Coway Life Solution is partnering with integrated home care provider Wellcare Station to expand care services for customers with dementia and long-term care needs.

Coway Life Solution said Sept. 9 it signed a memorandum of understanding with Wellcare Station to support home care services for senior customers who need care and their families.

Wellcare Station is an integrated home care provider where doctors, nurses and care workers collaborate to provide home nursing and home care services. It also offers in-home care services including hospital accompaniment and support for using South Korea’s long-term care family leave program.

Under the agreement, Coway Life Solution customers with family members who require continuous care due to dementia or other conditions can receive support for long-term care services.

The service covers checking eligibility for the long-term care family leave program, connecting customers with care workers and coordinating schedules. For customers without a long-term care grade, it also handles related administrative procedures, including preparing documents needed to apply for a grade and filing applications with the National Health Insurance Service.

Wellcare Station will operate a dedicated service channel for Coway Life Solution customers. Customers using home care services will also receive priority assignment of care workers on their preferred dates.

Coway Life Solution is also expanding dementia care and caregiving support for senior customers. In partnership with digital healthcare company Silvia Health, it provides cognitive function assessments and personalized cognitive training. It also has partnerships with caregiving and long-term care providers Caring and Caredoc.

“We will help Coway Life Solution customers access long-term care-related services more conveniently,” Wellcare Station CEO Kook Kyung-min said.

Samsung Electronics has begun developing its first artificial intelligence glasses equipped with a display. The device is designed to show color visual information across the front of the lens.

Samsung Electronics asked Samsung Display last month to develop a microdisplay for AI glasses, according to industry sources on Sept. 9. It provided requirements covering the product form factor, information display area, color and price.

Samsung is expected to evaluate the performance and cost of panels that meet its requirements, including OLED-on-Silicon (OLEDoS) and LED-on-Silicon (LEDoS). Industry officials expect the product to launch in the second half of next year or the first half of 2028, with the timing depending on panel development and product validation.

Samsung has considered an ultra-small panel measuring 0.2 inch or less that can fit inside an eyeglass frame. An optical system would magnify the panel image and deliver it to the user’s eye. The device is intended primarily to display simple information such as text, notifications, icons and navigation arrows. Samsung has yet to decide whether to use a binocular design with displays for both eyes or a monocular design for one eye.

Rather than a high-resolution display capable of finely reproducing colors and contrast, Samsung is pursuing limited gradation of about 4 bits. Gradation refers to the number of brightness levels. Four bits per color channel provides 16 levels, compared with 256 levels for 8 bits. The approach is expected to prioritize easy recognition of text and symbols rather than rich colors for photos and video.

Industry officials consider white OLEDoS a practical option in terms of cost and production yield. OLEDoS is an ultra-small display that forms organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) on a silicon substrate. The white approach combines white OLEDs with color filters to produce colors. RGB OLEDoS does not require color filters but is more difficult to manufacture at high yields and carries higher production costs.

LEDoS combines microscopic light-emitting diodes (LEDs) with a silicon substrate. Its strength is high brightness, but color reproduction and mass-production yields remain challenges. It also requires technologies such as integrating red, green and blue (RGB) elements or converting light from blue LEDs into red and green.

Another technical challenge is securing a wide field of view (FOV), which determines the angular range over which users can see the virtual display. Because Samsung wants information displayed across the front of the lens, the viewing angle must also be wide. The product must achieve this while meeting color and cost requirements.

Samsung is planning the AI glasses as a smartphone companion accessory, keeping the smartphone as the primary device while allowing users to view necessary information through the glasses.

Samsung’s first AI glasses, scheduled for release this year, operate without a display and focus on camera and voice functions. They were jointly developed with Google, Gentle Monster and Warby Parker, combining Samsung’s hardware engineering, Google’s AI technology and designs from the two eyewear brands.

Meta commercialized color-display AI glasses in September last year. Meta Ray-Ban Display uses a monocular design with a screen only in the right lens. The display has a resolution of 600×600 pixels and a 20-degree FOV. Its full-color screen can display messages, photos, maps and translated subtitles, with the display positioned to the side of the user’s field of vision to avoid obstructing the forward view. Samsung, by contrast, plans to display text and symbols across the front of the lens using limited gradation.

“Samsung plans to evaluate OLEDoS, LEDoS and other panels that meet its requirements before commercializing the product,” an industry official said. “Samsung has not specified a particular panel technology, but RGB OLEDoS presents significant cost and production-yield challenges. Realistically, white OLEDoS is the more likely option.”

Samsung Electronics has expanded heart health management features based on its Galaxy Watch devices and Samsung Health app.

Samsung introduced features including blood pressure and electrocardiogram (ECG) measurement, a heart health score, vital signs monitoring and health data sharing among family members at a media briefing held Sept. 9 at the Taepyeong-ro Building near Seoul City Hall.

