Taiwanese panel players are prepared for their Investor conferences, with Coretronic to be the first to host, followed by AUO, BenQ Materials, Innolux, and Cheng Mei Materials Technology. For the factors that may influence their second-half performance, in addition to the US's reciprocal tariffs on Taiwan's exports, panel demand in the third quarter of 2025 is likely to be weak despite the period being the traditional strong season. However, each company will still prepare the needed measures to maximize its results.

LG Display (LGD) has announced that it will ship around 6.5 million large-size OLED TVs and monitors in 2025, a year-over-year increase of 14.04%. With the depreciation of equipment at the Guangzhou OLED plant in China ending, LGD has outlined major plans to turn its operations profitable by the end of the year.

To secure its market leadership, Samsung Electronics has positioned MicroLED technology as the exclusive feature for its flagship models. However, Samsung reportedly plans to market an advanced model of Mini LED TVs as "non-self-emissive RGB MicroLED", confusing the original product strategy of MicroLED, which aimed for the very top-tier customers.

Samsung Electronics is reportedly evaluating titanium and carbon fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP) as potential materials for the backplate of its 2026 flagship foldable, the Galaxy Z Fold 8, according to a report from South Korea's TheElec. The move underscores Samsung's ongoing push to reduce weight and thickness in its foldable lineup while navigating the geopolitical complexities of global sourcing.

Next-generation display technologies continue to grow, and South Korea is struggling to maintain its leadership in the Micro LED industry. It is extremely important for South Korea to secure original technologies from domestic materials, components, and equipment companies; a supportive ecosystem and cooperation system must be established.

LG Display (LGD) is expected to see its OLED TV panel business turn profitable after a challenging twelve-year period. Profits have been gradually improving, with the operating profit for 2025 predicted to hit around KRW186 billion (US$135.7 million).

Business exchanges between Chinese and Taiwanese makers have shown significant increases amid concerns over US tariffs, trade restrictions, and global supply chain restructuring, with China and Hong Kong together remaining the biggest market for Taiwan's exports.

MicroLED manufacturer PlayNitride will establish a Chinese subsidiary in Kunshan Development Zone, Jiangsu Province, as part of its global expansion strategy following its 2023 US operations launch. The Taiwan-based company plans to invest up to US$19 million in the wholly owned subsidiary, targeting production start-up by mid-2026.

Samsung Electronics executives met with BOE Technology leaders in July 2025 to discuss LCD panel procurement, even as the company remains locked in a legal dispute with Samsung Display. After filing a patent infringement suit in Texas in late May 2025, BOE followed up with a second claim against Samsung Display in the same court less than two months later.

Taiwanese microLED manufacturer PlayNitride is confronting its first significant slowdown after years of rapid expansion, with first-half revenue falling 4.64% to NT$504 million (approx. US$17.1 million) amid customer product transitions and global economic headwinds.

In comments after the recent Samsung Unpacked event, Samsung Electronics' acting head of device experience (DX) Tae-moon Roh revealed the company's plans to release a trifold smartphone by the end of the year. For panel supplier Samsung Display (SDC), high-added-value trifold panels could become its next growth driver.

BOE Technology Group has filed a second patent infringement lawsuit against Samsung Display in under two months, escalating a legal showdown that could disrupt Apple's iPhone OLED panel supply chain and reshape the global display industry.

With China's domination in the global LCD panel industry, coupled with long-term overcapacity in panel production and the fact that higher-generation fabs are more efficient and cost-effective than older, lower-generation lines, panel players from Taiwan, South Korea, and Japan have been continuously closing and selling plants in recent years.

South Korea has pledged an investment of approximately US$350 million to develop next-generation inorganic LED (iLED) technology by 2032 to maintain the country's leadership in the display market.

Taiwan's polarizer manufacturers have successfully negotiated price increases exceeding 10% with panel makers as they grapple with currency headwinds and rising raw material costs, according to industry sources.

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) shortages continue to squeeze polarizer manufacturers as Japanese suppliers announce consecutive price increases effective in 2025. Industry sources estimate PET costs will climb another 10% in the third quarter of 2025, adding to pressure from rising optical film prices.

The US International Trade Commission (ITC) has issued a preliminary ruling in favor of Samsung Display, backing the South Korean company's allegations that Chinese rival BOE Technology misappropriated OLED trade secrets. If upheld, the decision could disrupt BOE's supply of OLED panels for Apple's iPhones, injecting fresh uncertainty into the global smartphone supply chain.

Taiwan's Mildex Optical, a specialized touch panel manufacturer, has successfully transferred US tariff costs to its military and industrial customers, helping preserve margins as the company pivots toward higher-value niche markets.

Since its spin-off from TASC in 2022, the rising star Star Asia Vision Corporation (SAVC) has focused on digital display systems. President Vincent Lee stated that order visibility extends to five months, with shipment schedules already booked through the end of 2025. Despite increased uncertainties from tariffs and exchange rates, the second half of the year is expected to outperform the first half, with optimistic projections for double-digit revenue growth and profit expansion throughout 2025.

Samsung Display is reportedly gearing up to become the exclusive supplier of OLED panels for Apple's first foldable iPhone, signaling a deepening partnership between two of the biggest names in tech.

TCL China Star Optoelectronics Technology (TCL CSOT) will begin building its 8.6G OLED production line in late 2025, aiming to be the first to use inkjet printing on this large substrate size. This move will boost China's presence in the large OLED market, increasing competition with South Korean rivals Samsung Display (SDC) and LG Display (LGD).

Panel demand softened in the second quarter of 2025, dragging down LCD TV panel prices and showing early signs of weakness in the IT segment. A stronger New Taiwan dollar added to the pressure. AUO saw a 4% quarter-over-quarter revenue decline, while Innolux remained flat, both reflecting muted performance.

Taiwan's Innolux has completed a senior management restructuring following the departure of key executives, with the company accelerating plans to close its fifth-generation display fabrication facility by mid-2026.

The Chinese government has been vigorously promoting the "trade-in" subsidy policy since the second half of 2024, positioning it as a key tool to stimulate consumption and stabilize the economic situation. However, recent reports indicate that funds for China's trade-in subsidies have been overspent, with some regions even suspending subsidies temporarily, raising concerns among industry observers.

The free trade agreement (FTA) between the US and South Korea has now become irrelevant under Donald Trump's administration. Taiwan's tech products also face the possibility of losing the ITA and ITA 2 tariffs-free benefits granted under the WTO framework. Trump's tariff threat can be understood as a step to force Seoul to share the cost of stationing US troops in South Korea. But what does Trump want from Taiwan in the tariffs game? TSMC is already constructing wafer fabs and an R&D center in the US. Does Trump want AI server makers to set up assembly lines in the US, and for the Taiwan currency to sharply appreciate against the greenback?