Core Viewpoint - The ongoing OLED trade secret dispute between Samsung and BOE has escalated, with the ITC preliminarily ruling in favor of Samsung, indicating that BOE infringed on Samsung's trade secrets and violated unfair trade practices under Section 337 of the Tariff Act [1][2] Group 1: Legal Developments - Samsung Display filed a lawsuit against BOE for OLED technology infringement, leading to a preliminary ruling by the ITC that BOE and its affiliates violated trade secrets [1] - The ITC plans to issue a "limited exclusion order" to prevent the infringing products from entering the U.S. market and a "cease and desist order" to halt the use and production of these products [1] - BOE has expressed intentions to appeal the ITC's preliminary ruling and has previously been found not in violation of Section 337 in a separate patent investigation [1] Group 2: Competitive Landscape - The relationship between Samsung and BOE has deteriorated due to increased collaboration between BOE and Apple, leading to Samsung's removal of BOE from its supplier list [2][3] - Both companies have engaged in a series of lawsuits against each other, with BOE filing a patent infringement lawsuit against Samsung in China, and Samsung counter-suing in the U.S. [3][4] Group 3: Market Position and Growth - BOE has significantly increased its market share in the semiconductor display sector, achieving a 25.2% share in the LCD market and a 15.7% share in the OLED market, making it the second-largest globally [6][8] - In the first half of 2023, BOE led the smartphone panel market with a 28.0% share, while Samsung held a 15% share in OLED smartphone panels [8] - By 2024, BOE is projected to maintain its leadership in the global smartphone OLED display market, with an expected shipment of approximately 5.7 billion units, surpassing Samsung's 3.7 billion units [8][9] Group 4: Future Outlook - The competition between Samsung and BOE is expected to intensify as BOE secures a primary supply position for Apple's iPhone 16e series, supplying over 15 million OLED displays [10] - The ongoing legal battles and market competition reflect a broader trend of technological advancement in the semiconductor display industry, with Chinese companies pushing for innovation and market share [10]