Samsung introduced an optical photoplethysmography (PPG) sensor with the Galaxy S5, Gear 2 and Gear Fit in 2014 and has since continued to expand its health management technologies. In 2020, its Samsung Health Monitor app for blood pressure and ECG measurement received medical device approval from South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety.

In 2021, Samsung introduced the BioActive Sensor on the Galaxy Watch4, combining optical heart rate, ECG and bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) sensors. In 2023, its Irregular Heart Rhythm Notification feature, which alerts users to signs of possible atrial fibrillation, received clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety.

The Galaxy Watch Ultra2 and Watch9 support a heart health score feature. It analyzes health data including sleep, activity levels, vascular stress and body composition to provide a score and health management guidance.

The devices also support a vital signs feature that tracks physical conditions during sleep. It measures five indicators — heart rate, heart rate variability, respiratory rate, skin temperature and blood oxygen saturation — and alerts users when changes differ from their usual baseline.

Samsung Health also includes health data sharing. With user consent, data including steps, exercise, sleep, weight, body composition, food intake, heart rate, stress, blood pressure, blood glucose, medication and vital signs can be selectively shared with family members or acquaintances.

Linking family profiles with Samsung accounts allows family members to view one another’s health records.

Samsung also disclosed real-world examples of the features in use. In Jordan last year, a user discovered atherosclerosis and underwent a procedure after receiving an irregular heart rhythm notification. In Brazil, a user who repeatedly received inconclusive ECG readings sought medical attention and addressed the risk of myocardial infarction, Samsung said.

“We are combining Galaxy Watch sensor technology with Samsung Health’s analytical capabilities to help users manage heart health risk factors,” said Choi Jong-min, executive vice president of the Digital Health Team at Samsung Electronics’ Mobile eXperience (MX) Business. “We will introduce smart healthcare services focused on prevention.”

The Display Innovation Process Center at Chungnam Techno Park is starting revenue-generating operations. The center aims to secure operating funds following completion of its infrastructure project by attracting demand for process development, prototype production support and materials evaluation.

According to Chungnam Techno Park on Sept. 8, the center is developing an operating model under which three to five companies would continuously use its fab. It plans to provide various processes according to each company’s development schedule while supporting individual process evaluations for other companies between equipment-use periods. The goal is to maintain a steady equipment utilization rate.

The center plans to cover operating expenses through equipment-use fees and follow-up research and development projects. Electricity alone costs about 1.3 billion to 1.5 billion won annually. Equipment must remain powered even when not in use to maintain its condition, while air conditioning, cooling and wastewater treatment also add costs.

Passing all fixed costs on through usage fees would impose a heavy burden on companies that require only small samples. The individual publicly funded projects currently underway are also too small to cover operating expenses. The center plans to pursue corporate development projects alongside large-scale follow-up projects.

The center opened in April last year and completed setup of individual processes around October. It began full-scale support for materials, components and equipment companies this year. The center is currently preparing the final report for its infrastructure project and coordinating schedules for internal performance reviews with relevant organizations.

CLAP, a tenant company, is using the center’s fab and office space to develop prototypes with the goal of supplying a South Korean automaker. It has also relocated its chemical synthesis laboratory to the center. CLAP is responsible for product development, while the center provides facilities and process support. Several other companies have also expressed interest in using the production line, and the center is discussing equipment and process support tailored to their development needs.

The center is addressing demand from both companies that need only individual processes and those seeking to relocate their development operations. Its model combines individual equipment-use fees with revenue from projects that provide long-term process development and prototype production support.

The center has also secured evaluation projects linked to Samsung Display. Samsung Display used laser equipment at the center to evaluate a crystallization process and confirmed favorable results. It has also advised suppliers of polyimide (PI) materials for flexible organic light-emitting diode (OLED) substrates to provide evaluation data generated at the center.

The center provides process equipment and analytical facilities to materials, components and equipment companies that have difficulty securing opportunities for customer evaluations. Companies can verify the process characteristics of products under development without building their own fabs. Equipment utilization has increased as a result. From last year through April this year, 85 companies used the facilities, excluding duplicates. Process equipment utilization rose to a cumulative 65.8% as of April this year from 59.7% last year, while utilization of testing and evaluation equipment increased to 73.3% from 64.0%.

The center is also carrying out eight projects, including government-funded programs, to prepare for emerging technologies. In a project to develop 2,500-pixels-per-inch (PPI) glass-based displays, researchers are evaluating the characteristics of technologies originally developed on wafers when applied to second-generation rectangular substrates.

Researchers aim to improve the cost and productivity of displays for extended reality (XR) applications through ultra-high-resolution glass-based processes. The center is also supporting a project to develop immersive spherical free-form displays by implementing foundational technologies on second-generation substrates.

