iPhone SE 4 to Sport OLED Screen Manufactured by BOE Instead of Samsung: Report

Samsung is said to have dropped out of the race to produce displays for the iPhone SE 4 due to issues with pricing.

Written by David Delima | Updated: 28 March 2024 11:32 IST

iPhone SE 4 to Sport OLED Screen Manufactured by BOE Instead of Samsung: Report

Photo Credit: Apple

iPhone SE 4 is tipped to adopt a design similar to the iPhone 14 with support for Face ID

Highlights

Apple's iPhone SE 4 could sport displays made by China's BOE
Samsung, BOE and Tianma were in the race to build displays for the phone
The iPhone SE 4 is tipped to arrive with an upgraded OLED screen

iPhone SE 4 — Apple's fourth generation 'Special Edition' smartphone — is likely to be equipped with an OLED screen manufactured by a Chinese firm, according to a report. The iPhone maker was reportedly negotiating the cost of the display on the upcoming midrange smartphone with three suppliers — one is said to have dropped out over the cost of each display. There's currently no word from Apple on plans to launch a new iPhone SE model — the current model was unveiled in 2022.

A ZDNet Korea report (in Korean) citing industry sources states that Chinese electronic component manufacturer BOE (Jingdongfang) has won the bid to manufacture the OLED screen for the purported iPhone SE 4. As per the report, Apple was accepting bids from three suppliers — Samsung, BOE, and Tianma — for the successor to the iPhone SE (2022) model.

BOE is likely to provide the majority of displays for the iPhone SE 4, according to the publication, after Samsung dropped out of the race over business feasibility. Samsung Display reportedly quoted a price of $35 to $40 (roughly Rs. 2,900 to Rs. 3,300) for each display unit, while the Chinese companies sought $30 (roughly Rs. 2,500). The iPhone SE 4 is tipped to adopt a design similar to the iPhone 14 with support for Face ID.

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Apple reportedly offered a considerably lower price of $25 (roughly Rs. 2,100), prompting Samsung to end the discussions in the middle of March. The South Korean tech conglomerate was not very keen on producing the displays for the midrange phone from the outset, due to the lower pricing issues, the source told the publication.

Among the two Chinese suppliers, only BOE appears to be the firm capable of producing display units for the iPhone SE 4, and is reportedly ready to supply the component for Apple's more affordable smartphone. Meanwhile, Tianma has been unable to meet Apple's technical requirements for the display of the iPhone SE 4, which is rumoured to make its debut in 2025.

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Apple iPhone SE (2022)

REVIEW
KEY SPECS
NEWS

Design
Display
Software
Performance
Battery Life
Camera
Value for Money

Good
Powerful SoC
IP67 rating, wireless charging
Slim and light
Regular software updates

Bad
Small, low-res display
Gets warm when stressed
Average low-light camera performance
Expensive

Read detailed Apple iPhone SE (2022) review

Display 4.70-inch

Processor Apple A15 Bionic

Front Camera 7-megapixel

Rear Camera 12-megapixel

Storage 64GB, 128GB, 256GB

OS iOS 15

Resolution 750x1334 pixels

More Apple mobiles Apple mobiles price in India

iPhone 14

REVIEW
KEY SPECS
NEWS

Design
Display
Software
Performance
Battery Life
Camera
Value for Money

Good
Good overall performance
Great camera quality in daylight
iOS ecosystem and ease of use

Bad
Dated design and notch
Very similar to iPhone 13
Relatively slow charging
Expensive

Read detailed Apple iPhone 14 review

Display 6.06-inch

Processor Apple A15 Bionic

Front Camera 12-megapixel

Rear Camera 12-megapixel + 12-megapixel

Storage 128GB, 256GB, 512GB

OS iOS 16

Resolution 1170x2532 pixels

More Apple mobiles Apple mobiles price in India

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Further reading: iPhone SE 4, iPhone SE 4 display, iPhone SE, Samsung, BOE, Apple

David Delima

Email David Delima

As a writer on technology with Gadgets 360, David Delima is interested in open-source technology, cybersecurity, consumer privacy, and loves to read and write about how the Internet works. David can be contacted via email at DavidD@ndtv.com, on Twitter at @DxDavey, and Mastodon at mstdn.social/@delima. More