The United States International Trade Commission has delivered a stinging rebuke to China’s BOE Technology Group, ruling that the display panel giant illicitly acquired proprietary OLED technology from South Korea’s Samsung Display. The preliminary decision, issued on July 11, sets the stage for a potential 15-year import ban on BOE’s products, a move that could upend the supply chain for smartphones and other devices in the U.S. market.
The commission found that BOE and its U.S.-based subsidiaries violated Section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930 by infringing on Samsung’s patents. The investigation revealed that BOE, a latecomer to the OLED industry, circumvented years of research by recruiting former Samsung engineers and tapping into its supplier network to access trade secrets. This misconduct, the ruling noted, caused “significant economic harm” to Samsung Display, a leader in organic light-emitting diode (OLED) screens that power everything from foldable smartphones to premium televisions.
Samsung Display has invested heavily in OLED innovation since the 1990s, pouring billions into developing the vibrant, flexible displays that define modern devices. BOE, entering the market around 2013, scaled up production rapidly without evidence of comparable R&D, according to the commission. “BOE’s misappropriation overcame Samsung’s stringent security measures,” the ruling stated, justifying a proposed Limited Exclusion Order that could bar BOE’s OLED panels from the U.S. for 14 years and eight months—a period reflecting both the unfair profits gained and the time required to develop such technology independently.
The final ruling, expected in November 2025, would prohibit BOE from importing, selling, or even showcasing its panels in the U.S., effectively locking the company out of a critical market. This could reshape the supply dynamics for major tech players like Apple, which sources roughly 23 percent of its iPhone OLED panels from BOE, slightly ahead of LG Display’s 21 percent share. A ban might compel Apple to lean more heavily on Samsung and LG Display, potentially boosting their revenues while raising concerns about supply chain bottlenecks and costs.
The ripple effects extend to Chinese smartphone brands like Huawei, Xiaomi, Oppo, Vivo, Honor, and OnePlus, which rely on BOE’s panels. Devices using these components could face U.S. import restrictions, posing challenges for companies like OnePlus aiming to expand their American presence with budget-friendly, high-performance phones.
Set against the broader U.S.-China trade war, the decision signals Washington’s growing resolve to curb intellectual property theft, a longstanding grievance in bilateral relations. With the U.S. already restricting Chinese access to advanced semiconductors and telecom equipment, the action against BOE serves as a warning to firms prioritizing rapid market gains over innovation ethics.
Samsung welcomed the ruling as a defense of its intellectual property, though it withheld further comment until the final decision. BOE has remained silent but could pursue an appeal or seek a rare presidential veto of the trade commission’s order. As the tech world awaits the outcome, the case highlights the fierce competition for dominance in display technology and the fragility of global supply chains reliant on a few key players.
