2 days Ago By Varun Godinho
Samsung and BOE, two of the largest display manufacturers in the world, are back in court. While the two companies recently faced off in court, with Samsung emerging victorious, the latest court battle in the District Court for the Eastern District of Texas involves Samsung seeking justice over allegedly stolen trade secrets of its OLED technology. According to Samsung, BOE has consistently engaged in shady practices, including poaching key employees and colluding with companies in the Samsung Display supply chain to steal trade secrets, reported GSM Arena.
In its complaint, Samsung Display stated, “We are filing this lawsuit to halt BOE’s unauthorized use of our intellectual property (IP).” The company pointed out that BOE is currently using Samsung Display’s technical drawings to construct a new OLED production facility in Chengdu, China. The Chinese manufacturer has also allegedly stolen data, allowing the development of micro-OLED displays.
Samsung is now seeking relief that includes potential loss of operating profit. The two companies have been in a dispute over OLED patent infringement claims at the trade commission since 2023. A preliminary conclusion was issued in Samsung’s favour in November 2024 and was subsequently upheld last month.
Samsung initially filed a complaint in December 2022, alleging that OLED panels manufactured by BOE and sold in the US for smartphone screen repairs unlawfully incorporated five of its patented technologies, including its proprietary ‘Diamond Pixel’ design. In March, the US International Trade Commission (USITC) upheld its initial determination from November that BOE had infringed on three of Samsung Display’s patents, and US wholesalers had infringed on four. Despite the ruling, the ITC opted not to impose an import or sales ban on BOE’s products in the US, citing a lack of substantial impact on the local display market.
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