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.
CES has increasingly become a key platform for the automotive industry, often dubbed an alternative auto show in recent years due to the rising presence of car-related technologies. From concept vehicles and autonomous driving to electrification, automakers' displays frequently outshine traditional consumer electronics.
Although CES 2026 is not traditionally a smartphone-focused event, TCL drew attention with its new NxtPaper 70 Pro smartphone. The device features NxtPaper 4.0 display technology, with its most notable difference from conventional smartphones being a dedicated shortcut key that allows users to switch display modes.
Samsung Electronics is reportedly evaluating whether to source OLED display panels from China's BOE Technology Group for its flagship Galaxy S smartphone lineup, as it looks to rein in component costs while weighing legal and quality risks.
Sharp ceased production at its Sakai Display Product (SDP) factory in late August 2024, ending operations at the world's only 10G LCD panel fab. Despite this closure, Sharp is pursuing plans to build a new 10.5G LCD panel manufacturing facility in India in partnership with the Adani Group, a major Indian conglomerate. The initiative reflects Sharp's continued interest in expanding its LCD panel production, though significant challenges remain.
LG Display president Jeong Chul-dong has pledged to make transparent OLED a core growth priority in 2026, aiming to lift panel transparency from 45% to 70% as the company targets XR devices and next-generation automotive displays.
As 2026 begins, the LCD TV panel market typically enters a seasonal slowdown. However, due to the upcoming FIFA World Cup and strategic order increases by South Korean TV brands, demand for LCD TV panels in the fourth quarter of 2025 exceeded expectations and has carried into the first quarter of 2026. This momentum pushed LCD TV panel prices higher starting in January.
At CES 2026, TCL showcased new TVs but removed the "NXT FRAME" trademark following a German court ruling in February 2025 that favored Samsung Electronics' "The Frame" over trademark infringement.
Facing the memory shortage, PC companies are aggressively promoting new models at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), hoping to regain momentum. Acer rolled out multiple new series, including Aspire, Predator, and Swift AI. Dell introduced the return of its classic thin-and-light XPS lineup and revealed that its gaming brand Alienware will launch new products.
The LCD monitor end market entered a seasonal downturn at the start of 2026, with panel demand relatively weak. However, rising LCD TV panel prices and some brands increasing inventory for low-cost monitor panels, combined with panel makers' production cuts during the Lunar New Year holiday in February 2026, have pushed up demand for LCD monitor panels earlier than usual.
AU Optronics' new subsidiary, AUO Mobility Solutions Corporation, presented its latest automotive display and connectivity technologies at CES 2026. Under the theme "Together, We Drive The New Era," the company is focusing on display interfaces, automotive computing, and intelligent vehicle connectivity. It showcased collaborations to create human-centered smart cockpits as a "third space."
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.
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.
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.
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.
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."
Samsung Electronics is preparing to escalate the foldable smartphone race. Industry sources say the company plans to launch a new foldable handset, internally dubbed "Wide Fold," in autumn 2026, positioning it directly against Apple's long-anticipated foldable iPhone. If timelines hold, the two products will debut within the same launch window, setting up a rare head-to-head between the world's two largest smartphone vendors.
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.
The 8K TV market, once seen as the hallmark of premium products, is rapidly fading as major manufacturers cease launching new models. Currently, Samsung Electronics remains the primary player in the 8K TV space, while the 8K Association, which it spearheads, is shrinking swiftly.
Apple has reportedly kicked off an OLED panel development program for the iMac, with South Korean outlet The Elec citing industry sources saying the company has sent Requests for Information (RFI) to Samsung Display (SDC) and LG Display (LGD).
Taiwan's display solutions provider Winstar Display anticipates at least 10% order growth in 2026, driven by applications across up to 173 industries. While US tariff policies and cautious customer sentiment created market uncertainty in the first half of 2025, demand began a steady recovery in the second half of the year, giving the company confidence in its sustained growth trajectory.
China hosts the world's largest display panel capacity, pulling upstream suppliers into an increasingly concentrated ecosystem. In polarizers, a string of acquisitions has pushed China to the top globally, with Shanjin Optoelectronics and Hong Kong Heng Mei Group forming a clear duopoly.
