Radiant, a key supplier of Apple's backlight modules, is positioning itself to benefit from both legacy and emerging display technologies. While Apple continues to push toward OLED products as a long-term strategy, LCD devices remain in demand through 2026, giving Radiant room to expand into new business lines.

Rising memory prices have pushed up smartphone bill of materials (BOM) costs, potentially affecting shipments for 2026. As the smartphone panel market enters its seasonal off-peak period, the effects of higher memory prices are beginning to surface. Pull-in momentum from end-device makers has slowed, leading to across-the-board declines in smartphone panel prices across different technology types.

As Micro LED moves into non-display application opportunities, PlayNitride Technologies announced a partnership with Brillink Technologies, a leader in two-dimensional array optical coupling technologies, to jointly develop a next-generation optical interconnect platform capable of meeting the needs of AI and high-performance computing (HPC). The collaboration integrates three core segments: high-efficiency Micro LED emitter arrays, ultra-high-sensitivity GeSi avalanche photodiode (APD) arrays, and two-dimensional array vertical couplers (2D-AVC). Compared with traditional active electrical cables (AEC), the platform is expected to achieve longer transmission distances, lower power consumption, and higher bandwidth density.

The e-paper market is undergoing a significant transformation, shifting from traditional black-and-white displays to color technology, driven by device replacement cycles and expanding application areas. This trend has contributed to robust performances by key industry players E Ink Holdings and Netronix in 2025, with both companies poised to achieve record results in 2026.

At CES 2026, leading global panel makers focused on microLED and OLED technologies while showcasing AI-driven smart cockpits. The event revealed a shift in automotive display roles from mere entertainment accessories to becoming the core of vehicle-to-home connectivity.

At CES 2026, Samsung Electronics publicly showcased its first 130-inch Micro RGB large display, highlighting the limits of LCD panel sizes. However, the event's technical standout emerged behind closed doors: a 140-inch self-emissive microLED TV featuring an innovative bezel extension enabled by AI analysis, which breaks traditional screen border constraints.

Taiwan's two major panel makers posted their highest combined revenue in four years in 2025, with December showing both month-over-month and year-over-year growth. As China now dominates the global LCD panel market, both companies have spent recent years pushing transformation initiatives. Market expectations for 2026 suggest that AU Optronics' (AUO) display revenue could drop below 50% of total revenue.

Benefiting from increased shipments of new and existing electric vehicle (EV) models, LED automotive lighting module maker Laster Tech reported consolidated revenue of NT$2.201 billion (approx. US$69.5 million) for the fourth quarter of 2025, marking a quarter-over-quarter growth of 8.83%. The company plans to adopt a selective order strategy in the Chinese market while enhancing its competitiveness within the North American supply chain.

Mini LED backlight TVs clearly dominated the show floor at CES 2026, overtaking OLED TVs as the next leading display technology. As major global brands jostle for position with the new technology, Mini LED TV shipments are expected to exceed 20 million units in 2026.

South Korea's optoelectronics industry once grew rapidly with Gwangju as its center, but growth slowed under competition from China. The National Assembly of South Korea recently held a forum to discuss the current state of the photonics market, including opportunities and challenges for Gwangju, which was once a major photonics hub. As optical technologies become core infrastructure supporting AI, cloud computing, and autonomous driving, South Korea's industry is calling for Gwangju to make a transformative integration.

LED driver IC designer Macroblock stated that Micro LED applications based on PCB substrates have been rolled out one after another, while Micro LED applications using glass substrates are expected to enter the mass production stage starting in 2026. The company expects double-digit annual growth, with more than 10 new vehicle models set to adopt its automotive IC products in 2026. Macroblock is optimistic that the share of automotive products will increase from 14% to nearly 20% in 2026.