Global Technologies aims to generate 169.5 billion won in revenue by 2029 by expanding its light-emitting diode (LED) driver IC, transparent display, micro LED and automotive system semiconductor businesses.

Kim Min-sun, chief executive officer of Global Technologies, said at a press briefing at the CCMM Building in Yeouido, Seoul, on Sept. 10 that the company plans to expand its LED driver IC technology from TVs to monitors and automobiles, while developing micro LED and automotive system semiconductors as new growth engines.

Global Technologies is a fabless chipmaker that designs LED driver ICs (LDIs) controlling the current and brightness of backlight LEDs. The TV market currently accounts for about 70% of its revenue. The company secured a purchase order from a Taiwanese display customer in July. It plans to begin mass production of monitor LDIs in December and is developing automotive products with a target of mass production in the second half of next year.

The company is also developing a red-green-blue (RGB) backlight module combining driver ICs, LED packages and lenses. The key technology is time-division driving, which alternately controls three light sources through a single output channel. Conventional designs use a separate channel for each light source. By sharing the control circuitry, the technology can reduce the number of driver ICs required to as little as one-third of the conventional level.

Global Technologies plans to use the reduced chip count to counter price competition from Chinese suppliers. TV makers can lower overall component costs without cutting the price of individual chips. The company aims to improve profitability by charging higher prices for chips incorporating the technology while increasing shipment volumes as customers expand their adoption of RGB LED models. A TV-set customer will evaluate the technology this month, with mass production targeted for early next year.

In transparent LED displays, the company is targeting commercial signage and automotive glass. The products combine driver ICs with ultra-small LED packages, allowing users to see through the display. Global Technologies has supplied commercial products to customers including Yangju City Hall in Gyeonggi Province and is developing products for vehicle rear windows and roofs.

In micro LEDs, the company is jointly developing pixel driver ICs, packages and modules. A 24-pixel driver IC for TVs is targeted for mass production early next year. The company is also developing modules for automotive center information displays (CIDs). It invested 5 billion won to establish a pilot line in Pyeongtaek for prototype production and process validation.

Global Technologies is developing lighting and communications products for its automotive system semiconductor business. It operates a joint research center with an automotive parts supplier and is developing about 10 products. Its smart ambient lighting (SAL) IC, which controls vehicle interior lighting, has secured an initial order for 3 million units, with deliveries scheduled to begin early next year. The company also plans to commercialize controller area network (CAN) communication chips used to exchange data among vehicle electronic systems.

The company posted first-half revenue of 28.8 billion won and operating profit of 1.155 billion won this year. It generated revenue equivalent to 97% of last year's full-year total in the first half and returned to an operating profit. Global Technologies plans to increase revenue from mass-produced products and raise its operating margin from a target of 7.7% this year to 21.8% in 2029.

Global Technologies is scheduled to list on the KOSDAQ on Sept. 29. It is offering 4 million shares at an indicative price range of 13,000 won to 15,000 won each, for an offering size of 52 billion won to 60 billion won. The company is conducting bookbuilding for institutional investors through Sept. 11 and will accept retail subscriptions on Sept. 16 and 17. Korea Investment & Securities is the lead underwriter.

The company plans to invest a combined 78.7 billion won through 2029 using IPO proceeds, operating cash flow and government funding. Of the total, 23.5 billion won will be allocated to research and development, 7.7 billion won to facility expansion and 47.5 billion won to working capital, including securing foundry capacity.

Coway has opened its first directly operated Coway Gallery store in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province.

The company said it opened the Coway Gallery Lotte Ansan store on Sept. 10 on the third floor of the new building at Lotte Department Store’s Ansan branch. The store serves as a showroom and retail space where customers can experience Coway products.

Located in the department store’s living section alongside premium mattress and home-living brands, the store allows customers to try major Coway products, including those from its BEREX sleep and healing care brand.

The store includes a private experience zone where customers can try major sleep-tech products such as the BEREX R7 Stretching Motion Bed and reclining massage set.

Specialist managers are available to provide product demonstrations and consultations. Staff certified as sleep environment consultants offer personalized sleep-care advice based on customers’ sleep patterns, body types and home environments.

Customers can visit the Coway Gallery Lotte Ansan store without advance reservations. Reservations can also be made through Coway.com.

Coway opened 10 new Coway Gallery stores in the first half of this year, including directly operated locations in Suncheon and Pohang. The company plans to expand its offline retail network based on regional commercial conditions and customer demand.

Apple unveiled its first foldable smartphone, the iPhone Duo. The company also introduced a variable aperture for the first time on the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, while improving computing performance and thermal management.

