A rumor has surfaced that says Nintendo may be looking to switch it up for the provider of its OLED panels when it comes to the company’s next-gen console, with signs pointing to Samsung Display being the manufacturer. With the Nintendo Switch OLED, displays are manufactured by BOE. But, the Chinese electronics company is currently being sued by Samsung for allegedly violating trade secrets.
Samsung alleged back in January of this year that BOE cloned its OLED technology and manufactured displays with it in the US. BOE responded in May by filing a bunch of lawsuits. Samsung then filed its own lawsuit regarding the alleged patent infringement. The trial for this case is set to begin in January 2024.
Nintendo is expected to release its next-gen console in the back half of 2024. If this timing is accurate, it may see BOE as a potential hold-up for the supply chain in manufacturing the console. In switching to Samsung Display, there’s a chance it could avoid all that.
Nintendo would be following Valve in using Samsung OLED panels
If Nintendo does indeed make the switch to Samsung Display for OLED panels, it won’t be alone. Valve’s recently released Steam Deck OLED uses panels from Samsung Display. However, it is noted by SamMobile (via ChosunBiz) that Valve had considered BOE first. Choosing to go with Samsung Display after the lawsuit was filed.
If early first impressions of the Steam Deck OLED are anything to go by, Nintendo’s next console could have a gorgeous screen. Not that the screen on the Switch OLED isn’t gorgeous as well. But people seem to be particularly hyped for the screen on the Steam Deck OLED. And that bodes well for Nintendo fans.
According to rumors from earlier this year Nintendo’s next-gen console will feature similar performance to the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. And that paired with a shiny new OLED display could make for a pretty great console.
2023-12-02 15:05:06