China has been reported frequently to illegally acquire technology from South Korea in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) semiconductors and displays in the past few years. Moreover, with the advancement of South Korea's neural processing units (NPU), Chinese semiconductor firms have been actively recruiting engineers from South Korean companies or attempting to steal core technologies.

As the global display market rapidly shifts towards OLED technology, South Korea's two major panel manufacturers, Samsung Display (SDC) and LG Display (LGD), are accelerating their efforts to enhance technological capabilities and expand their market presence.

Sharp Corporation is set to announce its fiscal 2024 growth strategy during its earnings presentation in May 2025, covering the period from April 2024 to March 2025. However, key elements of this strategy, such as the CEO-led Innovation Accelerator Project (I-Pro), are already taking shape through ongoing initiatives.

Industry observers anticipate accelerated consolidation among second-tier LCD panel makers as US President Donald Trump prepares to implement new trade policies in his second term.

A recent earthquake in Chiayi, Taiwan has caused partial production disruptions at Innolux, though the situation remains under control. This development, combined with PET material shortages for polarizers, has created supply constraints estimated at 10-15%. These factors have strengthened panel makers' confidence in implementing price increases.

Sharp's ex-CEO Jeng-wu Tai has taken legal actions against Foxconn and its founder Terry Gou, demanding more than NT$1 billion (approx. US$30.52 million) in remuneration from a bonus agreement. While the lawsuit is a "labor dispute," it calls attention to the important role that Sharp's Sakai Display Products (SDP) once played in Japan's LCD panel industry.

Once a trusted lieutenant of Foxconn founder Terry Gou, Jeng-wu Tai, the former vice president of Foxconn and ex-CEO of Sharp Corporation, has recently initiated legal proceedings against his former colleague over an unfulfilled incentive contract.

The e-paper industry is rapidly transitioning from monochrome to color panels, stimulating a trend of device upgrades. The year 2024 marked the beginning of the color e-reader era, with Amazon launching its first color e-reader and Walmart, the leading retailer in the US, implementing electronic shelf labels nationwide. These developments drove significant growth for E Ink Holdings (EIH) and EIH's subsidiary, Netronix. Looking ahead, 2025 is expected to see the rise of color e-paper billboards, promising another year of growth for both companies.

China's display giant BOE has completed its 11th board election, marking the start of a succession process for the company valued at over CNY160 billion (US$22 billion). At 60 years old, Chairman Yanshun Chen will retain his role but is transferring the CEO position to Qiang Feng, signaling a generational transition.

Jeng-wu Tai, retired vice president of Hon Hai (Foxconn) and ex-CEO of Sharp, has taken legal action against his former employer and Terry Gou, the founder of Hon Hai, over an alleged breach of an incentive agreement. Once a trusted lieutenant of Gou, Tai now seeks legal recourse to address the dispute, which centers on unfulfilled bonus payments tied to Sharp's performance during Gou's tenure as Hon Hai's chairman.

India hits bottlenecks in its efforts toward developing a display manufacturing ecosystem. Tata Electronics is making progress in acquiring Pegatron India and reportedly talking with Android smartphone vendors for contract manufacturing collaboration.