BOE Becomes Apple's Biggest MacBook Display Supplier

[MacRumors]

Chinese display maker BOE is poised to overtake all rivals as Apple's largest supplier of MacBook panels in 2025, but the company's newfound dominance may not last for long with OLED MacBook Pro models on the horizon for next year.

According to market research firm Omdia, BOE is expected to capture 51% of Apple's MacBook display panel orders this year, up from 39% in 2024. The increase is primarily attributed to Apple's expanded procurement of LCD panels for the MacBook Air lineup, which now comes in 13.6-inch and 15.3-inch sizes.

BOE is projected to ship approximately 11.5 million units to Apple in 2025, representing the first time the Chinese manufacturer will supply more than half of the display panels used across Apple's MacBook lineup. Omdia believes that Apple's growing demand for MacBook Air panels was instrumental to the change.

Apple is forecast to purchase 22.5 million display panels for MacBooks in total this year, representing a 1% increase year-over-year. Although the increase in procurement volume is modest, the redistribution of orders among suppliers is considerable.

LG Display has historically been Apple's primary MacBook display supplier. It is now expected to supply only 8.48 million units in 2025, corresponding to a 35% market share. This marks a 12.2% decline in LG Display's shipment volume and a 9% point decrease in its share compared to the previous year.

Sharp continues to supply mini-LED panels for the MacBook Pro and it is forecast to supply 3.1 million units to Apple in 2025. This represents a 20.8% year-over-year decline in shipment volume and corresponds to a 14% market share. Omdia believes that weakening demand for MacBook Pro models has affected the supply volumes of LG Display and Sharp, as Apple redirects a greater proportion of orders to BOE.

Omdia noted that BOE's resurgence may not last for long; Apple is expected to upgrade the MacBook Pro to OLED technology next year:

OLED technology, with its superior display performance and slimmer, lighter form factors, is expected to be introduced in MacBooks starting 2026. Samsung Display is likely to join Apple's MacBook supply chain at that time, intensifying competition among display makers as the market shifts from LCD to OLED.

Until OLED panels begin shipping, BOE is expected to retain its dominant position in the MacBook display supply chain, largely due to the strength of the MacBook Air in Apple's product lineup. For now, BOE's 12% point gain year-over-year gives it a clear lead over its South Korean and Japanese rivals.

Article Link: BOE Becomes Apple's Biggest MacBook Display Supplier

 

[klasma]

BOE's resurgence may not last for long

BOE could merge with the ING bank and pivot to aerospace.

 

[Circa1984]

Falling demand for MacPros… Apple needs an ‘external’ redesign more often (every 3 years, rather than the current every 5). Yes, the MacPros are great - high quality, fast & well built but they need more than a spec bump - specifically new monitor tech, lighter weight, reduced case dimensions is overdue IMO.

 

[svish]

Good to see another dominant competitor in the space. However waiting for all MacBooks to switch to OLED. Air might take much longer to get OLED. Till then BOE should be ok.

 

[klasma]

Air might take much longer to get OLED. Till then BOE should be ok.

Only one year longer, according to this roadmap: https://www.macrumors.com/2024/02/21/apple-oled-roadmap/

 

[JPack]

Only one year longer, according to this roadmap: https://www.macrumors.com/2024/02/21/apple-oled-roadmap/

I would say closer to 2029.

MacBook Air With OLED Display Reportedly Delayed

The wait for a MacBook Air with an OLED display might take longer than initially expected. Korean website The Elec yesterday cited an industry...

www.macrumors.com

 

[bice]

Falling demand for MacPros… Apple needs an ‘external’ redesign more often (every 3 years, rather than the current every 5). Yes, the MacPros are great - high quality, fast & well built but they need more than a spec bump - specifically new monitor tech, lighter weight, reduced case dimensions is overdue IMO.

I'm all for product evolving, but the main issue isn't external redesign. It is pricing, especially outside of US.
The cheapest MB pro costs the equivalent of 280 BigMac in US. In other places is costs the equivalent of 425 BigMac. Prices for add-ons, like storage and Ram is even worse.

