Agreement with BOE Failed: Samsung's High-End Devices Will Continue to Use 'In-House' Displays

In recent weeks, the possibility of seeing a Galaxy S with a BOE display rather than Samsung’s had become more than just a hypothesis. Several rumors had confirmed negotiations between the companies. However, a new report highlights that the agreement was not reached, partly due to pressure from Samsung Display, the division of the Korean giant that produces displays for smartphones and supplies Samsung’s high-end devices.

The agreement fell through. According to reports, BOE could have guaranteed a price that was $5 lower per unit for the OLED panels of the Samsung Galaxy S27, the compact high-end model from the Korean company. The opportunity to shave a bit off the component prices was something Samsung considered; however, they may have assessed that the savings guaranteed by switching to the Chinese supplier's panels were limited.

The supply agreement collapsed, and a significant role in this decision may have been played by Samsung Display, which reportedly pressured not to lose the supply. Some managers from Samsung Electronics also opposed this hypothesis. It is worth noting that mid-range and lower-end Galaxy products already rely on external suppliers in several cases, while the Galaxy S line has always used Samsung Display panels.

The debut of the new Galaxy S27 models is scheduled for the first quarter of next year. The range will consist of four variants, with the new Galaxy S27 Pro being the future compact flagship of the Korean manufacturer.