A new preliminary ruling from the United States International Trade Commission could lead to the ban of certain iPhone 15, iPhone 16, and possibly even iPhone 17 models being sold in the United States.
As reported by ET News, the case centers on the Chinese display maker BOE, which has been producing OLED displays for the iPhone since 2021. In the preliminary ruling, the ITC states that BOE, alongside several of its subsidiaries, had “violated subsection (a)(1)(A)(i) of section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930, in the importation into the United States, or in the sale of certain organic light-emitting diode display modules and components thereof by reason of misappropriation of trade secrets,” namely those belonging to Samsung.
As part of the ruling, the ITC recommends implementing both a restricted exclusion order and a cease and desist order against BOE. The former of these orders would block the company from importing infringing OLED panels into the U.S., while the latter would mean that BOE could not sell or supply its existing stock to U.S. assemblers.
As part of the ruling, ITC concluded that the infringing products include any device using BOE's offending OLED displays and modules, not just the parts themselves. This would mean that certain iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus and iPhone 16e models with BOE-made screens fall under the cease and desist order, and would have to be pulled from shelves.
Apple could also face issues with future supply and production if the preliminary ITC ruling is upheld. It would have to ensure that any future models it sells in the U.S. are built with panels from alternative manufacturers.
Will this affect the iPhone 17?
We have seen in a recent X post from Junkanlosreve that Apple has recently authorized BOE to produce LTPO displays for Chinese versions of the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max. However, it appears the same won’t be true in other countries due to weak LTPO performance benchmarks.
It’s unknown if the iPhone 17 and the iPhone 17 Air will use BOE-made displays. Currently, BOE doesn’t supply Apple with LTPO displays, which are the only ones that feature Apple’s ProMotion variable refresh rate, which is rumored to appear on all models in the next generation of iPhones.
As such, we can’t say for certain if the iPhone 17 series will be affected if the ban is upheld. Apple will have to find a replacement for its U.S. supply chain for other models. Currently, both Samsung and LG provide OLED panels for a range of iPhones, so they will be the likely source. However, the increased order could lead to limited stock in certain areas.
For the time being, we will have to wait for the final decision on the matter, which is expected for November 2025. Once that is made, President Trump will have sixty days to either veto or approve the commission's ruling.
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