Taiwan-based display driver IC (DDI) manufacturer Fitipower Integrated Technology reported that its revenue for the third quarter reached nearly a nine-quarter high. The growth of mobile device DDIs has been a significant driving force; however, an increase in the shipment proportion of mobile device chips during the third quarter negatively impacted the overall product mix, leading to declines in gross margin and profitability.

Donald Trump's potential return as the US President has captured global attention. Peter Chen, chairperson of Qisda, notes that from an economic and industrial perspective, Trump's anticipated presidency is expected to boost the US stock market through his proposed quantitative-erasing policies. Lower interest rates and the resulting capital influx could positively impact the economy.

Coretronic has lowered its 2024 full-year shipment forecast for two major product lines due to delayed mass production of monitor products and lower-than-expected demand from sports-related events. During the previous quarter's earnings call, the company projected a 10-20% growth in overall shipments of energy-efficient products for 2024. However, the latest forecast indicates shipments will remain flat for the year.

Display panel leader Innolux posted an operating loss in the third quarter of 2024, though the company managed to stay profitable after taxes. Looking ahead to the fourth quarter, the company expects a traditional seasonal downturn in panel demand. However, China's "trade-in" subsidy program, aimed at encouraging consumers to upgrade their TVs, is projected to help sustain demand for complete TV sets. LCD TV panel prices are expected to remain stable, while demand for IT panels is likely to soften.

E-paper applications are experiencing rapid expansion across industries, with major developments in consumer electronics, retail, and signage sectors. Amazon introduced four new Kindle models, including its first color e-reader, to capture holiday sales. Walmart is deploying ESL systems across US stores, driving smart retail adoption. Variable-color e-paper is nearing commercialization, with large-format billboards projected to boom by 2025. E Ink Holdings is pivotal in these developments, providing essential materials for consumer electronics, retail, and signage innovations.

LG Electronics' Business Solutions (BS) division plans to nearly double its revenue in the B2B market to KRW 10 trillion (US$7.4 billion) by 2030, focusing on commercial displays and electric vehicle (EV) charging solutions. Despite selling LG Display's (LGD) Chinese LCD factory, the company assures that this will not significantly affect its operations, thanks to its supply chain diversification strategy.

In response to the global shift towards smart retailing, major retailers in both Taiwan and the US are rapidly installing Electronic Shelf Labels (ESL), with the trend gaining significant momentum. According to Feng-Yuan Kan, president of E Ink, Walmart plans to install 400 to 500 million ESL units across its U.S. stores over the next three years. Meanwhile, in Taiwan, Simple Mart has initiated a similar rollout across its 800+ stores, with installations expected to continue through mid-2025.

Taiwan has pioneered a groundbreaking light field augmented reality (AR) display technology for smart medicine, addressing common issues like dizziness, eye strain, and lack of depth perception typically associated with AR devices. This advanced technology is set to revolutionize high-precision medical procedures, such as minimally invasive surgeries, according to an October 16 announcement by the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC).

Although TV sales in China have been sluggish for a while, the recent government initiative of the trade-in subsidy program has sparked a wave of consumer activity during the 2024 National Day holiday. Both sales volume and revenue saw significant growth compared to the same period in 2023, with the policy's benefits expected to extend into the upcoming Double Eleventh Day shopping festival.

Coretronic announced an unaudited monthly consolidated revenue of NT$3.435 billion (approx. US$106 million) for September 2024, marking a 5% decrease from NT$3.627 billion in August and a 3% decline from NT$3.553 billion in the same period last year. However, the company's unaudited consolidated revenue for the third quarter of 2024 reached NT$10.694 billion, representing a 7% increase quarter-over-quarter and a 3% rise year-over-year. Consolidated revenue for the first three quarters of 2024 totaled NT$29.782 billion, a slight 1% increase from NT$29.604 billion in the same period last year.

