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Aug 19, 08:44
ams OSRAM sues distributor over alleged infringement by Refond automotive LEDs
ams OSRAM said it filed two patent infringement lawsuits in Germany against Shenzhen Refond Optoelectronics over automotive LED products. The move adds to a broader wave of intellectual property disputes in the LED sector and targets ceramic-packaged and EMC-packaged vehicle lighting products sold by the Chinese supplier.
LED packaging manufacturer Everlight Electronics stated that due to higher raw material costs, gross margin fell to 24.16% in the second quarter of 2026, down 7.93pp year-over-year and 0.5pp from the first quarter, mainly due to fluctuations in the Chinese yuan exchange rate.
Driven by a recovery across smartphone, notebook, industrial control, and automotive applications, ITH Corporation, the parent company of Ili Technology (Ilitek), posted solid revenue results in the second quarter of 2026. However, its gross margin took a hit of about 8.1 percentage points after it recognized a one-time liability provision because wafer starts fell short of volumes reserved under an agreement with a supplier.

E Ink has lowered its 2026 revenue growth outlook after rising memory prices hit demand for consumer electronics, but the company said IoT and e-paper signage businesses remain strong. Full-year revenue growth is now expected at 10-15%, down from an earlier forecast of 20-25%, while consumer electronics revenue could fall by double digits.

With global TV demand slowing and panel prices continuing to fall, display makers are facing intensifying profit pressure. Analysts say the industry's bottleneck extends beyond low-priced Chinese competition and reflects a broader reshaping of the consumer electronics value chain, with OLED's next growth phase likely to depend on lower manufacturing costs and wider adoption in IT devices.

Seoul Semiconductor and its affiliate, Seoul Viosys, have secured a permanent injunction from India's Delhi High Court against Ornate Agencies Private Limited, barring the Indian company from selling products that infringe Seoul Semiconductor's opto-semiconductor patents. The court separately enjoined Ornate's managing director from further involvement in the infringement, according to a joint statement from the two Korean companies issued on August 12, 2026.

Qisda Chairman Peter Chen said infrastructure is the foundation that must first be built as AI compute demand surges. He said Qisda will not be absent from the fast-growing race, as the company steps up work on AI servers, data centers, 1.6T switches, and silicon photonics (SiPh).

Foxconn said its decade-long partnership with Sharp has entered a new growth phase, as the Taiwanese electronics group expands into AI servers, semiconductors, robotics, and next-generation communications. The comments, made at Foxconn's second quarter 2026 investor conference on August 12, came as the two companies marked 10 years since Foxconn completed its investment in Sharp.

Samsung Electronics is set to increase its TV LCD panel purchases in 2026, even as global shipments of TV LCDs are forecast to decline. The buying shift will favor BOE Technology Group and reduce Samsung's reliance on TCL China Star Optoelectronics Technology (TCL CSOT), according to ZDNet Korea, citing market research firm Omdia.

Electronic paper, once a niche technology overlooked by the display industry, is gaining momentum as E Ink continues to expand its applications from early e-book readers into electronic shelf labels (ESL). Riding the global retail digitalization wave, the technology is now driving rapid market growth.

Laster Tech, a maker of LED headlamp modules, narrowed its loss in the second quarter of 2026 as order visibility improved and new vehicle programs moved into mass production. The Taiwan-based supplier said first-half revenue reached NT$3.614 billion, with a net loss of NT$103 million and a loss per share of NT$0.86.
Taiwanese panel makers broadly reported weaker July revenue as some customers pulled in shipments in advance in the first half of the year and memory price increases weighed on consumer electronics demand. AUO, Innolux and Hannstar Display all posted month-over-month and year-over-year declines, while Giantplus Technology bucked the trend.