Magnachip's OLED business impacted by global component supply issues

OLED driver IC developer MagnaChip has reported its financial results for Q2 2021. Display revenues were "negatively impacted by severe supply constraints that continued to deepen in the second quarter".

Magnachip drivers and chips photo

The company says it cannot meet its customers needs, due to the global component shortages as well as changes in Mangachip's foundry partners' wafer allocation plans. The company continues to work closely with its strategic customers and foundry partners to secure long-term supply capacity for OLED DDICs, being mindful of the fact that global supply constraints are having a significant impact on the OLED business.

Read the full story Posted: Aug 06,2021

Samsung reports excellent results for Q2 2021, with strong demand for OLED displays

Samsung Electronics posted its financial results for Q2 2021, with record sales of $55.2 billion and a net profit of $10.9 billion. Samsung saw higher earnings at its memory and display businesses, offset by a decline in smartphone sales.

Samsung Display says that OLED sales and profits increased because of wider adoption of OLED displays. SDC is worried that supply issues of display drivers may disrupt shipments in Q3, but demand for OLEDs in IT devices and gaming products are expected to see significant growth.

Read the full story Posted: Jul 31,2021

The US aims to block Wise Road Capital from acquiring Magnachip

Earlier this year OLED driver IC developer MagnaChip announced that it is being acquired by China-based Wise Road Capital, for $1.4 billion. A few days ago, the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) issued an interim order that blocks the deal.

Magnachip drivers and chips photo

This is just an interim order, but according to reports it is unlikely that the US and Korea will allow the deal to go through, at least in its preset form. The US is expanding its fight against Chinese companies acquiring technologies. Korea is also worried as MagnaChip's OLED drivers are seen to be strategic to the country's OLED industry.

Read the full story Posted: Jun 23,2021

BOE and Himax announce an electric vehicle design-win for a 12.8-inch flexible AMOLED

Himax Technologies, together with BOE Varitronix (automotive display product supplier) announced that they secured a design-win with a leading new electric vehicle maker.

The customer will soon launch a flagship automobile, which will sport a 12.8-inch flexible AMOLED center information display product. The new solution includes a flexible AMOLED display produced by BOE and a Himax AMOLED driver IC and timing controller system.

Read the full story Posted: Apr 01,2021

Wise Road Capital acquires Magnachip for $1.4 billion

OLED driver IC developer MagnaChip announced that it is being acquired by China-based Wise Road Capital, for $1.4 billion. This price is about 75% higher than Magnachip's three-month average share price. The deal still needs regulatory approval in the United States.

Magnachip drivers and chips photo

In recent years Magnachip reported increased AMOLED driver sales and accelerated its driver R&D. Last month the company announced that it has started to mass produce its first OLED driver ICs for 120Hz QHD smartphone flexible OLED displays.

Read the full story Posted: Mar 30,2021

Report suggests that a global chip shortage could affect the supply of Samsung's AMOLED displays

According to reports online, there's a global chip shortage, that is already effecting some industries - and is not threatening the supply of Samsung's smartphone AMOLED displays.

It seems as if high demand for chips due to the covid-19 pandemic, a water shortage in Taiwan and heavy snow in Texas all combined to create a shortage is chip supply. Samsung's Austin plant, which makes Qualcomm chips used in AMOLED drivers, has been halted since February 16th and this creates concern for Samsung's ability to supply enough AMOLED displays to satisfy demand.

Read the full story Posted: Mar 19,2021

Magnachip starts mass producing its first 120Hz QHD flexible OLED display driver ICs

OLED driver IC developer MagnaChip announced that it has started to mass produce its first OLED driver ICs for 120Hz (HFR) QHD (1440 x 3360) smartphone flexible OLED displays.

Xiaomi Mi 11 photo

Magnachip's new OLED DDICs were designed specifically for 5G smartphones that support high resolution and high refresh rates, and it is produced using the company's most advanced 28nm process technology.

Read the full story Posted: Feb 21,2021

Magnachip reports record quarterly OLED DDIC revenues in Q4 2020

OLED driver IC developer MagnaChip announced its financial results for Q4 2020, with revenues of $142.9 million and 2020 full-year revenues of $507.1 million. The company says its quarterly revenues reached a record high of $80.4 million - a 19% increase from Q3 2020 and a 19.4% increase from Q4 2019.Full-year OLED revenue of $284.6 million increased 6.5% from 2019.

Magnachip drivers and chips photo

Last year MagnaChip said it has a total of 16 OLED display drivers, almost double the number of drivers it had in its portfolio in Q1 2019. The company has started to develop OLED drivers for automotive products, which the company expects to to into production in the first half of 2021.

Read the full story Posted: Feb 18,2021

Viewtrix starts producing OLED driver ICs, raises $45 million

China-based display technology developer Viewtrix (also known as Yunyinggu) announced that it is starting to produce its AMOLED and OLED microdisplay driver ICs. Viewtrix plans to produce 10 million AMOLED driver ICs by the end of the year - which is about 10% of the total Chinese market.

Viewtrix also announced that it has secured its Series D financing round, totalling $45.6 million, led by Sequoia Capital China.

Read the full story Posted: Nov 28,2020

Samsung may be forced to stop supplying OLEDs to Huawei due to US sanctions

The US government imposed sanctions against Huawei, which prevents the Chinese company to acquire components that use US-developed chips. According to a report from Korea, both Samsung Display and LG Display will have to stop supplying OLED displays to Huawei as these use drivers that are based on US-developed technology.

Huawei P40 pro photo

Samsung Display has applied for a US US Department of Commerce license which will allow it to export the technology to Huawei. LG Display decided not to apply for the license, at least for now, as its OLED sales to Huawei are limited in any case.

Read the full story Posted: Sep 10,2020