South Korea's leading display manufacturers have officially begun production of OLED panels for Apple's upcoming iPhone 17, according to industry sources. While Samsung Display (SDC) and LG Display (LGD) have secured the initial batch of orders, the total volume appears to be lower than that for the iPhone 16, reflecting geopolitical and economic uncertainties.
Chinese display manufacturer BOE has secured production capacity of roughly 100 million OLED panels annually for Apple's iPhones, according to industry sources. While BOE still lags behind South Korean giants Samsung Display (SDC) and LG Display (LGD) in technology, its rapid expansion is expected to undermine the bargaining power of the Korean suppliers in future negotiations with Apple.
After an unexpectedly strong first quarter driven by front-loaded demand, the global LCD panel industry is now showing signs of cooling. The momentum, boosted by US tariff exemptions and China's "trade-in" subsidies for home electronics, is fading fast as those tailwinds weaken heading into the second half of 2025.
Panel manufacturer Powertip Technology Corp. held its annual shareholder meeting on June 19, approving all agenda items with ease. Despite foreign exchange losses affecting second-quarter revenue, the company anticipates quarter-over-quarter growth thanks to a steady recovery in customer orders. Revenue is also expected to surpass the same period last year.
