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BOE Unveils Next-Generation LTPO OLED Roadmap at DIC 2025…Evolving into LTPO 2.x in 2025

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BOE LTPO OLED roadmap unveiled at DIC 2025, showing evolution from LTPO 1.0 to LTPO 2.x

BOE’s LTPO Roadmap Exhibited at DIC 2025

From August 7 to 9, at the DIC EXPO 2025 (Display Innovation China), BOE unveiled its LTPO OLED technology development roadmap. The presentation provided a clear view of the company’s technological evolution, starting with the commercialization of LTPO 1.0 in 2021 and leading up to the upcoming launch of the next-generation LTPO 2.x in 2025.

From LTPO 1.0 to 2.0 – Enhanced Power Efficiency and Color Reproduction

In 2021, BOE began mass production of LTPO 1.0, commercializing technology that supports a variable refresh rate (1–120 Hz) and delivers up to 15% power savings. In the same year, the company developed LTPO 1.0+COE (Color on Encapsulation), improving color gamut performance from 83% to 92% (BT2020 standard) and ushering in the era of high color gamut displays.

In 2023, BOE commenced mass production of LTPO 2.0, which minimizes visual fatigue by reducing flicker. This product features 960 Hz PWM driving, supports high brightness of 500 nits, and achieves up to 71% power savings in low-brightness environments.

Tandem Structure Adoption – High Brightness and Low Carbon

Launched in 2024, LTPO 2.0+Tandem improves both transmittance and power efficiency. By adopting a tandem stacked structure, it delivers 24% power savings while simultaneously achieving high brightness and eco-friendliness.

LTPO 2.x in 2025 – Expanding Beyond Mobile to Laptops and Tablets

BOE plans to introduce its next-generation LTPO 2.x in 2025. This technology will further enhance resolution and transmittance, while adopting a thinner and lighter structure. It is expected to be applied not only to smartphones but also to various devices such as laptops (MB), notebooks (NB), and tablets (TPC).

Accelerating Next-Generation Mobile Display Competition

Industry experts believe BOE’s LTPO 2.x will serve as a critical weapon in next-generation OLED competition with Samsung Display and LG Display. With its emphasis on both energy efficiency and eco-friendly technology, BOE is expected to strengthen its position in the global premium smart device market.

Junho Kim, Analyst at UBI Research (alertriot@ubiresearch.com)

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Visionox Unveils ViP (Visionox Intelligent Pixelization) Products at DIC 2025… Achieves Over 90% Yield in Small-Sized Displays

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Visionox’s circular OLED smartwatch panels produced with ViP deposition technology, showcased at DIC 2025.

OLED panel for smartwatches using ViP deposition method unveiled by Visionox

Chinese display specialist Visionox showcased products manufactured using its ViP (Visionox Intelligent Pixelization) technology at the DIC 2025 (Display Innovation China) exhibition held in August 2025. ViP is Visionox’s next-generation core technology, enabling ultra-high resolution, improved device lifetime, and high brightness—representing performance enhancements across multiple dimensions.

At the exhibition, Visionox revealed that panels produced with the ViP method offer a resolution of up to 1700 ppi, an aperture ratio of 69%, a sixfold improvement in device lifetime, and four times higher brightness compared to conventional technologies. The company emphasized that this technology is widely applicable—from AR/VR microdisplays to smartphones, automotive displays, and large-sized TV panels.

A Visionox representative at the exhibition stated, “Among the panels produced using the ViP method on our V3 line, small-sized display panels such as those for smartwatches have achieved yields of over 90%. Yields for medium-sized displays, such as those for smartphones, have also reached around 60%.”

However, since the ViP deposition method is applied to 8.6-generation medium-to-large OLED production lines, the technical difficulty of yield improvement increases with larger substrate sizes. Therefore, further monitoring of yield stabilization will be necessary going forward.

The ViP deposition method is compatible with both regular and irregular panel structures, supports low minimum order quantities, and is compatible with pol-less and transparent display technologies. As such, it is considered well-suited for high-mix, low-volume production and customized display markets.

