Joe Maring / Android Authority
TL;DR
- The base Galaxy S27 could reportedly skip a Samsung-made screen.
- Chinese manufacturer BOE could supply the display for the Galaxy S27.
- Samsung Display will still apparently provide displays for the Galaxy S27 Ultra.
Samsung flagships usually feature some of the best smartphone screens in the market thanks to the excellent panels supplied by Samsung Display. However, it seems that the company is now considering sourcing OLED panels for the base Galaxy S27 from third-party manufacturers.
According to a report from SigmaIntel (via ZDNet Korea), Samsung is considering using Chinese display supplier BOE for the standard Galaxy S27 next year.
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According to the outlet, rising memory and storage costs may be the reason why Samsung is trying to source display panels from BOE. Samsung Display could still continue to provide OLED panels for the Galaxy S27 series, but introducing a lower-cost OLED panel from BOE could offset overall production costs for the base model.
This is not the first time Samsung has used third-party display manufacturers to source screens for its smartphones. Chinese company CSOT already supplies OLED panels for the Galaxy A57 alongside Samsung Display. However, according to the report, BOE has been trying to break into the Galaxy S series supply chain for years without success.
While Samsung may be able to reduce the Galaxy S27’s production cost by introducing OLED panels from BOE, it will have to figure out a way to deal with the difference in panel quality. Samsung Display’s panels are consistently much better than the competition, and the base Galaxy S27 could suffer from inconsistent screen quality if two suppliers are providing panels for the phone.
On the other hand, Samsung Display’s monopoly over the panels used in the Galaxy S series is an important factor in its negotiating power with clients like Apple. If BOE starts providing some displays for the Galaxy S27, the company will lose the exclusivity of being the supplier of choice for Samsung’s flagships, and could have a harder time competing against LG Display, which also provides OLED panels for Apple devices.
These reports are not yet confirmed by Samsung or BOE, and things could change in the coming months as Galaxy S27 development progresses. We will have to wait and watch as more information emerges about the Galaxy S27 phones, which are expected to launch next year.
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