Samsung Display, BOE, and Tianma have given Apple their prices for OLED panels for the iPhone SE4, which is set to launch in early 2025, according to TheElec. Apple has only used LCD panels for its budget iPhone line so far, but it’s planning to switch to OLED next year.
Samsung Display suggested a price of $30 per unit, BOE offered $35, and Tianma proposed $40, according to sources. Apple is pushing back with a $20 counteroffer, and negotiations are still ongoing.
The OLED panel prices for the iPhone SE4 are much lower than those for the iPhone 15, as the SE4’s OLED panels will use recycled parts and older technologies. The OLED panel for the iPhone SE4 is expected to be the same one used in the iPhone 14 from 2022 and the iPhone 13 from a year earlier. These standard iPhone models had 6.1-inch panels.
This means that display panel suppliers don’t need to invest in additional research and development, which is why the price tag is significantly lower. Both Samsung Display and BOE have achieved sufficient yield rates for the panel. Tianma is likely not a serious contender as it lags behind its larger rivals in OLED technology.
Samsung Display has a leg up on its competitors because it can use its existing iPhone 14 OLED inventory to meet demand for the iPhone SE4. The South Korean display panel maker will also prioritize the more profitable OLED panels for the iPhone 15 and iPhone 16 series, which are launching later this year. This means it can afford to lower OLED panel prices for the iPhone SE4 as much as it wants, as it has enough profits to offset the smaller margins and outbid BOE.
On the other hand, BOE, which is struggling with its iPhone OLED business, could really use any gains from winning more orders for the iPhone SE4. Last year, it missed out on a big chance to boost its OLED panel production capacity because it had trouble making the hole-display for the standard iPhone 15 model. This slowed it down and allowed Samsung Display to take more orders.