The center also operates professional training programs. It trained 122 people through its Display Academy last year and aims to train 150 this year. Courses cover OLED process equipment, oxide processes and materials analysis. Current three- and five-day programs provide explanations of the entire process and opportunities to observe equipment inside the fab. To expand the scope of corporate support, the center is establishing process conditions required to produce complete panels. It has evaluated red, green and blue (RGB) illumination using its own test substrates and produced prototypes for exhibition.

Corporate support currently focuses on individual processes and multilayer structure evaluations. The center has yet to establish a track record of supporting companies through an integrated end-to-end process. Engineers are repeatedly conducting deposition and patterning while adjusting film quality, alignment and etching conditions.

The central government, local governments and the private sector have invested a total of 528.1 billion won since 2019 in the Display Innovation Process Platform project, including 377 billion won in central government funding. The project includes R&D for core OLED technologies and construction of the center’s infrastructure. The center is equipped with 65 units across 63 types of process, testing, evaluation and utility equipment.

“The center’s role is to evaluate products developed by materials, components and equipment companies so they can secure preliminary data to present to Samsung Display and LG Display,” said Jung Byung-hwa, head of the Display Innovation Process Center. “Our engineers can also enhance their technical capabilities by responding to requests from various companies and evaluating process results.”

AP Systems has formed an open innovation fund to identify companies in deep technology and the materials, components and equipment sectors.

AP Systems said Sept. 8 that it formed the Gravity-AP Systems Open Innovation Investment Partnership No. 1 with venture capital firm Gravity Ventures.

The fund will combine AP Systems’ technology and commercialization capabilities with Gravity Ventures’ expertise in identifying and investing in deep-tech startups. Gravity Ventures will handle company sourcing, investment screening and execution, and post-investment management, while AP Systems will support technology reviews and business cooperation.

Investment targets will include deep-tech and materials, components and equipment companies that can be linked to AP Systems’ existing and new businesses. The two companies will also pursue business cooperation from the investment review stage, including proof-of-concept (PoC) testing, joint development and supply-chain integration.

Key areas under consideration include advanced laser and optical application technologies, advanced semiconductor packaging and back-end process solutions, artificial intelligence (AI)-based smart manufacturing and process intelligence, AI-based automated optical and visual inspection (AOI and AVI), physical AI and robotics-based factory automation, and technologies for advanced materials, defense and medical applications.

Portfolio companies will be given opportunities to use AP Systems’ manufacturing infrastructure and industry network for technology validation and field deployment, as well as cooperation in commercialization and mass production. AP Systems aims to secure technologies applicable to industrial sites at an early stage and expand links between its existing and new businesses.

Gravity Ventures has invested in early-stage companies in deep tech, semiconductor materials, components and equipment, and physical AI. In the first half of this year, it operated “Gravity Pulls,” a program to identify and foster startups in those fields.

Samsung Electronics is running a “Welcome to Foldables” outdoor advertising campaign featuring its Galaxy Z Fold8 series in major cities around the world.

Samsung Electronics said Sept. 8 that it has been rolling out digital outdoor advertisements since Sept. 2 at six major landmarks, starting with KT Square in Gwanghwamun, Seoul, followed by K-POP LIVE at COEX, Shibuya Station in Tokyo, and Piccadilly Circus and Outernet in London.

The advertisements feature three messages: “Ultra Thin,” “The world’s lightest fold” and “Built to outlast.”

Samsung Electronics has developed its foldable products over eight generations since launching its first Fold model in 2019. The Galaxy Z Fold series has evolved with software optimized for the foldable form factor, artificial intelligence (AI) and connectivity across Galaxy devices.

The latest Galaxy Z Fold8 series set a record for Galaxy smartphone pre-orders in South Korea. The series is currently sold in 106 markets worldwide.

The Korea Toray Science Foundation has selected the winners of the 9th Korea Toray Science and Technology Award.

The foundation said Sept. 8 that it selected KAIST Professor Kim Sang Kyu in the basic research category for chemistry and materials and Gyeongsang National University Professor Kim Yun Hee in the applied research category. Each will receive 100 million won in prize money.

Kim Sang Kyu developed experimental techniques to observe changes in chemical reactivity depending on molecular structure. He was recognized for elucidating the structural dynamics of transition states and conical intersections that determine chemical reaction rates. He has also conducted research into electron-nuclear correlations by controlling electrons in anions.

Kim Yun Hee has conducted research on the synthesis of organic semiconductor materials. She secured core technology for high-efficiency deep-blue organic light-emitting diode (OLED) materials and was recognized for contributing to the localization of materials and the development of related technologies and human resources through industry collaboration.

The foundation also selected five early-career scientists for the Korea Toray Fellowship. Each researcher will receive a total of 150 million won in research funding over three years.

In the basic research category, DGIST Department of Chemistry and Physics Professor Song In Taek and Seoul National University Department of Chemistry Professor Hong Seung Youn were selected. In the applied research category, Sogang University Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering Professor Kim Hyung Jun, POSTECH Department of Materials Science and Engineering Professor Chun Dong Won and Hanyang University Department of Chemical Engineering Professor Ham Dong Hyo were selected.

