LCY Chemical is actively expanding into the electronic materials market in its 110th year since the company's founding in 1915. According to CEO Vincent Liu, the company's electronic materials segment currently accounts for roughly 12% of total revenue, with a compound annual growth rate of 26%, significantly higher than the industry average of 7%. Going forward, the company plans to deepen its material portfolio to target demand related to the semiconductor, AI, high-speed communications, and next-generation display industries.
The global market for ultra-large-sized TVs continues to grow, with leading brands such as Samsung Electronics, TCL, and Hisense all launching massive 115 or 116-inch screens in 2025. Even with low visibility overall in the TV market, consumer attention has been drawn toward the rapid emergence of giant screens.
China's BOE Technology is moving to diversify Apple's iPhone display driver IC (DDI) supply chain, a shift that threatens South Korea's LX Semicon, once a dominant and long-standing supplier in the market.
According to UBI Research, BOE will supply OLED panels for Apple's iPhone 17 Pro. This marks BOE's first time providing LTPO OLEDs to Apple and highlights the growing influence of Chinese panel manufacturers in the smartphone OLED market, posing a greater challenge to South Korean suppliers.
Samsung Display (SDC), LG Display (LGD), and China's BOE are expected to maintain their positions in Apple's iPhone panel supply chain through 2025 and 2026, according to industry forecasts. Samsung, in particular, is poised to expand its portfolio as Apple prepares to mass-produce its first foldable iPhone.
South Korea plans to more than double its display research budget to counter China's growing dominance, as industry data indicate China could control up to 75% of global panel production capacity by 2028.
For Apple CEO Tim Cook, returning to the White House in early August 2025 and announcing a US$600 billion investment plan over the next four years was a strategic move that pleased President Donald Trump. Trump responded by stating that any production or factory commitments made in the US would qualify for tariff exemptions, temporarily easing Apple's larger crisis.
Electronic shelf labels (ESL) using e-paper technology have experienced rapid growth in the retail industry, propelled by Walmart's large-scale adoption since mid-2024. ESL shipments surged from just over 100 million units per quarter to nearly 200 million units in the second quarter of 2025, setting unprecedented shipment records globally.
Garmin will launch a microLED version of its flagship Fēnix 8 Pro smartwatch on September 8, marking a significant milestone as the world's first watch to integrate microLED technology. Priced just shy of US$2,000, the new watch costs about US$700 more than a similarly sized 51mm (approximately 1.4-inch) model with an AMOLED screen. Yet this 50% premium promises to bring an unprecedented 4,500 nits in terms of brightness, making it the "brightest ever" smartwatch with ultra-wide viewing angles and exceptional resolution.
South Korean manufacturers Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics continue to dominate India's television market, consolidating their positions as leading players in one of the world's fastest-growing consumer electronics segments.
MicroLED is regarded as the next-generation display technology, with Taiwan leading global development due to strong semiconductor and display integration, plus government support. Despite high costs slowing mass adoption, microLED's role in advanced chip packaging co-packaged optics (CPO) creates fresh applications beyond displays.
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