Samsung hosted The First Look ahead of the opening of CES 2026, led by head of the Device eXperience (DX) division Han Jong-hee, together with SW Yong, head of the Visual Display (VD) Business, and CK Kim, head of the Digital Appliances (DA) Business. The theme of this year's event was to promote Samsung's "Companion to AI Living" vision for 2026.
TCL's marketing of its entry-level RGB Mini LED television has come under closer industry scrutiny after market research firm Omdia said the product does not fully adopt the RGB backlight architecture implied by its branding. The findings have prompted discussion among analysts and regional media about how emerging display technologies are defined and communicated to consumers, particularly as competition intensifies in the premium TV segment.
HKC, a major Chinese display manufacturer, is weighing a potential entry into organic light-emitting diode production through a proposed sixth-generation facility. The move would mark a shift for the liquid crystal display specialist. However, it faces technical hurdles and skepticism from equipment suppliers.
Samsung Electronics' decision to acquire a major advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) business through its subsidiary Harman is widely viewed as a decisive escalation of its ambitions in automotive electronics. Yet the move is also stirring unease among industry observers, who warn that it could complicate Samsung's long-standing partnership with Hyundai Motor Group, raising questions about how the two South Korean giants will navigate an increasingly crowded and competitive automotive technology market.
BOE Technology Group (BOE) is poised to retain its position as the world leader in TV panel shipments in 2026, with market projections showing stable volumes after a significant increase in 2025. Industry sources note that while BOE strengthens its foothold, other major panel makers face a complex landscape shaped by supply chain dynamics and cost pressures.
With the shift from black-and-white to color boosting pull-in demand, ESG, and AI, e-paper terminals are thriving. Both E Ink Holdings, the leading global e-paper materials supplier, and Netronix, the world's largest ereader ODM, have seen clear growth in 2025 and are expected to continue into 2026.
BOE announced on December 30 that its first 8.6G AMOLED production line in Chengdu, China, has begun early production, five months ahead of the original schedule, shifting from construction to operation and mass production preparation, with full production expected to start in 2026.
Despite support from major international sports events, the global display panel industry faces a cautious outlook in 2026, with shipment growth no longer assured. Market uncertainty among brand owners, coupled with rising upstream material costs, is eroding confidence and creating a subdued mood across the supply chain.
Display maker INT-Tech has developed a groundbreaking micro-OLED microdisplay with brightness exceeding 100,000 nits, following up on the 60,000-nit display unveiled earlier in 2025. The company aims to use its native RGB self-emissive technology in XR devices, which will enable products featuring 10 times the brightness of current 10,000-nit OLED microdisplays.
In 2025, the global display industry will undergo a major shift as South Korea exits LCD production and strengthens its OLED patent lead. China gains dominance over LCD capacity and market share, while Taiwanese companies advance with microLED, e-paper, and new business models. This marks a move from "capacity scale wars" to "technology value battles."
Despite approaching the end of the year and the promotional peak season coming to an end, overall utilization rates in the smartphone panel market have remained relatively high. Additionally, differences in market conditions and structures among panel technologies have led to mixed price movements.
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