China’s tech giant Huawei recently unveiled a foldable phone with three folds, claiming it to be the world’s first “self-developed” three-fold foldable phone. However, according to reports from Chinese media, Huawei’s phone suppliers, including BOE, have connections to the new Huawei phone, while it was disclosed that Samsung’s previously stolen OLED soft screen technology was resold to Chinese companies like BOE.
On September 10th, at a new product launch event, Huawei’s Executive Director Yu Chengdong officially introduced the Huawei Mate XT Master, the first three-fold foldable phone under the Huawei brand.
According to Yu Chengdong, the Mate XT is the world’s first three-fold foldable phone. He stated, “The three-fold foldable phone is a product that others have thought of but cannot achieve,” and added that “the Huawei Mate XT will rewrite the industry’s history.”
Official information revealed that the Huawei Mate XT adopts the newly developed Huawei Tianheng hinge system. In February, Huawei applied for a patent titled “Foldable Screen Device,” showcasing a new form of electronic device with three folds, incorporating three shells, two hinges, and a flexible screen, connecting the three shells using an internal folding hinge and an external folding hinge.
As reported by Sina Finance on September 12th, OLED industry observer “Wit OLED” cited industry insiders stating that the Huawei Mate XT exclusively uses LTPO OLED screens supplied by BOE.
It is worth noting that as early as 2021, BOE had showcased a three-fold OLED integrated terminal device capable of achieving a Z-fold form, balancing both phone and tablet modes. BOE claimed that this technology was “self-developed.”
Recently, a reporter from “Times Weekly” contacted several Huawei supply chain listed companies to analyze who the true Huawei “three-fold foldable screen concept stock” is, but due to confidentiality agreements, many companies declined to provide a direct response.
However, most of the above-listed companies have had previous collaborations with Huawei. An insider from Huawei’s supply chain noted that the key to a three-fold foldable phone lies in the hinge and the screen.
Recently, Kosen Technology issued two consecutive risk alert announcements. The announcements mentioned that the company had been listed by the media as a three-fold foldable screen concept stock. Upon self-inspection, the company’s assembly business for foldable screen hinges relies on a single client, currently utilizing externally purchased structural components for foldable screen hinge assembly.
In the consumer electronics sector, Kosen Technology supplies outer casings, midframes, midplates, buttons, logos, and hinges for smartphones, laptops, and tablets.
In a previous semi-annual report, Kosen Technology stated that its clients include Huawei, Apple, Amazon, Google, among others.
Apple currently does not have foldable screen products, and Kosen Technology, in its announcement, indicated a single client, indirectly confirming its role as a Huawei foldable screen hinge supplier.
Since November 3, 2022, Kosen Technology has been involved in foldable screen business operations for the past three years, primarily supplying to Huawei. Therefore, Kosen Technology has been collaborating with Huawei in the field of foldable screens since 2019.
Prior to this, Huawei’s Executive Director and Director of the Terminal Business, Yu Chengdong, mentioned on Weibo that the new product was the result of five years of perseverance and investment, which aligns with the preparation starting from 2019.
Another highly anticipated supply chain company is Caisheng Technology.
According to Caisheng Technology’s half-year report for this year, the company is involved in display materials and applied materials business segments. The display materials business primarily includes ultra-thin electronic glass, flexible and foldable glass (UTG), and more.
In 2019, Caisheng Technology stated on its interactive platform that its display business includes display touch modules for smartphones, tablets, laptops, and provides products and services directly or indirectly to numerous well-known clients such as Samsung, Huawei, and Lenovo.
Regarding market rumors claiming Caisheng Technology as the exclusive supplier of Huawei’s flexible and foldable glass (UTG) project, the company’s corporate secretary office responded with a statement of being “not entirely certain.”
Additionally, Dongmu Technology is one of the main suppliers of MIM parts for Huawei phones.
As reported by Securities Times in August last year, Dongmu Technology’s subsidiary Dongguan Huajing Powder Company successfully entered Huawei’s supply chain system in 2018, becoming the leading supplier of Huawei’s foldable screen phone hinge MIM precision structural components as well as smartwatch product MIM precision structural components.
Regarding screens, BOE mentioned the Huawei Mate XT three-fold foldable phone at the 2024 BOE Innovation Partner Conference held on September 4.
According to a report by Ifeng Tech, BOE’s Chairman Chen Yanshun stated to the media that BOE and Huawei have deeply cooperated in the foldable screen field. He mentioned that the joint development of products with Huawei was an unprecedented and close collaboration.
Chen Yanshun further revealed that they knew about Huawei’s new product called the Master from an early stage, but due to clear confidentiality agreements with clients, whether and how BOE participated would be disclosed after Huawei’s product was officially released.
It is worth mentioning that in 2021, several mainland Chinese media outlets reported that in June of that year, Samsung Electronics submitted a patent application to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) for an electronic device patent, revealing their plan to create a three-fold screen smartphone with dual hinges. To achieve a Z-fold, Samsung equipped this conceptual device with both internal and external hinges.
Earlier reports had disclosed that Huawei is completely controlled by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), which resorts to various means to steal technology from international tech companies. This has drawn attention from governments worldwide.
In November 2018, South Korean prosecutors announced that 11 individuals had stolen Samsung Electronics’ OLED edge softboard technology and sold it to Chinese companies, with nine of them from the same South Korean display equipment supplier. This group included the CEO and eight employees of the supplier, with two Chinese nationals still at large, leading to a request for international police assistance.
The South Korean prosecutors mentioned that the South Korean supplier established a shell company in advance to sell Samsung’s created OLED soft screen technology drawings and information to Chinese companies, resulting in a profit of 15.5 billion Korean won (approximately $13.85 million).
Reports from Radio France Internationale mentioned that four Chinese companies, including Huawei’s phone screen manufacturing supplier BOE, had obtained the aforementioned technology.
Previously, Nikkei News reported that according to an engineer at BOE Technology, from 2015 to 2016, many Samsung engineers had moved (headhunted) to BOE. Presently, BOE’s factories and laboratories employ approximately 120 South Koreans, including over 50 former Samsung engineers.
In June of last year, Samsung Electronics initiated a patent lawsuit against BOE Technology for the first time, sparking public attention.
Samsung Display filed a patent infringement lawsuit against China’s largest display company, BOE Technology, in the Eastern District Court of Texas, alleging that BOE infringed on five OLED display patents developed for the iPhone 12. Previously, BOE had used various means to steal Samsung’s technology.