Junho Kim, Analyst at UBI Research (alertriot@ubiresearch.com)

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BOE Clears Qualification for iPhone 17 Pro OLED Panels…Mass Production Expected to Begin in August

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BOE iPhone 17

Chinese display maker BOE has reportedly cleared Apple’s qualification (Qual) process for producing OLED panels for the iPhone 17 Pro. Industry insiders had initially predicted that BOE would struggle to obtain approval for the premium model’s panels within this year, but the faster-than-expected qualification suggests the company is strengthening its readiness for Apple’s 2025 lineup.

While BOE has received panel-level qualification, it has yet to pass the module qualification stage. Nevertheless, the company is expected to begin risk production of iPhone 17 Pro panels as early as August. These early batches are believed to be for verification or initial delivery purposes.

With this additional qualification, BOE’s total shipment forecast for iPhone OLED panels in 2025 has been revised upward from 40 million units to approximately 45 million units, reflecting the newly approved volume for the iPhone 17 Pro.

BOE is currently operating its B11 facility in Mianyang, Sichuan Province, as a dedicated OLED production line for iPhones. The company has configured six module lines in total: two lines for iPhone 14 and 16e, two for iPhone 16, and two verification lines for the iPhone 17 Pro. Given the high complexity and stringent quality standards required for the Pro model, securing stable yield rates will be a key challenge moving forward.

Clearing this qualification marks a significant step for BOE toward entering Apple’s premium lineup in earnest. It also adds competitive pressure to the current iPhone OLED panel supply structure, which is largely dominated by Samsung Display and LG Display. However, since BOE has not yet secured module-level qualification, additional verification and technical stabilization will be necessary before full-scale deliveries can begin.

Junho Kim, Analyst at UBI Research (alertriot@ubiresearch.com)

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HKC Pushes OLED Expansion: Smartphone Panel Trial Production Starts, G6 eLEAP Line Planned

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HKC, one of China’s leading display panel manufacturers, is accelerating its transition into the small- and medium-sized OLED market. Moving beyond its traditional focus on large-sized LCDs, the company is now expanding into flexible OLED panels for smartphones and IT devices, while also actively investing in next-generation maskless OLED fabrication technologies.

HKC plans to begin trial production of smartphone OLED panels at its H6 facility in July 2025. The Phase 1 line has been built using secondhand 5.5-generation equipment previously owned by Royole, and features a hybrid structure that applies flexible encapsulation on glass substrates. The TFT backplane has a monthly capacity of 4,000 substrates, and the evaporation process follows a quarter-cut method.

In Phase 2, HKC is incorporating 4.5-generation EVEN equipment transferred from Japan’s Sharp, which is expected to be restored and operational by April 2026. The company also owns a dedicated OLED R&D line, currently undergoing restoration, with completion targeted for September 2025.

Notably, HKC is planning to build a dedicated G6 (6th-generation) OLED mass production line based on eLEAP technology. While Kunshan was initially considered as the investment site, current indications suggest the project will likely shift to Mianyang in Sichuan Province, due to changing policy dynamics and stronger local government partnerships. HKC is currently seeking regulatory approval from the Chinese government for its G6 OLED line based on eLEAP technology. While FMM (Fine Metal Mask) processing is also being considered as an option, it is understood that approval for FMM is highly unlikely due to regulatory constraints. The production line is expected to incorporate secondhand equipment from Japan Display Inc. (JDI), with potential for accompanying technical support.

This strategy signals a broader shift in China’s OLED industry, moving beyond simple production scale-ups to focus on achieving global competitiveness in advanced manufacturing technologies.

A parallel effort is underway at Visionox, which is building a G8.6 OLED line (V5) in Hefei. There, the company is developing and preparing to mass-produce OLED panels using ViP (Visionox Intelligent Pixelization), a maskless pixel formation technology based on photolithography and patents from Japan’s SEL. This approach avoids the resolution and yield limitations associated with traditional FMM processes.

HKC’s eLEAP investment aligns with this broader maskless OLED trend. Developed by JDI, eLEAP technology enables precision pixel formation without metal masks, offering advantages in aperture ratio and panel longevity. HKC signed an MOU with JDI in 2023 for joint development of eLEAP-based OLEDs. Although the companies later scaled back plans for a joint OLED fab, technical collaboration is understood to be ongoing.

The parallel efforts of HKC with eLEAP and Visionox with ViP demonstrate China’s intent to lead not only in OLED manufacturing capacity, but also in core next-generation fabrication technologies. This shift underscores the nation’s strategic ambition for technological self-reliance and global leadership in OLED production—an ambition likely to reshape the future of the small- and medium-sized OLED industry.

