Samsung Display and BOE Technology have reached a sweeping settlement in their long-running dispute over OLED patents and trade secrets, bringing closure to a three-year legal battle that threatened to disrupt the global smartphone display supply chain. The agreement will end multiple investigations before the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC), easing pressure on two of Apple’s most important screen suppliers.
What the Settlement Means for Samsung and BOE
While the specific terms of the settlement remain confidential, industry experts expect it to include licensing agreements and mutual commitments regarding the management of sensitive information. Given Samsung’s previous legal victories and the strategic interests of both companies in restoring stability ahead of next-generation OLED production, a royalty-bearing arrangement is considered likely. Such deals are common in high-stakes display industry litigation, where both parties seek to avoid prolonged legal uncertainty.
Both Samsung Display and BOE are key suppliers of OLED panels for premium smartphones, including Apple’s iPhones. By resolving the dispute, the companies eliminate the risk of a protracted legal shadow over design wins, production planning, and pricing for 2026 devices—critical periods when panel allocations are typically finalized months in advance.
Why the ITC Fight Was a Turning Point
Samsung Display initiated its first ITC action in 2022, accusing BOE of infringing foundational OLED patents. In 2025, the Commission found BOE in violation of three Samsung patents. In a separate trade secrets case, an administrative law judge ruled that BOE had stolen confidential manufacturing know-how and recommended a near-total ban on U.S. imports of BOE OLED panels for almost 15 years.
Such an exclusion order would have been unprecedented for a leading panel maker and could have severely disrupted handset brands’ multi-sourcing strategies. By settling before a permanent ban was imposed, both companies preserve flexibility for device manufacturers and shield BOE from a prolonged absence from the U.S. market.
Implications for Apple and the OLED Supply Chain
Apple’s display sourcing strategy is built on balancing cost, technological advancement, and redundancy among Samsung Display, BOE, and LG Display. As OLED technology expands from smartphones to tablets and laptops, supply stability is a growing concern. The settlement reduces the risk of supply shocks, maintains competitive pricing, and ensures that timelines for next-generation technologies—such as LTPO, tandem OLED, and advanced optical enhancements like micro-lens arrays—remain on track.
Analysts from Omdia and DSCC highlight Samsung’s enduring leadership in small- and mid-size OLED panels, while BOE continues to ramp up output from its Chinese flexible OLED lines. With the legal uncertainty resolved, both companies can pursue high-volume contracts without the threat of a U.S. import block.
Intellectual Property and Talent Risks in Display Manufacturing
The dispute also underscores the growing importance of protecting intellectual property in the display industry. Recent cases highlight the stakes: a former Samsung Display engineer was sentenced to six years in prison for leaking OLED technology worth $24.5 million to a Chinese firm, and South Korean police are investigating alleged leaks by LG Display staff. These incidents demonstrate how critical—and portable—OLED stack design, encapsulation, and yield-tuning process knowledge have become.
For global suppliers, this raises the stakes on hiring from rivals and third-party partners. Expect tighter audit trails, stricter clean-room access protocols, and broader non-solicitation and training obligations to become standard in future cross-border deals.
Strategic Considerations for the Display Industry
The settlement reflects a pragmatic approach: both Samsung and BOE stand to gain more from predictable access to lucrative smartphone programs than from a court victory that could have shut them out of the U.S. market. It also highlights the role of patents as bargaining chips, with the ITC’s decisions and the threat of long exclusion orders serving as powerful motivators.
By preserving competition, the truce ensures that innovation cycles remain fast and pricing stays competitive as demand for OLEDs shifts toward larger sizes. With brands introducing foldable, tablet-grade tandem stacks, and high-luminance laptop panels, having more qualified suppliers benefits both consumers and device makers.
What to Watch Next
Key milestones to watch include:
- Formal termination of ITC investigations
- Any disclosures regarding licensing terms or royalty flows
- Procurement splits for next-generation iPhones and Android flagships
- Progress on new OLED lines in China and Korea, where yield gains and material innovations could rapidly alter
cost curves
For now, the truce eliminates a major source of uncertainty in one of consumer electronics’ most critical components. With litigation behind them, Samsung Display and BOE can focus on competing where it matters most: performance, reliability, and scale.
