Samsung Display (SDC) and BOE have filed patent lawsuits against each other within a single day, highlighting an escalating legal battle between the South Korean and Chinese panel giants.

BOE Technology Group is fast-tracking its 8.6-generation (8.6G) OLED production line in Chengdu, raising red flags for South Korean display makers. Having already ceded LCD leadership to China, South Korean firms now worry their edge in OLED may also be under threat.

Everlight Electronics, a leading Taiwanese LED manufacturer, is adopting a cautious stance for the first half of 2025, projecting that second-quarter revenues will remain close to those of the same period in 2024. The company anticipates that the peak season in the latter half of the year will be driven by demand in the invisible light and automotive sectors, which are expected to support stable gross margins. However, the company notes that escalating geopolitical uncertainties may necessitate a revision of its previously forecasted single-digit annual growth target.

While rival Innolux accelerates its push into FOPLP with plans for mass production in late 2025, AUO is taking a more cautious path. CEO and President Frank Ko explained that, despite industry-wide interest in FOPLP over the past year, AUO has chosen not to commit significant resources to the technology, at least for now.

Taiwan-based leadframe maker Chang Wah Technology (CWTC) is upbeat about 2025 as demand recovers, and will continue to expand its production capacity in Malaysia, according to company chairman Chuen-Sing Hung.

Polarizer manufacturer CMMT held its shareholders meeting on May 27, where chairperson Grace Sung stated that in 2025, the company will continue to strengthen operations in polarizers while developing semiconductor products.

Samsung Display debuted at Computex 2025, highlighting its advanced OLED technology. The company presented a range of IT OLED products, such as notebooks, tablets, monitors, and other devices.

United Radiant Technology's (URT) shareholder meeting on May 19 saw all proposals approved. The company noted that US President Donald Trump's tariffs on countries with significant trade surpluses pose challenges for the global market by taxing imports. Furthermore, the EU will implement the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) in 2026, using carbon emission data from 2025, potentially increasing import costs for exports to the EU.

Taiwan-based LED maker Edison Opto said customer orders and shipments remain on track despite mounting uncertainty tied to US tariff policies and currency market volatility. Automotive product lines are operating at a stable 80% utilization rate, supporting the company's full-year growth target.

As the global display industry gathers for Display Week 2025, one of its most prominent voices is calling for a redefinition of what screens can be. Dr. Frank Ko, CEO and President of AUO, took center stage at the SID's annual summit, delivering a keynote titled "Redefining Displays: Inspiring New Possibilities." His message was clear: in an age driven by AI, displays are no longer mere windows—they are evolving into gateways to the intelligent, immersive worlds of tomorrow.

Innolux Corporation reappointed Jim Hung as chairman and CEO at its May 7 shareholders' meeting, while promoting Executive Vice President Jeffrey Yang to general manager. Former General Manager Zhu-Xiang Yang will now focus exclusively on leading subsidiary InnoCare Optoelectronics and serving as an Innolux director.

As Micro LED technology approaches mass production, high costs remain a major barrier to broader market adoption. However, a breakthrough from Taiwanese startup Rayleigh Vision Intelligence (RVI) could mark a turning point. The company has built the world's first AI-driven pilot line for Micro LED manufacturing, targeting four long-standing challenges: low yield, poor production efficiency, high costs, and the complexity of mass transfer and measurement.

China, having solidified its dominance in the LCD panel market, is now intensifying its push into organic light-emitting diode (OLED) technology. A government-driven "trade-in" program has sparked a surge in the domestic smartphone market, with Chinese manufacturers rapidly expanding into the foldable device sector. This strategic focus has significantly accelerated OLED panel production.

Chinese panel manufacturers BOE Technology and TCL China Star Optoelectronics (TCL CSOT) have reportedly begun scaling back their LCD panel production in response to the tariff policies imposed by the Trump administration since January 2025, which have effectively blocked their export channels to the US. Despite strategic efforts to expand into alternative markets across Europe and Asia, these companies face significant challenges securing new customers in the short term. Compounding their difficulties, the Chinese government has reduced subsidies, leaving production cuts as their only viable recourse.

Ennostar Inc., a leading player in Taiwan's optoelectronics industry, reported narrowed losses in the first quarter of 2025, aided by steady demand across its automotive, sensing, and backlighting businesses. However, the company warned of rising macroeconomic headwinds, including a sharply strengthening New Taiwan dollar and potential downstream effects from evolving tariff policies.

LG Display (LGD) is set to participate in the Society for Information Display's (SID) Display Week 2025 with a major focus on next-generation automotive displays. Highlights include a 50% stretchable display, the world's largest 57-inch full cockpit width point-to-point (P2P) panel, and an 18-inch slidable OLED.

AUO is showcasing cutting-edge microLED display technology integrated with artificial intelligence (AI) at Display Week 2025, the global industry event hosted by the Society for Information Display.

As tariff uncertainties and sharp foreign exchange swings reshape the global automotive supply chain, Taiwanese LED car lighting module manufacturer Excellence Opto (EOI) is facing heightened operational challenges.

Display driver IC giant Novatek held an investor conference on May 7 and shared its outlook for the market. Novatek vice chairman and president Steve Wang announced that revenue in the first quarter of 2025 grew compared to the previous quarter and increased year-over-year. This growth was mainly driven by China's provincial subsidies for device upgrades and early tariff-driven stockpiling, which led consumer applications to outperform past periods and pushed revenue toward the upper end of guidance. Gross margin also reached the high end of forecasts, primarily due to effective cost control in wafer fabrication.

Micro LED technology is gaining momentum as the next big leap in display innovation. Driven by the global AI surge, China's intensifying "hundred-glasses war" in smart eyewear has pushed micro-displays into the spotlight. Meanwhile, Micro LED is emerging as a potential game-changer in silicon photonics, offering high-speed optical communication capabilities. Long-anticipated uses in large-format TVs and automotive displays are finally moving toward mass production, signaling a broad and accelerating wave of commercialization across multiple industries.

Compared to TVs, IT panels are more affected by tariffs. As a result, during the tariff exemption period, LCD monitor brands have continued strong inventory buildup and accepted slight panel price increases. For notebook panels, although demand remains steady, supply capacity is relatively ample, keeping market supply and demand balanced and prices stable.

Industrial LCD displays specialist Litemax, which has a solid customer base in high-end applications markets in Europe and the US, is ready to adjust its strategies to cope with the tariffs that may undermine the competitiveness of its products in the American market.

The US government has called on the display industry to establish production domestically. However, Taiwan's leading panel manufacturers have expressed no interest in relocating. In contrast, Japan Display (JDI) is actively planning a new OLED display factory in the US through collaboration with OLEDWorks, potentially becoming the only production site outside Asia utilizing the latest OLED technology.

Taiwan's microLED equipment manufacturers are positioning for explosive growth as major panel makers worldwide begin constructing production capacity for mass manufacturing. PlayNitride expects to double its equipment sales by 2025, while firms like Kjet and Microloops are advancing through verification processes with leading panel manufacturers or initiating shipments.