With Apple's latest announcement, it is expected to introduce OLED panel technology for MacBooks in 2025, triggering a wave of innovation in the global panel industry. In China and South Korea in particular, panel manufacturing giants in both countries have responded quickly by announcing plans to invest heavily in the eighth-generation OLED panel production line. This move marks the official opening of the competition in the field of advanced OLED panel technology between the two panel production powers.
Looking back, panel manufacturers in China and South Korea have experienced fierce competition in the development of liquid crystal display (LCD) technology. Since 2003, BOE Technology Group acquired South Korea's Hyundai ElectronicsSince the 5th generation LCD production line and the rapid mastery of key technologies, Chinese panel manufacturers have begun to emerge in the global LCD market. Through continuous technological innovation and scale expansion, Chinese manufacturers have not only caught up with the pace of international development, but also achieved a comprehensive surpassing of Korean manufacturers in the LCD market in 2019, represented by BOE and TCL Huaxing's high-generation LCD production lines. With the improvement of cost competitiveness, the dominant position of Korean manufacturers in the LCD market has been gradually replaced by Chinese manufacturers.
In the face of the decline of the LCD market, Korean manufacturers have turned to concentrate resources and technology in the field of OLED, hoping to create brilliance in this emerging market. Samsung and LG Display (LGD) have achieved leading positions in the small and large OLED markets, respectively. However, Chinese manufacturers are not far behind, and in recent years, they have rapidly caught up in the field of small-size OLED, and their market share has increased significantly, showing strong competitiveness.
OLED technology encountered quality control and cost problems in the early stage of the promotion of the large-size panel market, especially in the field of TV. This has prompted manufacturers to turn their attention to the PC market, especially the laptop segment. The application of OLED technology in notebook computers has quickly gained market recognition due to its thin and light characteristics and excellent display effect.
In order to gain a leading position in the medium and large-size OLED panel market, panel manufacturers in China and South Korea have announced large-scale production plans. Samsung and BOE's mass production schedules show the competition between the two sides in terms of technology development and market capture. At the same time, manufacturers in the two countries are also competing in the field of more advanced panel technologies, such as microLED and miniLED, the development of these technologies is not only related to the competition for market share, but also an important direction for the progress of panel technology.
The advantages of Chinese manufacturers in cost control and market expansion are becoming more and more obvious, indicating that Chinese manufacturers may occupy a more favorable position in the future competition of OLED and other advanced panel technologies. This dual contest of technology and market is not only related to the status of China and South Korea in the global panel industry, but also affects the development direction of the next generation of display technology.
Looking to the future, with the continuous progress of technology and the growing market demand, how will the competition between Chinese and Korean panel manufacturers shape the development trend of panel technology and the future of consumer electronics? This is a question worth pondering. Kunpeng Project