-how through decades of investment, research and development, and mass production. In order to protect our differentiated technologies and increase their value, we are actively promoting our hard-to-mimic OLED technology to the market. At the same time, we are taking various in-depth measures to recognize the legitimacy of the intellectual property rights accumulated through the efforts of our employees.”
See also: OLED panel production costs predicted to fall from now through 2026
According to market researcher Omdia, BOE recently overtook LG Display to become 2nd largest manufacturer of OLED displays, behind only Samsung.
The lawsuit states, in part, “Samsung Display has suffered, and will continue to suffer, irreparable harm as a result of Defendants’ infringement of the ‘599 Patent’ for which there is no adequate remedy at law, unless Defendants’ infringement is enjoined by this Court.”
