iPhone OLED supplier to be banned from US for 14 years for stealing Samsung tech According to a Korean news outlet, Chinese display manufacturer BOE will be banned from importing OLED panels in the US
By Mariyan Slavov
Published: Aug 13, 2025, 2:43 AM
Apple Display
The troubles around Chinese display manufacturer BOE have been brewing for some time now. After the rumor that Apple might cut ties with the company due to issues with iPhone 17 displays cracking and the pending investigation by the US Department of Defense, now the company faces an outright ban in the US.
According to a Korean news outlet, BOE will be banned from importing OLED panels in the US for 14 years and 8 months. Let's get some backstory first.
On the 11th of last month, the ITC issued a preliminary ruling that a total of eight companies, including Chinese display company BOE and seven of its subsidiaries, had violated Article 337 of the Tariff Act by illegally using Samsung Display's trade secrets.
The final ruling on the matter is expected sometime in November, but the Korean site claims to have inside sources confirming the ruling.
While the final ruling is expected in November, it's known that the US ITC's decision to recognize the Chinese company's technology theft and impose penalties is confirmed. (translated from Korean).
The ITC largely acknowledged BOE's trade secret theft and misappropriation of confidential information through employee recruitment and other means. According to the ruling obtained by these Korean secret sources on the 12th of August, the ITC stated, Despite Samsung Display's excellent security measures, BOE obtained and used Samsung Display's trade secrets through misappropriation" and "caused substantial harm and serious threats to Samsung Display."
BOE's punishment—a 14-year and 8-month ban
BOE faces an outright ban | Image by Pixabay
According to the ruling, the ITC first issued a "Limited Import Order" (LEO) to BOE for 14 years and 8 months. The LEO period is usually calculated based on the "time required to eliminate unfair profits."
The ITC also blocked all marketing, sales, advertising, and inventory sales in the US by BOE's headquarters in China and its local US subsidiaries. According to the sources, this ban will be "effective immediately" when the ruling gets officially published in November.
BOE displays that have already been imported and sold in the US won't be affected, but the company will no longer be able to compete, leaving room for the two larger Korean display manufacturers. |
