Samsung Display, China’s BOE settle OLED patent and trade secret lawsuits

Samsung Display and China's CBOE Technology, a major supplier of OLED displays used in Apple devices, have agreed to settle a long-running patent and trade-secret dispute over OLED technology.

"The two companies have agreed that fair technological competition is essential for the advancement of the display industry," a Samsung Display spokesperson told TechCrunch, confirming that both sides will withdraw all ongoing lawsuits. "We also plan to withdraw all ongoing legal actions as part of this agreement."

Samsung Display declined to comment on reports suggesting that BOE may pay patent royalties as part of the settlement. BOE did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The settlement brings an end to a three-year legal fight between the two companies, both of which supply OLED panels for Apple's iPhones. Samsung first filed a complaint with the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) in December 2022, alleging that BOE had infringed several of its OLED patents. Another filing followed in October 2023, accusing BOE of stealing trade secrets by hiring employees to gain access to confidential OLED manufacturing processes and technologies.

In March 2025, the ITC ruled that BOE had infringed three Samsung Display OLED patents. A preliminary ruling in July found that BOE had misappropriated Samsung DDisplay's trade secrets, and regulators recommended a nearly 15-year ban on BOE's exports of OLED panels to the U.S.

Now, it appears both companies have asked the ITC to end its investigation. The ITC declined to comment when asked for confirmation.

The settlement arrives at a time when global tech companies are increasingly working to reduce their reliance on Chinese manufacturers for components used in major consumer devices. A U.S. export ban would have posed a serious threat to BOE, one of the world's largest makers of LCD and OLED display panels, ranking behind Samsung and LG.

Concerns over intellectual property theft have also been rising. In July 2024, a South Korean court sentenced a former Samsung Display engineer to six years in prison for leaking OLED technology valued at around $24.5 million to China. And just last month, South Korean police launched an investigation into two LG Display employees suspected of leaking proprietary display technologies to a Chinese firm.