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Nov 27
Apple's 2026 iPad mini to get OLED display, Samsung exclusive supplier
Apple is reportedly set to equip its 2026 iPad mini with an OLED display for the first time, with Samsung Display slated as the exclusive supplier, according to ET News. The move is expected to support the expansion of the medium-to-large OLED segment, which has seen modest growth in recent years.
Samsung Display has started producing OLED on Silicon panels for extended-reality devices, but the company is holding back on mass production as low yields and a still-nascent XR market limit near-term demand, according to people familiar with the matter. Analysts say the supplier is choosing to refine its microdisplay technology while waiting for the market to reach a level that can support larger volumes.
Global OLED panel makers ramped up emissive-material purchases in the third quarter of 2025, largely fueled by stronger sales of Apple's iPhone and iPad lines.
FitTech has had weak performance since 2023. It posted a net loss attributable to the parent of NT$290 million (approx. US$9.2 million) for the first three quarters of 2025, although a sharp improvement from 2024. The company has started in LED testing and is optimistic about its DFB and FEL foundry testing business in optical communications for 2026. Strong customer demand has clarified order visibility, and 2026 is expected to see multiple-fold growth. With new product layouts entering the harvesting stage, FitTech aims to turn profitable as early as the second quarter.

Kinko Optical signaled an ambitious push into space-related components and next-generation optics at an investor briefing on the 25th, with senior executives outlining plans to enter the US low-Earth-orbit (LEO) satellite supply chain and expand aggressively in infrared lenses, waveguides, and optical engines.

South Korean electronics giants Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics are expanding their television product offerings beyond their traditional core focus areas to counter fierce pricing competition from Chinese companies. Both firms are diversifying into each other's market segments in an effort to sustain sales and market share in a challenging global environment.
TCL CSOT began mass production of 21.6-inch inkjet-printed OLED medical monitor panels in November 2025 and is expanding the technology to notebooks and tablets, while Samsung and LG are cautiously evaluating its market potential.
Samsung Display (SDC) recently declared its commitment to ensuring the profitability of its 8.6-generation IT-use OLED line A6, aiming to reach a level that competitors cannot match. According to South Korean media, including The Elec and Money Today, SDC president Cheong Lee emphasized five key business engines during D-Talks: foldable panels, IT, automotive, monitors, and XR OLEDoS. He pledged to expand competitiveness based on technological barriers.
At Zhong Yang Technology's investor conference on November 21, 2025, General Manager Chih-Cheng Hsu stated that after undergoing significant adjustments over the past two to three years and improving its business structure, the company began seeing results in 2025. Structural growth is expected in 2026, and Zhong Yang is optimistic about automotive, drones, and AR as its most growth-oriented businesses. Additionally, its Thailand plant is expected to start contributing more revenue in 2026.
Contact lens manufacturer Visco Vision is ramping up production to meet growing demand, aiming to increase its monthly capacity to 49 million pieces in the fourth quarter of 2025 and 52 million pieces in the third quarter of 2026.
The global display panel market is forecast to expand to US$131.5 billion by 2026, despite significant changes in the industry landscape. While overall output and value are rising, the growing adoption of OLED technology is exerting pressure on high-end LCD segments, particularly in Taiwan, where the display sector remains heavily reliant on LCD production and is reorienting its strategies.
Chinese panel maker Visionox's 8.6-generation OLED production line is reportedly set to bring in several types of South Korean equipment, including machinery related to flexible OLED panels used in smartphones and other mobile devices. According to ET News, citing data from the China Government Procurement Network, South Korean equipment companies AP Systems, ICD, and Synus Tech have all been selected for Visionox's 8.6-generation equipment procurement tender list.