The foundation selected the recipients after soliciting nominations from April through June and evaluating candidates based on their academic achievements, originality and potential contributions to future advances in science and technology. The awards ceremony will be held in October.

The Korea Toray Science Foundation was established in 2018. Including this year's recipients, it has selected 18 winners of the Korea Toray Science and Technology Award and 40 fellowship researchers. The foundation also provides scholarships to 30 science and engineering students each year and has supported a cumulative 255 students through the second semester of 2026.

Coway is expanding its food waste processor lineup from grinding-type models to microbial systems.

Coway said Sept. 8 that it will accept advance consultation reservations through Sept. 29 for its Zero Food Waste Processor Microbial Type, scheduled for launch later this month.

The new product uses microorganisms inside the unit to continuously break down and reduce food waste. Users can add waste whenever it is generated, while the remaining byproducts need to be removed once every one to three months.

The product is designed for immediate use after installation without a separate microorganism cultivation period. It uses a high-capacity activated carbon filter and patent-pending microorganisms extracted from traditional Korean fermented sauces. The system removes 99% of eight types of odors and harmful gases generated during food waste processing.

The unit is 24 centimeters wide and can process up to 0.7 kilograms of food waste per day. It is available in three colors: Porcelain White, Dark Gray and Mild Pink.

Customers can choose between in-home maintenance visits by Coway’s Cody service staff or self-maintenance. Rental customers will receive one additional supply of the microbial agent during the rental period.

Customers who make an advance consultation reservation and sign up for a new rental will receive an additional 50% discount on rental fees for two months.

The Zero Food Waste Processor Microbial Type is eligible for government subsidies for food waste reduction equipment. Customers purchasing the product outright may receive partial reimbursement of the purchase cost, depending on the criteria set by their local government.

Chinese display maker BOE is seeking to supply organic light-emitting diode (OLED) panels for Apple's iPad Air, following Samsung Display's lead into the product lineup.

According to industry sources on Aug. 11, BOE is developing OLED panels for the next-generation iPad Air, which is expected to be unveiled in the first half of next year. Development is taking place at the company's B12 production facility in Chongqing, China, where its sixth-generation OLED production line is located.

Apple has selected Samsung Display as the primary supplier of OLED panels for the iPad Air and is expected to begin mass production around the end of this year or early next year. BOE is aiming to secure a secondary supplier position alongside Samsung Display. The company has not yet reached the mass production qualification stage and is expected to submit samples for evaluation before undergoing Apple's qualification process. A final decision on commercial supply is expected around the end of this year. Initial shipments could be limited to models for the Chinese market or refurbished devices.

Industry sources expect BOE's mass production qualification to be determined in November or December. Apple typically grants production approval one to two months before mass production begins. If BOE fails to qualify, Samsung Display is expected to become the sole supplier for the initial production run.

BOE has previously supplied OLED panels for Apple's iPhone lineup. In the IT OLED segment, including iPads, however, South Korean manufacturers such as Samsung Display and LG Display have maintained the leading positions.

The new iPad Air is being developed in 11-inch and 13-inch versions. It is expected to adopt a hybrid OLED panel combining a glass substrate with thin-film encapsulation (TFE). The display will likely use a single-stack red-green-blue (RGB) emitting structure, while the thin-film transistor (TFT) backplane will be based on low-temperature polycrystalline silicon (LTPS). The panel is also expected to support a 60-hertz refresh rate.

Apple has differentiated the iPad Air from the iPad Pro by adopting a single-stack OLED architecture and LTPS technology, reducing panel costs while maintaining OLED display quality. As Apple expands OLED adoption from the iPad Pro to the iPad Air, the tablet OLED market is expected to continue growing.

According to market research firm Omdia, shipments of OLED panels for tablets are projected to increase 39% to 15 million units this year from 10.9 million units last year. By contrast, liquid crystal display (LCD) panel shipments are expected to remain largely flat, with OLED driving overall growth in the tablet display market.

"BOE is developing OLED panels with the goal of entering the iPad Air supply chain," an industry source said. "Whether it ultimately secures supply orders, and in what volume, will depend on Apple's evaluation and mass production qualification results."

Separately, BOE is also seeking to supply OLED panels for Apple's MacBook Pro from its B16 8.6-generation OLED production line in Chengdu. However, the company is reportedly still facing challenges in stabilizing manufacturing yields, making commercial shipments to Apple unlikely in the near term. Industry sources expect BOE to enter Apple's MacBook Pro OLED supply chain after 2028.

Samsung Electronics has opened a permanent exhibition highlighting the technological and design evolution of its Galaxy foldable smartphones over the past seven years.

