TCL has officially entered the inkjet-printed OLED market with the launch of its APEX brand, while also commencing mass production of its 21.6-inch medical OLED panels. Announced at the Global Display Tech-ecosystem Conference (DTC 2024) in Guangzhou, the panels feature 4K resolution, brightness levels of 140/350 nits, and are set to ship on November 10.

Winstar Display, an innovative display solutions provider, has extended its order visibility to the second quarter of 2025. The company has secured significant replenishment orders from existing clients and integrated into key domestic and international supply chains. These efforts are driving a pipeline of large-scale projects anticipated to contribute to revenue growth by 2025.

The third quarter has historically been a peak season, with robust sales of premium smartphones boosting FocalTech Systems' AMOLED TDDI shipments to continue their upward trend. Meanwhile, the supply chain's readiness to amass inventory has increased due to stable prices for mid-range and low-end TDDI products, resulting in increased demand.

The overall progress of Chinese smartphone brands adopting OLED panels is rapidly advancing. Industry experts predict that by 2025, OLED will dominate the smartphone panel market, with only the lowest-tier models continuing to use traditional LCD panels.

LG Display (LGD) will invest an additional US$1 billion in Vietnam over the next five years to strengthen operations at its Haiphong OLED module factory, marking a significant step in its transition from LCD to OLED technology.

As AI technology advances, demand for electronic product upgrades is boosting panel shipments, with OLED adoption and niche applications driving growth in the display industry. The Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) forecasts Taiwan's display panel industry will reach NT$791.8 billion (approx. US$24.3 billion) in 2024, up 2% year-over-year, and NT$812.9 billion in 2025, up 2.6%. Globally, the display panel market is expected to be valued at US$118 billion in 2024, a 9.8% yearly increase, and US$124.5 billion by 2025, up 5.5%.

China-based BOE Technology has decided to invest in a wafer fab in Beijing, marking its first foray into the chipmaking business. This move comes as China is expected to rapidly expand its wafer fab industry, potentially flooding the global market with more semiconductor production.

LED manufacturer Ledtech turned a profit in the first three quarters of 2024, following a reorganization of its business and marketing operations earlier in the year. The company is now focusing on high-margin products such as low-temperature lighting, with this segment's revenue share climbing from 14% in the third quarter of 2023 to 29% in the third quarter of 2024. Targeting markets in the Americas and Europe, Ledtech is expanding its own brand and officially entering the ESG sustainable lighting field.

With retailers increasingly embracing smart retail solutions, major players are accelerating their adoption of electronic shelf labels (ESL). Walmart launched a significant push to install ESL across its US stores in mid-2024, transitioning from pilot projects to full-scale deployment. This expansion is projected to generate demand for 400-500 million ESL units over the next three years.

Touch panel manufacturer GIS has faced significant operational challenges in 2024. Despite a rebound in consolidated revenue during the third quarter, the company's product mix resulted in a reduced gross profit margin. As GIS's market share in fingerprint recognition continues to expand, the company expects overall performance in 2025 to surpass that of 2024, with fingerprint recognition revenue projected to exceed 10% for the first time.

South Korea's display industry faces new uncertainties following Donald Trump's return to the US presidency. While Samsung Display and LG Display maintain their OLED technology leadership, industry watchers are closely monitoring the potential impacts of heightened US-China tensions.