April 3, 2026
Chinese display maker BOE Technology (000725) is staying positive about its growth plans despite a tough outlook for the smartphone industry next year.
In a recent meeting with institutional investors, the company pointed out several challenges ahead for 2026. Global political and economic uncertainties, fluctuating commodity supplies, and especially the sharp rise in memory chip and other raw material prices are expected to push up the cost of smartphones. As a result, phone prices will likely increase across the board, which could hurt overall sales.
Market research firms are forecasting a significant slowdown: global smartphone shipments are expected to drop by about 13% in 2026. At the same time, global flexible AMOLED panel shipments are projected to decline slightly by around 2%.
Despite these pressures, BOE believes it can still grow its own business. The company said it will focus on improving product competitiveness, raising the share of higher-end panels, and using lean management to cut costs. Thanks to these efforts, BOE expects its AMOLED shipments to keep growing in 2026, with a target of 160 million units.
This would mark continued expansion for BOE in the flexible AMOLED space, even as the wider market cools down. The company has been steadily building up its capacity and customer base in recent years, aiming to capture more share from premium smartphone brands.
The memory chip shortage and resulting price hikes are currently one of the biggest headaches for the entire smartphone supply chain. Many brands may shift toward cheaper LCD panels in some models to offset the higher memory costs, which is one reason why overall AMOLED demand is expected to soften slightly next year.
For BOE, the strategy seems clear: push harder on quality and efficiency to stand out while the market is under pressure. Investors will be watching closely to see if the company can hit its 160 million unit target amid these challenging conditions.
