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Jul 31
ams OSRAM's Micro LED links trade speed for scale in AI data centres

ams OSRAM is developing Micro LED-based optical data links for AI data centres, positioning the technology as a high-density, scalable alternative to copper interconnects. To support adoption, the company has built a high-precision simulation platform that evaluates Micro LED optical links under real AI workloads.

TCL Technology Group plans to pay CNY9.32 billion (approx. US$1.38 billion) for the 45% of China Star Optoelectronics Semiconductor Display Technology it does not already own, according to the registration-stage draft of the company's share-issue-and-cash asset purchase report, dated July 2026. The sellers are three Guangdong state-linked shareholders: Hengjian Investment (25.00%), Chengfa Investment (7.50%) and Science City Investment (12.50%).

AUO, Taiwan's largest display panel maker, has spent recent years shifting away from consumer LCD panels toward higher-value markets such as automotive, healthcare and industrial displays. That transformation is now under intense scrutiny.

AUO sold three factories within two days, with disposal gains expected to reach NT$17.7 billion (approx. US$548 million). Chairman Paul Peng said the proceeds would be reinvested in high-value products, new technologies and AI-related initiatives.

LCD panels still account for more than 90% of automotive display shipments, but OLED has now crossed a critical qualification threshold in the sector. That progress stems from advances in Tandem OLED technology, which have significantly improved lifetime and reliability. As validation data accumulates and production costs decline, industry researchers expect automotive OLED adoption to accelerate after 2030.

AUO said it moved to accelerate asset monetization in Taiwan by selling another factory on July 30 after announcing a separate disposal. The display maker agreed to sell its C5E plant and related facility infrastructure in Kaohsiung’s Lujhu district to Advanced Semiconductor Engineering (ASE) for NT$6.3 billion (US$193.6 million) before tax, with an estimated disposal gain of about NT$4.28 billion.

Chinese display suppliers are expanding into South Korea's automotive supply chain as competition shifts beyond televisions and smartphones toward software-defined vehicles, where cockpit displays are becoming a defining part of the user experience.

LG Innotek reported stronger-than-expected results in the second quarter of 2026, helped by an improving market for camera modules and integrated circuit substrates. According to South Korean media including Financial News and Newsis, the electronics supplier also said first-half revenue exceeded KRW10 trillion for the first time.

Apple is developing a new MacBook Pro with OLED touch panels and is expected to rely solely on Samsung Display for the screens, according to South Korean media reports citing industry sources. The 14-inch and 16-inch models are said to be targeted for a launch in late 2026 or 2027.

Rising upstream material prices are continuing to pressure the polarizer industry. During the second quarter, polarizer suppliers in China and Taiwan sought price increases of about 10% from panel makers for the third quarter to offset higher costs.
BOE, the world's largest display-panel maker and one of China's leading technology companies, is moving away from low-price competition and plans to raise the value of Chinese display products through technological innovation.
Taiwan's smart glasses supply chain urgently needs to break down technical silos and move first, according to industry executives speaking at a forum on July 24 on the outlook for AI+XR and the next phase of wearable computing. Smart glasses with full-color displays are likely to reach mass production around 2028, and Taiwan's ecosystem must solve system integration bottlenecks to stay competitive.