Recently, it was revealed the Steam Deck OLED portable gaming device uses Samsung Display's OLED panel. Now, it is reported that the next-generation Nintendo Switch could use an OLED panel from Samsung Display as well, and the move could be due to patent infringement issues that BOE is embroiled into.
Nintendo is reportedly in talks with Samsung Display to use the latter's OLED panels in the next-generation Nintendo Switch. Apparently, both Nintendo and Steam considered OLED panels from Chinese firm BOE, but decided to use Samsung Display's OLED panels. Recently, Samsung Display filed a patent infringement lawsuit against BOE and its seven subsidiaries in the Texas, USA, in June 2023. This lawsuit alleges that BOE stole its intellectual property, cloned its technologies, and illegally selling OLED those panels.
Nintendo and Valve reportedly negotiated deals to get OLED panels at cheaper prices from BOE, but following Samsung Display's lawsuit against BOE, both companies have turned to Samsung Display even though its panels cost more. These companies don't want to deal with potential patent infringement-related disruption for their supply chain.
It is alleged that BOE's OLED panels infringe upon five Samsung Display patents, including the ‘Diamond Pixel' technology. BOE sued Samsung Display and Samsung Electronics China in Chongqing's First Intermediate People's Court in May 2023. Since this series of lawsuits may take considerably long, clients don't want to get mixed up in this and are prefering Samsung Display's OLED panels.