 

[DBZmusicboy01]

BOE should not manufacture PRO MacBooks Displays. The new Standard Base model makes sense but they should not be allowed to make displays for higher tier devices. They would be okay for iPhone Base models as well but never Pro models.

 

[t0rqx]

I returned 55 MBPs cause of dents and scratches in the screen. BTO builds.

 

[syklee26]

If Apple will charge premium price, don't put some cheap unreliable panel on it. I am so sick of Tim's cost allergic moves like this.

 

[racerhomie]

BOE should not manufacture PRO MacBooks Displays. The new Standard Base model makes sense but they should not be allowed to make displays for higher tier devices. They would be okay for iPhone Base models as well but never Pro models.

Yeah. BOE doesn’t do miniLED yet

 

[racerhomie]

If Apple will charge premium price, don't put some cheap unreliable panel on it. I am so sick of Tim's cost allergic moves like this.

Chinese suppliers(like BOE) can make High quality LCDs. It’s only in the OLED market where they cut corners and quality

 

[uacd]

Cheap OLED on Pro-level device?
Brace for more people with vision problems!🤓

Flicker, flicker, lots of flicker, PWM, and even dither! Because how else are they gonna achieve fake HDR brightness and fake 10 bit color space?

Maybe in 10 years they will release an ultimate Macbook Pro with good OLED display, tho by that time lots of people would be sick of using these devices and probably switch to Apple Vision Pro out of despreration and poor vision. Maybe that is the grand plan or some sort of Apple-esque “a feature, not a bug”?

 

[wanha]

The cynic me sees this news and wonders if Apple's desire to make itself less reliant on China suddenly no longer seemed that important in comparison to getting components more cheaply 🤷‍♂️

 

[racerhomie]

I returned 55 MBPs cause of dents and scratches in the screen. BTO builds.

Those are Sharp & LG panels

 

[fatTribble]

I'm all for product evolving, but the main issue isn't external redesign. It is pricing, especially outside of US.
The cheapest MB pro costs the equivalent of 280 BigMac in US. In other places is costs the equivalent of 425 BigMac. Prices for add-ons, like storage and Ram is even worse.

Isn’t the price increase in other countries due to their own taxes? Meaning, not Apple?
I have friends in Mexico and Brazil. We’ve had many discussions about how the Apple products are massively more expensive for them. I can empathize.

 

[starlabjump]

Which company manufactures premium OLED panels, particularly those suitable for use in the Mac Pro?

 

[Glideslope]

BOE displays are sub-par at best.

 

[Sheepish-Lord]

The miniLED panels are trash as well with their horrible response times and high frequency PWM so don’t hate on BOE too much.

 

[TheHeron]

Falling demand for MacPros… Apple needs an ‘external’ redesign more often (every 3 years, rather than the current every 5). Yes, the MacPros are great - high quality, fast & well built but they need more than a spec bump - specifically new monitor tech, lighter weight, reduced case dimensions is overdue IMO.

Thicker display for more rigidity, thicker bottom case for more battery and better cooling, get rid of the idiotic notch, and I don't care how much it weighs, heavier is fine with me.

As long as it doesn't weigh more than my old PowerBook 140 (6.8 lbs) I'm happy. Honestly it's kind of stupid that a top of the line 16" MBP weighs less than a PowerBook 100.

 

[klasma]

Which company manufactures premium OLED panels, particularly those suitable for use in the Mac Pro?

LG and Samsung, but BOE is catching up and is already making tandem OLED panels for Huawei and Xiaomi premium smartphones and tablets.

 

[bice]

Isn’t the price increase in other countries due to their own taxes? Meaning, not Apple?
I have friends in Mexico and Brazil. We’ve had many discussions about how the Apple products are massively more expensive for them. I can empathize.

Local sales taxes affects final price of course. But, the price before tax differs vastly, because it seems Apple sets prices in foreign markets based on a propriatary exchange rate for each foreign currency to USD. The rate is way worse than market rate and it is fixed at time of product introduction.
Pricing does not seem take into account local purchasing power, instead it seems to be a US pricing plus a markup on the exchangerate. That is why I did the comparison via BigMac-index