The company said on Aug. 11 that it began operating the Foldable Heritage exhibition on Aug. 10 on the third floor of Samsung Gangnam. Permanent exhibition spaces have also opened on the first floors of Samsung Store Hongdae and Samsung Store Cheongdam.

The exhibition is divided into three sections: Galaxy Fold & Flip Story, Design Story and Tech Story.

The Galaxy Fold & Flip Story section showcases the evolution of Samsung's foldable devices and technologies, beginning with the original inward-folding Galaxy Fold, introduced in 2019, through the Galaxy Z Trifold and the recently launched Galaxy Z Fold8. The exhibition also highlights the development of Galaxy AI and other software technologies.

The Design Story section reveals the development process behind the Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra, Galaxy Z Fold8 and Galaxy Z Flip8, featuring early design sketches, mock-up testing, aspect ratio studies and the decision-making process behind the products' final designs. The Tech Story section focuses on advances in foldable display and hinge technologies, including Samsung's Flex Titanium technology used in the Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra and Galaxy Z Fold8, presented through product displays and video demonstrations.

Visitors can also watch videos of durability tests conducted during product development, including folding, water-resistance and impact testing. In addition, Samsung is displaying disassembled Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra and Galaxy Z Fold8 devices to showcase their internal components and structural design.

Park Jung-mi, Executive Vice President and Head of Samsung Electronics Korea, said the exhibition was designed to allow visitors to experience the company's accumulated foldable technologies and development process over the past seven years.

LG Electronics has secured an in-house testing qualification for cybersecurity requirements under European wireless device regulations, allowing it to proceed with certification based on its own test results without sending products to overseas testing organizations.

LG Electronics said on Aug. 11 that its Software Testing Center under the chief technology officer (CTO) organization has been designated by TÜV Rheinland as a testing laboratory for cybersecurity requirements under the European Union's Radio Equipment Directive (RED).

The RED requires wireless communication products sold in Europe to meet security and safety requirements. Cybersecurity provisions related to network protection, personal data protection and financial fraud prevention were strengthened in 2025.

With the new qualification, LG Electronics' Software Testing Center can conduct the relevant certification tests internally. TÜV Rheinland will review the company's submitted test results and data and can issue certification without conducting a separate test.

The process allows LG Electronics to reduce the time and cost required from product development through certification and launch because prototypes no longer need to be sent to overseas certification bodies. It also limits the amount of product information that must leave the company. For business-to-business (B2B) operations such as automotive components and HVAC systems, the company expects to shorten certification procedures for products customized to client requirements.

LG Electronics has continued to expand its software regulatory compliance capabilities. In 2019, it obtained international accredited testing laboratory status in the software field from the Korea Laboratory Accreditation Scheme (KOLAS) and subsequently broadened its testing scope to home appliances, automotive functional safety and cybersecurity.

The company is also seeking accredited testing laboratory status for the European Union's Cyber Resilience Act (CRA), which is scheduled to take effect in 2027. The CRA establishes cybersecurity requirements for products containing digital elements regardless of whether they support wireless communications.

LG Electronics is also strengthening its product security framework. Through LG Shield, the company manages product security from the development stage through post-launch operation. It provides patches for vulnerabilities discovered after release and is applying post-quantum cryptography technologies designed to address future threats from quantum computers.

LG Electronics said on Aug. 10 that it is holding a special exhibition for its next-generation wireless wallpaper TV, the LG SIGNATURE OLED W, at the Brompton Road display windows on the ground floor of Harrods through Aug. 26.

The exhibition is being held in the department store's Brompton Road storefront windows, which attract approximately 1.1 million visitors per month. LG Electronics designed the exhibition route so that visitors who view the product in the display windows can continue to experience it inside the company's retail space within the department store.

The LG SIGNATURE OLED W achieves a thickness in the 0.9-centimeter range by minimizing the size of key components, including the display panel, power board and speakers. Video signals are transmitted wirelessly through LG's Zero Connect Box, which connects to peripheral devices. The company said the Zero Connect Box is 35% smaller than those used with its previous wireless TV models.

The television can wirelessly transmit content at up to a 165 Hz refresh rate in 4K resolution. It is powered by LG Electronics' third-generation Alpha 11 AI processor for image and sound processing. According to the company, the processor delivers 5.6 times greater neural processing unit (NPU) performance and a 70% improvement in graphics processing performance compared with the previous generation.

The LG SIGNATURE OLED W has received Intertek's Reflection Free Premium certification and TÜV Rheinland's True Wireless Low Latency Vision certification.

Coway said on Aug. 10 that it will offer rental fee discounts for new customers of selected products, including wall-mounted air conditioners, Zero Food Waste Disposers and Therasol U, through Aug. 26.

New customers renting Coway's wall-mounted air conditioner can receive a 50% discount on rental fees for up to 18 months. The product features four-way airflow control, power cooling, dehumidification, fan and sleep modes, as well as automatic drying and self-cleaning functions.

