Galaxy S27 may feature Chinese displays: Samsung and BOE near agreement

South Korean tech giant Samsung is preparing for a revolutionary change in the history of its flagship smartphones. The company is considering purchasing OLED panels from China's BOE Corporation for the upcoming Galaxy S27 series. If this deal goes through, Galaxy S flagships will be equipped with screens from a foreign company instead of its own Samsung Display division for the first time. This is reported by Ixbt.com reports.

According to ETNews, Samsung Electronics President and head of the mobile division TM Roh will visit China at the end of June to hold negotiations with BOE leadership. This meeting is expected to be a logical continuation of the visit made by BOE Chairman Chen Yanshun to South Korea at the end of 2025. Relations between the parties have warmed significantly following long-standing patent disputes.

Cost reduction strategy

Analysts believe that Samsung's unexpected move is driven by the sharp rise in the cost of smartphone components, particularly memory chips and processors. To reduce production costs and maintain market competitiveness, the company is forced to diversify its display supplier base.

Until now, Samsung has exclusively used OLED panels manufactured in its own factories for its premium smartphones. Screens from Chinese manufacturers were mainly installed in cheaper and mid-range Galaxy models. The elevation of the partnership with BOE to the flagship level indicates that the quality of Chinese technology has begun to meet Samsung's requirements.

TV market and future plans

The negotiations are expected to cover not only smartphones but also the TV market. According to reports, the partnership between Samsung and BOE is also expanding in the supply of LCD panels. By 2026, the volume of panels supplied from China for Samsung TVs is projected to reach 5 million units.

The Samsung Galaxy S series is one of the most popular flagships in the smartphone market. Changing the display supplier could have a positive impact on the final price of the devices in the future, but image quality and screen durability remain the main criteria for users. So far, Samsung and BOE have not disclosed the details of an official agreement.