Apple unveiled the iPhone 18 Pro, Pro Max and iPhone Duo at a product event on Sept. 10. The Pro models will go on sale Sept. 18, followed by the Duo on Oct. 23. Prices start at $1,199 for the iPhone 18 Pro, $1,299 for the Pro Max and $1,999 for the iPhone Duo.

Apple did not announce the countries where the iPhone Duo will initially be available.

“The iPhone Duo, iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max are designed to serve as intelligent personal hubs for users,” Apple Chief Executive Officer John Ternus said. “We put powerful performance and features at the center of the experiences users value most.”

The biggest change is the introduction of a foldable form factor. The iPhone Duo has a 7.6-inch inner display and a 5.4-inch outer display. The inner screen offers 50% more display area than the iPhone 18 Pro Max and 80% more than the Pro. Users can operate the device with one hand when folded and use the larger screen for multiple tasks when unfolded.

Apple also changed how iOS 27 works to take advantage of the larger display. Users can run two apps side by side or open two windows of the same app simultaneously, such as reading an email while viewing a document or comparing two webpages. An app running on the outer display continues on the inner screen when the device is unfolded, while content and controls adjust depending on the folding angle.

The iPhone also supports Apple Pencil for the first time. Starting later this year, the USB-C Apple Pencil can be used on both the inner and outer displays, bringing handwriting, drawing and document annotation features previously centered on the iPad to the iPhone.

Apple also detailed measures to improve crease visibility and surface durability. High-strength glass is placed above and below the organic light-emitting diode (OLED) panel, while a viscoelastic adhesive allows individual layers to move when folded to reduce deformation. A nano-texture surface treatment reduces reflections and glare, making the crease less visible.

The hinge consists of more than 100 precision components. A lower titanium plate and carbon-fiber support plate reinforce the display. During manufacturing, Apple uses a confocal laser to measure the surface profile of each device and applies thin photopolymer layers to correct residual unevenness.

The inner display uses an under-display camera for the first time on an iPhone, reducing the area that obstructs content. The device uses Touch ID integrated into the side button for unlocking. Its exterior is made from Grade 5 titanium and supports IP68 water and dust resistance.

The two displays can also be used for photography. Users can take selfies with the 48-megapixel rear camera while framing shots on the outer display. A preview feature lets subjects see themselves on the outer screen while being photographed.

The iPhone Duo is powered by the A20 Pro and Apple’s C2 modem. A vapor chamber boosts sustained performance by as much as 35% compared with the iPhone 17 Pro. The device manages two battery cells as a single system and provides up to 31 hours of video playback using the inner display and 44 hours using the outer display.

Storage ranges from 256 gigabytes to 2 terabytes. The device will be available in Star White and Night Sky, with preorders beginning Oct. 16.

The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max focus on improvements to photography and sustained performance. The key camera change is a variable aperture introduced for the first time on the 48-megapixel main camera. Unlike a fixed aperture, six polymer-composite blades move to control the amount of light entering the lens.

The variable aperture adjusts both light intake and depth of field depending on shooting conditions. It opens wider in dark environments to capture more light and narrows when users want multiple subjects in focus. Apple said it captures as much as 50% more light in dark conditions. Users can also manually select from four aperture settings.

Apple also added the ability to apply cinematic effects to standard video after recording. For photos, Apple Reference Image signs sensor data at capture and stores an unalterable image alongside the edited version to strengthen original-image verification.

The Pro models use the A20 Pro processor built on a 2-nanometer process. It includes a six-core central processing unit (CPU), seven-core graphics processing unit (GPU) and dual Neural Engines with a combined 32 cores. High-performance CPU core performance improves by as much as 20%, while GPU performance increases by as much as 40%.

Apple also redesigned thermal management. The chip and memory are positioned side by side to transfer heat directly from the chip to the vapor chamber, which is three times larger than the one in the iPhone 17 Pro. The design is intended to reduce performance degradation during prolonged gaming and artificial intelligence workloads. Sustained performance improves by as much as 40% from the previous generation.

Video playback reaches as much as 36 hours on the Pro and 45 hours on the Pro Max for eSIM-only models. The Pro now provides battery life comparable to the previous Pro Max. The battery can be charged to 50% in about 15 minutes.

The Pro models will be available in Deep Black, Silver, Glacier and Burgundy, with preorders starting Sept. 12.

Apple is also bringing Siri AI that uses personal context to all three models. It can respond to requests and perform tasks in apps using information from emails, messages, the screen and camera. Korean-language support is scheduled to be added in October.

“The iPhone Duo demonstrates the creativity, ingenuity and dedication of teams across Apple,” Ternus said. “It shows what is possible when we bring together the capabilities of our teams to create products that are meaningful to customers.”