Customers who rent the 2-liter or 3-liter versions of the Zero Food Waste Disposer with grinder technology can receive a 50% rental fee discount for up to four months. The product includes a 150-degree heating system, four-blade grinding mechanism, activated carbon filter and UV-C sterilization function. Coway also provides one complimentary replacement of the drying container during the rental period.

Therasol U, a home-use medical device for urinary incontinence treatment, is available with a 50% rental fee discount for up to 12 months. The product has received approval from South Korea's Ministry of Food and Drug Safety and uses low-frequency electrical stimulation to induce contraction and relaxation of pelvic floor muscles and surrounding muscle groups.

Chinese display maker Visionox is preparing a follow-on investment for its 8.6-generation OLED production line, with industry attention focused on whether South Korean equipment suppliers such as YAS can secure orders after missing out on the first phase.

According to industry sources on Aug. 6, Visionox is planning a second-phase investment for its V5 fab under construction in Hefei, Anhui Province. While the exact timing has not been finalized, the project is widely expected to begin in the first quarter of 2027.

The V5 facility is designed for a total production capacity of 32,000 glass substrates per month. The first phase covers 8,000 substrates per month, while the second phase will add the remaining 24,000 substrates per month—three times the size of the initial investment.

The first phase included equipment supplied by South Korean companies such as AP Systems, SynusTech and ICD. Applied Materials (AMAT) won the order for the deposition equipment, widely considered the most critical tool in the production line. The company began delivering equipment in May and is currently conducting installation, commissioning and process validation for Visionox's ViP technology, a fine-metal-mask (FMM)-less OLED manufacturing process. Yield rates on the line are reportedly in the 30–40% range.

Although both AMAT and YAS deposit organic materials onto substrates by heating solid organic emissive materials in a vacuum environment, their approaches differ significantly.

AMAT uses a vertical deposition architecture in which 8.6-generation glass substrates are positioned upright during processing. The system integrates deposition, substrate transfer and encapsulation processes within a connected vacuum environment. Maintaining uniform film thickness across large vertically transported substrates is a key technical challenge.

YAS, by contrast, employs a horizontal architecture in which substrates remain flat while organic materials are deposited from evaporation sources located beneath them. The system maintains a constant distance between the evaporation source and substrate to ensure uniform film formation across the entire panel. As a result, chamber structures, transfer systems and overall equipment configurations differ substantially from those used by AMAT.

AMAT benefits from operational data and process conditions accumulated from the first-phase V5 line. If Visionox selects the same equipment for the expansion, previously developed deposition recipes and process parameters can be reused. Adopting YAS equipment, however, would require fresh validation of both equipment performance and manufacturing processes because of the different substrate-handling architecture.

Commenting on the possibility of YAS participating in the second phase, a Visionox official said, "We are currently validating the AMAT equipment, but yields remain low and pricing is high. If we adopt YAS equipment, we would need to conduct new verification work, so there are many factors to consider."

Visionox had also previously considered applying the conventional FMM process to portions of the V5 line. In May last year, the company discussed introducing FMM deposition equipment from Japan's Canon Tokki and South Korea's Sunic System. However, it ultimately chose the ViP approach.

According to Visionox, the likelihood of reverting to FMM technology in the second phase remains low.

Asked whether poor yields on the initial ViP line could lead the company to reconsider FMM technology, a Visionox official said, "Even if yields do not meet expectations, there is almost no possibility of returning to the FMM method. If we were to go back to FMM, it would raise questions about the rationale behind the investment, and we do not know whether the Hefei government would approve such a move."

Visionox is expected to determine the supplier for the second-phase deposition equipment based on the results of equipment installation, commissioning and ViP process validation on the first production line.

For the first-phase investment, Visionox selected lithography equipment from Canon, excimer laser annealing (ELA) and laser lift-off (LLO) systems from AP Systems, plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) and sputtering equipment from Applied Materials, and certain sputtering tools from ULVAC. Dry etching equipment was supplied by Tokyo Electron and ICD, while logistics and material-handling systems for array and deposition processes were provided by SynusTech.

Samsung Electronics will launch its new Galaxy Z series smartphones and Galaxy Watch models in more than 100 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, India and Japan.

The company said on Aug. 6 that it will begin domestic sales of the Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra, Fold8 and Flip8, along with the Galaxy Watch Ultra2 and Watch9, starting Aug. 7.

The Galaxy Z series recorded 1.44 million pre-orders between July 28 and Aug. 3. Approximately seven out of 10 buyers chose a Galaxy Z Fold8 model.

Among customers who pre-ordered through Samsung.com, people in their teens through their 30s accounted for half of all buyers. The number of female customers in their teens through their 30s who purchased the Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra or Fold8 more than doubled compared with buyers of the previous-generation Galaxy Z Fold7.

