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Jul 1
Samsung Display to expand OLED capacity as foldable demand builds
Samsung Display (SDC) is preparing to expand 6th-generation OLED capacity at its A4 plant in Asan, South Chungcheong Province, marking its first new capacity move since the 8.6-generation IT OLED investment it announced in 2023, The Elec reported. Maeil Business Newspaper separately reported Samsung's broader KRW67 trillion Asan investment plan.
Taiwanese optoelectronics specialist AUO announced organizational adjustments and senior executive appointments on July 1 as it continues to advance its business transformation. The company is aiming for balanced development across its businesses and accelerating its transition into a key solutions provider centered on display technologies for its long-term growth momentum. The company also unveiled its new Institute of Innovation and New Venture.

China's display makers, led by BOE Technology (BOE), are pushing deeper into semiconductors, with BOE advancing glass substrates, and a 12-inch wafer fab reportedly slated to begin mass production in the second half of 2026. Industry analysts say China is extending display technologies built up with strong government backing into semiconductors as the US tightens restrictions, adding pressure on South Korea's chip and panel industries.

Touch module maker General Interface Solution Holding (GIS) said the second half of 2026 will be more challenging as global memory shortages weaken end-market demand, compounded by the planned year-end closure of Sharp subsidiary Sakai Display Products' (SDP) large-size display panel plant.

HKC Corporation has debuted on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange main board, cementing a three-way leadership structure in China's display panel industry alongside BOE and TCL CSOT while securing fresh capital to expand OLED, oxide semiconductor, and Mini LED technologies.

PlayNitride reported revenue of NT$238 million (approx. US$7.5 million) in the first five months of 2026, down 41% year-over-year. The microLED company said stronger custom design orders and a higher mix of high-margin products will lift second-half revenue and gross margin above the first half, while it aims to improve again in the fourth quarter. Large-format TVs, wearables, and transparent displays remain the company's core businesses. Over the medium to long term, it is targeting high-end displays, AI glasses, and AI optical communications as its three growth engines.
Foxconn announced on June 24 that it signed a memorandum of strategic cooperation with Japan's Sharp Corp., with both companies centering the partnership on complementary strengths and resource integration under Foxconn's "3+3+3" strategic framework.
Global smartphone buyers may see continued pricing pressure across display supply chains as a weak handset recovery and rising memory costs weigh on panel makers. In China and other markets, aggressive promotions have not revived replacement demand, leaving flexible AMOLED panels under the heaviest pressure into the third quarter.

Optical film and nano-coating materials developer Victory For Technology (VFT) is focusing on three key areas — AI and semiconductor processes, foldable displays, and key new-energy materials — as it deepens R&D and product deployment to capture emerging opportunities in the global supply chain.

Samsung Display (SDC) has reportedly won Apple's production approval for the OLED modules used in its first foldable iPhone and has officially begun production for initial shipments. Along with LG Display (LGD), the two South Korean makers will handle OLED orders across Apple devices in the second half of 2026.
LG Group is expanding into the space industry, using affiliate-made components, rover concepts, and CubeSat systems to enter satellite supply chains and validate its technologies in orbit. At South Korea's NextRise 2026 startup expo, LG outlined a space business strategy that links its terrestrial technologies to future space applications and potential SpaceX cooperation.

Among the highlights of COMPUTEX 2026 was a color-changing e-paper concept car jointly developed by BMW and E Ink Holdings. With its surreal, sci-fi appearance, the vehicle drew the attention of tech enthusiasts in droves.