Samsung refuses to supply displays for iPhone SE 4

Apple is developing the iPhone SE (4th generation). According to multiple reports, the brand will equip the upcoming phone with the same display that it used for the iPhone 13.

Last month, we learned that three companies, BOE, Samsung Display, and Tianma are in a bid to supply display panels for the iPhone SE 4.  Samsung Display had proposed the lowest price for a panel, USD 30, followed by BOE and Tianma, which quoted USD 35 and USD 40 respectively. However, Apple wasn’t willing to pay more than USD 20 per unit. Well, today we have some new information on the matter.

According to a new report from IT Home, Samsung Display has withdrawn from the negotiations due to issues related to the price. As such, Apple has partnered with the second largest supplier of the lot, BOE, to source display panels for the iPhone SE (4th generation). Reportedly, BOE will supply each panel for USD 25.

It’s strange how Samsung Display, despite quoting the lowest price earlier couldn’t drop the price a little further but BOE, which quoted USD 5 higher than Samsung Display last time, managed to drop the price below that of the South Korean tech giant. Anyway, the bottom line is that Samsung Display won’t be supplying display panels for the iPhone SE 4, which is a huge lost opportunity for the company.

That being said, Samsung Display might have withdrawn from negotiations as it might have realized that it would be better to focus on supplying display for the iPhone 15 series and get thick margins on it rather than shift focus towards supplying panels for the iPhone SE 4 where it will have to live on razor-thin profits.