By color, the most popular options were Graphite and Violet Shadow for the Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra, Cream and Graphite for the Galaxy Z Fold8, and Pink and Cream for the Galaxy Z Flip8.

Half of customers who pre-ordered unlocked models through Samsung.com also enrolled in the New Galaxy AI Subscription Club program.

Pre-orders for the Galaxy Watch Ultra2 and Watch9 increased by double-digit percentages from their predecessors during the same period. Female customers accounted for a roughly 15% larger share of Galaxy Watch Ultra2 pre-orders compared with the previous model.

LG Display has filed trademark applications for logos associated with its maskless OLED technology, FLiPP.

According to the Korea Intellectual Property Rights Information Service (KIPRIS) on Aug. 5, LG Display submitted two FLiPP logo trademark applications on July 30.

The application numbers are 40-2026-0155774 and 40-2026-0155775. Both applications are currently awaiting examination. The designated goods include display panels, monitors, smartphones, tablet PCs, televisions and flexible displays.

The logos feature the FLiPP brand name alongside the phrase “FMM-Less innovative Pixel Patterning.” Separate versions were filed for use on light and dark backgrounds. Portions of the lettering incorporate red, green and blue (RGB) colors.

FLiPP is a technology that patterns RGB OLED subpixels using photolithography-based processes instead of fine metal masks (FMMs).

Conventional RGB OLED manufacturing selectively deposits red, green and blue emissive materials through FMMs containing microscopic apertures. As substrate sizes increase and pixel dimensions shrink, it becomes increasingly difficult to manage mask sagging, thermal deformation and alignment errors. The physical thickness of the mask can also create shadow effects that limit pixel aperture ratios.

FLiPP replaces FMMs with exposure and patterning processes to form RGB OLED subpixels. The approach is expected to reduce the physical limitations associated with FMMs, making it more suitable for high-resolution displays and larger substrates. However, challenges remain in suppressing damage to organic emissive layers during patterning and achieving commercially viable manufacturing yields.

LG Display is currently conducting research and development on FLiPP-related manufacturing processes.

CETC Fenghua Information-Equipment, a Chinese display equipment maker under China Electronics Technology Group Corporation (CETC), has supplied cleaning and debubbling equipment to LG Display's organic light-emitting diode (OLED) module production line in Vietnam, marking the first time a Chinese OLED equipment supplier has sold directly to LG Display without going through a Korean partner.

According to industry sources on Aug. 5, CETC Fenghua Information-Equipment supplied a total of seven units to LG Display's OLED module line in Hai Phong, Vietnam, including one cleaning system and six debubbling systems. The equipment was delivered in phases from late last year through early this year.

The tools were installed both in existing mass-production module lines and in newly established production lines.

Cleaning and debubbling systems are back-end process tools used in OLED module assembly. Industry sources estimate that a cleaning system costs about 1 billion won per unit and a debubbler around 500 million won. As a result, the total value of the order is believed to be roughly 4 billion won.

These types of systems had previously been supplied by Korean small and medium-sized equipment makers. LG Display has now added CETC Fenghua as an additional supplier, creating a dual-source supply chain alongside existing domestic vendors.

Industry observers believe the decision was driven by a combination of pricing, performance and delivery competitiveness. CETC Fenghua has improved the performance and operability of its equipment through deployments at mass-production lines operated by major Chinese panel makers including BOE Technology, TCL China Star Optoelectronics Technology (CSOT) and Tianma. The company's ability to customize equipment designs according to customers' manufacturing processes and product specifications is also said to have contributed to its selection as a supplier.

As a result, if the performance of the initially supplied equipment is validated, CETC Fenghua could secure a larger share of future equipment orders.

CETC Fenghua is a display equipment manufacturer affiliated with CETC. The company specializes in panel cutting and debubbling equipment and holds more than 65% market share in smart debubbling systems used in Chinese display production lines.

The company currently supplies equipment to major Chinese display makers including BOE, CSOT, Tianma, Everdisplay Optronics (EDO) and Truly International. It is also expanding into cleaning systems, polarizer lamination, optical clear adhesive (OCA) lamination, bonding, inspection equipment and automated assembly lines.

"Based on the current shipment volume alone, it would be difficult to conclude that Korean equipment has been replaced by Chinese equipment," an industry official said. "However, now that the Chinese supplier has moved beyond the evaluation stage and secured a track record in mass-production supply, it may be able to compete for future capacity expansion projects and orders for other back-end process equipment."

More than half of the customers preordering Samsung Electronics’ latest foldable smartphones are in their teens, 20s and 30s, with the newly introduced passport-style Galaxy Z Fold8 emerging as the most popular model.

Samsung Electronics said on July 31 that customers in their teens through 30s accounted for more than 50% of preorders placed through Samsung.com for the Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra, Galaxy Z Fold8 and Galaxy Z Flip8 since reservations opened on July 28. The preorder period runs through Aug. 3.

