Chinese display maker BOE has signaled that its capital spending will decline in the coming years, raising concerns among South Korean display equipment suppliers that have relied heavily on Chinese demand for growth.
Japan is in talks with Japan Display Inc. (JDI) to include a US display factory in a broader US$550 billion investment package for the US, a move aimed partly at reducing reliance on Chinese display supply chains amid Beijing's tightening grip on the global LCD market.
After the Lunar New Year, LCD TV panel prices have continued to climb, driven by inventory buildup for sports events and rising costs. This momentum pushed February's LCD TV panel prices up by about US$1-2 per unit. Entering March, industry insiders expect sustained strong demand for LCD TV panels, with prices forecast to increase another US$1-3.
As LCD TV panel prices climb, LCD monitor panel prices have also seen a modest rebound. Although brand vendors are placing orders at different rates, overall demand for LCD monitors remained steady in first quarter 2026, with prices expected to continue rising slightly in March. Meanwhile, notebook panels are still declining in price but show signs of stabilization.
Samsung Display (SDC) has reportedly secured the largest share of orders supplying OLED panels for Apple's latest budget smartphone, the iPhone 17e. This development overturns earlier industry forecasts that predicted BOE Technology Group (BOE) would be the primary OLED supplier for the iPhone 17e.
Samsung Display (SDC) reportedly received over KRW500 billion (approx. US$340 million) in patent royalties from leading Chinese panel maker BOE in the fourth quarter of 2025, which would explain how the company's operating profit for the quarter exceeded market expectations by roughly KRW1 trillion.
South Korean OLED materials developer Lordin plans to seek a technology-special listing in the first half of 2027, with a US$25 million fundraising round targeted for completion in 2026, as it advances commercialization of its blue phosphorescent emitter technology and expands operations into India.
Excellence Optoelectronics reported a new monthly revenue high of NT$606 million (approx. US$19.31 million) for February 2026, a 7.38% increase from January and a 31.58% rise year-over-year, continuing momentum after the group's return to profitability in 2025.
Touch panel maker GIS Holding said it has completed key processes and established strategic partnerships for optical and AI/AR device applications and expects some customers' microLED AR glasses to reach mass-production milestones in the second half of 2026.
LED equipment manufacturer FitTech announced it has filed compulsory enforcement applications with local Chinese courts to recover more than US$43.29 million and CNY30.37 million (approx. US$4.42 million) from two subsidiaries of Sanan Optoelectronics, saying the move follows unpaid arbitration awards.
Facing price competition pressure from China, Taiwan's display panel industry is encountering growing operational challenges. However, the surge in AI chip demand for advanced packaging has opened a transformation opportunity based on existing panel technology foundations.
More coverage