2024, a year of major sports events, has given the television industry high expectations for sales numbers. However, overall television sales this year have not shown significant increases, with AmTRAN being one of the few beneficiaries in the television market. The company is expected to exceed its shipment targets for 2024. AmTRAN states that aside from the boost from sporting events, its production facility in Vietnam has played a key role in securing increased orders from the US and South Korea, contributing to impressive revenue performance in the third quarter of 2024.

With key China-based LCD panel producers cutting back production, prices for TV applications are expected to stabilize in October, according to industry sources.

The subsidy program implemented by the Chinese government to encourage domestic consumers to replace old TVs with new ones is anticipated to stimulate overall TV demand in the fourth quarter of 2024, according to industry sources.

According to Michael Tsai, Chairman of Darwin Precisions (Darwin), the leading backlight module company, the firm is on a steady growth trajectory as it implements its new business strategy. This approach aims to strengthen investments in optics and biotech beyond its current focus on displays and system integration, to drive future growth and improve profitability.

E Ink's color-changing e-paper has garnered significant attention since it collaborated with BMW, attracting interest for various products, although these collaborative products remain at a conceptual stage. However, with emerging applications and ongoing technological advancements, color-changing e-paper is expected to yield commercial products by 2025, with handbags emerging as the most promising product category.

As Japanese and Korean LCD manufacturers exit the market in response to Chinese competition, Taiwan-based AUO is strategically pivoting its business model. The company is reducing its reliance on panel production and transforming into a three-pillar organization focused on Mobility Solutions, Vertical Solutions, and Display Technology.

Radiant, the leading company in backlight modules, has approved the acquisition of 100% equity in Danish optical company NIL Technology ApS (NILT) at their board of directors meeting. A formal equity purchase agreement was signed on September 19, with an equity value of approximately EUR300 million. Radiant will fully fund the acquisition using its own resources, with the deal expected to close in the first quarter of 2025.

South Korea's Samsung SDI is officially exiting the polarizer market. The company recently announced the sale of its polarizer business to Wuxi Hengxin Optoelectronic Materials, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Chinese polarizer giant Hengmei Optoelectronics, for KRW1.121 trillion (US$845.02 million).

As emerging technologies and changing lifestyles impact consumer behavior, fewer people are choosing to watch TV at home. This has led to a decline in global TV shipments, urging companies to seek solutions. While the OLED camp is trying to break through with innovations like curved and foldable screens, the LCD side is focusing on the ultra-large TV market. Currently, televisions larger than 75 inches are experiencing significant growth, while more aggressive promotions are expected in the fourth quarter.

The fourth quarter of 2024 is expected to see a decrease in the sales of TV panels, which has prompted major suppliers to reduce their output to sustain pricing, according to industry sources.

According to online monitoring data from Runto Technology (Runto), sales of color e-paper products in China's market grew by 318.2% year-on-year in the first half of 2024, with the penetration rate more than doubling from 3.2% to 8.6% compared to the same period in 2023. China's color e-paper tablet market is experiencing significant growth in 2024, with sales and product variety on the rise.

Taiwanese panel manufacturer Giantplus Technology is actively developing applications using its organic thin-film transistor (OTFT) backplanes, such as smart wearables and medical products, which it has already mass-produced for the world's first OTFT consumer electronics product — the Ledger Stax crypto electronic cold wallet.

Taiwan-based e-paper maker E Ink Holdings is optimistic about the demand for electronic shelf labels (ESL) and expects related orders to continue growing through the first half of 2025, driven by the ongoing expansion of ESL systems in the global retail industry.

As smartphone camera resolutions continue to improve, lenses inevitably become thicker, impacting the weight of the devices. Market rumors suggest that Apple has been researching metalens technology over the past few years, with plans to initially use it to replace the plastic lenses in the iPad's Face ID system. Metalens technology could debut in the Face ID of the iPhone 16 Pro and flagship models as early as 2024.

Samsung Electronics (Samsung) is reportedly building an image quality lab for CIS. To catch up to Sony, it is planning on using simulated photography of various scenery to enhance its high-resolution image technology in CIS.