Among younger customers, the Galaxy Z Fold8 was the most frequently selected model. By color, Cream was the most popular choice, followed by Pistachio and Lavender, both exclusive to Samsung.com.

For the Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra, Graphite and the Samsung.com-exclusive Green Shadow were the most popular colors. For the Galaxy Z Flip8, Mint, Cream and Pink received the strongest customer preference.

Samsung attributed the higher share of younger buyers to promotional benefits such as storage upgrades and features that simplify transferring data from existing devices to Galaxy smartphones.

Customers who purchase a 256-gigabyte (GB) model during the preorder period will receive a 512GB model. Buyers of the 512GB Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultra and Galaxy Z Fold8 can upgrade to a 1-terabyte (TB) model for an additional 310,700 won.

Preorder customers will also receive a six-month subscription to Google AI Pro, a three-month subscription to audiobook and content platform Welaaa, and discount coupons for Galaxy Watches and accessories. Samsung is also offering its New Galaxy AI Subscription Club program for the new devices, as well as the Flip Youth Subscription program targeted at customers in their teens and 20s.

Samsung Electronics' privacy OLED panel used in the Galaxy S26 Ultra is estimated to cost more than 10% more to manufacture than a conventional low-temperature polycrystalline oxide (LTPO) OLED panel, according to industry sources.

The Galaxy S26 Ultra's OLED panel adopts a dual-pixel architecture, in which each pixel contains separate red, green, and blue (RGB) sub-pixels for wide-viewing-angle mode and narrow-viewing-angle privacy mode. Market research firm Counterpoint Research estimates that the panel's overall production cost is about 10% higher than that of a comparable LTPO OLED panel.

In standard mode, the display operates using the wide-viewing-angle pixels, whereas privacy mode primarily drives the narrow-viewing-angle pixels. The panel achieves its privacy function through a multilayer black matrix (BM) structure formed deeply around the narrow-viewing-angle pixels, allowing light to pass directly toward the user while blocking light emitted at wider angles. Alignment accuracy between the light-emitting area and the black matrix affects brightness, viewing-angle control performance, and manufacturing yield.

Manufacturing complexity has increased further through the use of Color Filter on Encapsulation (CoE) technology, which eliminates the polarizer layer by forming color filters and black matrix structures directly on top of the OLED encapsulation layer. While CoE helps reduce panel thickness and improve light efficiency, the privacy OLED design requires the integration of additional pixels and multilayer black matrix structures, adding to process complexity.

The number of thin-film transistor (TFT) masks required for CoE integration has increased significantly compared with the OLED panel used in the Galaxy S25 Ultra, resulting in higher manufacturing costs. Additional masks also increase exposure, etching, and deposition processes, along with equipment utilization time and material consumption.

Specific panel supply prices have not been disclosed. However, industry estimates place display costs at approximately $84 for the Galaxy S23 Ultra, $88 for the Galaxy S24 Ultra, and $80–87 for the Galaxy S25 Ultra. The Galaxy S26 Ultra's display cost is estimated at approximately $88–96.

Demand for privacy OLED technology is expected to grow. Market research firm Sigmaintell forecasts that smartphone shipments featuring privacy-mode displays will increase from 1 million units in 2025 to 21 million units in 2026, before reaching 29 million units in 2027.

Samsung Electronics is also expected to expand the technology beyond the Galaxy S26 Ultra. Privacy displays are planned for all four Galaxy S27 models—Base, Plus, Pro, and Ultra—scheduled for release next year. Meanwhile, privacy displays for foldable devices remain under development and have not yet been implemented in mass-production specifications.

An industry source noted that privacy OLED technology involves more than simply adding a light-blocking layer. “It requires simultaneous changes to pixel layouts, optical structures, and driving circuits,” the source said. “As production volumes increase, simplifying mask processes and improving yields will be critical to reducing cost increases.”

Sunic System said it will expand financial support for its partner companies following an upgrade to its corporate credit rating.

The company announced on July 31 that it recently received an A+ credit rating from a state-owned bank, a level it described as the highest available for mid-sized companies.

Sunic System said the evaluation reflected its stable financial structure, business performance and competitiveness in the global organic light-emitting diode (OLED) deposition equipment market. The assessment also took into account the company's efforts to develop next-generation businesses, including OLEDoS and perovskite technologies, as well as plans to expand its production infrastructure.

The company added that its ratings from major credit assessment agencies have also improved compared with the previous year.

Based on the upgraded credit profile, Sunic System has launched a financing support program for its suppliers. The company will recommend partner firms requiring facility investment or working capital financing to the Korea Credit Guarantee Fund (KODIT). Recommended firms receive preferential treatment when raising funds from financial institutions through KODIT's preferential guarantee program for partner companies.

Sunic System said it is the first case in which a general mid-sized company, excluding defense firms, has used KODIT's preferential guarantee program for partner companies to arrange financing support for its partners.