Changwook Han, Executive Vice President/Analyst at UBI Research (cwhan@ubiresearch.com)

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Visionox Accelerates V5 Project…Expanding Technological Foundation through Patent Agreement with SEL and Completion of Mask-less OLED Deposition Equipment Order

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Comparison of OLED layer structures: FMM vs. ViP

OLED Layer Structure Comparison: FMM vs. ViP (Source: Visionox)

The key infrastructure processes for Visionox’s V5 project in China are progressing smoothly, signaling the full-scale preparation for next-generation OLED production. In parallel, Visionox has made a significant leap in securing core technological capabilities by signing a strategic patent license agreement with Japan’s Semiconductor Energy Laboratory (SEL).

The V5 line, currently under construction by Visionox in Hefei, Anhui Province, aims to move away from the conventional FMM (Fine Metal Mask) process and focuses on the production of mask-less OLED panels. To that end, the company is advancing its ViP (Visionox Intelligent Pixelization) technology—recently rebranded as mask-less OLED—as a next-generation high-resolution OLED manufacturing method.

Recently, Visionox successfully completed the roofing work for the V5 plant, wrapping up groundwork for major equipment installation. Core production equipment, including OLED deposition systems, has been ordered from AKT, a subsidiary of Applied Materials. Orders for additional essential equipment—such as exposure systems (Nikon), ion implanters (Nissin), and Excimer Laser Annealing tools—are also underway. The technical committee’s review for final investment approval of the V5 line shows positive progress.

In the meantime, Visionox has entered into a licensing agreement with SEL for core OLED-related patents. SEL holds a large number of fundamental patents related to LTPS (Low-Temperature Polycrystalline Silicon), oxide TFTs, and OLED driving technologies. The company is developing a lithography-based OLED process called metal maskless lithography (MML). Through this agreement, Visionox aims to reduce global patent risks and strengthen its technological competitiveness in mask-less OLED technologies and high-resolution panel design. Visionox’s mask-less OLED process is based on Applied Materials’ OLED Max (photolithography) technology. Unlike SEL’s approach, which performs cathode processing after the lithography step, OLED Max conducts lithography after forming both the cathode and encapsulation layers. Although SEL’s method may lead to shorter OLED material lifespan, it offers an advantage in improving process yield. The partnership with SEL is expected to become a major milestone in Visionox’s push toward commercialization of next-generation OLED technology.

With progress in the V5 project and expanding global technological partnerships, Visionox plans to continue reinforcing its leadership in the global OLED market through initiatives such as establishing a national-level R&D institute in Kunshan, diversifying AMOLED applications, and improving asset efficiency for sustainable, technology-driven growth.

Changho Noh, Analyst at UBI Research  (chnoh@ubiresearch.com)

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Seeya Technology Applies for Listing on STAR Market of Shanghai Stock Exchange – Accelerates Expansion of Micro-OLED Production

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On June 26, 2025, Micro-OLED specialist Seeya Technology (希显科技) submitted its application for listing on the STAR Market (科创板) of the Shanghai Stock Exchange. Through this IPO, the company aims to raise approximately 2.015 billion RMB (about KRW 380 billion), with the funds primarily allocated to expanding production capacity and strengthening R&D.

Seeya currently operates with a monthly production capacity of 9,000 sheets (based on 12-inch wafers) and began equipment installation for Phase 2 in May 2025, which will add another 9K to its capacity. Depending on market conditions, Phase 3 investment is also planned, and once all phases are completed, the company is expected to reach a total monthly capacity of 27K.

The IPO process began at the end of 2024 and has recently completed all major pre-listing procedures. If all goes smoothly, Seeya is expected to complete its listing by 2026. The company is already supplying mass-produced products to key customers such as Xiaomi, DJI, XREAL, and Thunderbird (雷鸟科技). It is currently competing with BOE to secure Meta’s business, and has also established a strategic partnership with Apple.

With this IPO, Seeya is expected to further strengthen its position within China’s Micro-OLED industry and expand its influence in the global XR and AR device markets.

Detailed information on the current status of China’s Micro-OLED industry, including Seeya Technology, can be found in UBI Research’s China Trends Report.

Junho Kim, Analyst at UBI Research (alertriot@ubiresearch.com)

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