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Oct 29
SDC chief meets Applied Materials executives amid FMM-free OLED push
Samsung Display (SDC) President Lee Chung-hwan recently met with senior executives from US equipment maker Applied Materials as SDC accelerates development of fine metal mask (FMM)-free OLED technology. The meeting has drawn attention as SDC and Chinese panel maker Visionox compete to advance FMM-free technologies such as MPO and ViP, along with the related equipment infrastructure.
South Korean ultra-thin glass (UTG) maker Dowoo Insys is expanding its smartphone glass technology into the automotive market, developing protective glass for rollable OLED displays with a major South Korean automotive electronics company. The product could enter commercial production as early as the second half of 2027.
Taiwan-based CoreIntelligence Holdings Corporation (CiHC) expects demand for its in-car projection products to grow 60% to 70% in 2027, as high-end projection solutions and immersive applications emerge as potential growth drivers.
AUO reported a consolidated net loss attributable to its parent-company owners in the third quarter of 2026 as cautious panel purchasing and weaker consumer electronics demand reduced revenue. The display maker posted revenue of NT$66.88 billion (US$2.06 billion) for the quarter, down 5.7% quarter-over-quarter and 4.3% year-over-year.
South Korean OLED material specialist SFC will continue supplying blue host materials to Samsung Display (SDC) for the OLED material stack used in Apple's upcoming MacBook Pro, according to filings submitted for its planned KOSPI initial public offering (IPO). However, rival suppliers have captured the blue dopant business for both tandem layers in SDC's third-generation IT material stack.
The panel display supply chain's transformation marathon continues as companies begin a week of investor briefings centered on new businesses. CoreIntelligence (CiHC), AUO, Radiant, BenQ Materials and E Ink will present in succession, with transformation progress remaining a key market focus.
Ennostar Holdings is expanding into optical communications as Micro LED and Micro VCSEL products move into customer sample-validation stages. The company expects the business to enter substantive growth in 2027, supported by potential demand for short-distance transmission, active optical cables, and emerging co-packaged optics architectures as industry bandwidth requirements continue rising.
Fine M-Tec has rejected claims that components it supplied contributed to reported display damage in Apple's first foldable iPhone, saying the issue involves multiple components and precision mechanisms. The dispute could affect perceptions of the South Korean supplier even as analysts forecast growth from expanding foldable device demand ahead.
As AI expands into wearable devices, South Korean OLED deposition equipment maker Sunic System has secured another overseas order for OLEDoS (OLED on Silicon) deposition equipment, targeting growth in extended reality (XR) and smart glasses.
Apple has reportedly asked BOE Technology and other panel makers for technical information on LCD panels for a future iMac, raising questions about the pace of its OLED transition. The potential LCD model's launch around 2029 overlaps with industry expectations for the first OLED iMac in 2029-2030.
Chinese smartphone brands have brought high-refresh-rate OLED displays to market ahead of Samsung Electronics and Apple, with Visionox and BOE supplying 185Hz panels for the iQOO Neo 12 and RedMagic 12 Pro+, respectively. The move sets a new standard for smartphone applications, where power consumption remains a major concern, and has drawn market attention.
Apple's iPhone Duo has gone on sale, with pre-orders in several key markets reportedly exceeding the company's expectations. Delivery dates have stretched to late 2026 and even early 2027. The strong initial response could partly offset weaker-than-expected sales momentum for the iPhone 18 Pro series, pointing to growing consumer interest in foldable smartphones.