Highlights this week:

• Some bad news for manufacturers vying the lucrative European lighting market. The EU, sadly has decided to extend the halogen bulb ban to 2018, which could affect LED sales somewhat.
• World’s second largest lighting manufacturer Osram sent shockwaves throughout the industry with the announcement it was spinning off its luminaire business including traditional lighting business CBL and LED lamp business LLS. Osram is believed to be focusing on automotive lighting technologies, and other specialty lighting in the near future, while keeping LED chip and package business Osram Opto running, according to LEDinside’s understanding.
• The jury in Michigan court, U.S. have ruled in favor of Everlight in its three year lawsuit against Nichia. Everlight filed the suit against Nichia in 2012, seeking the court to invalidate the latter’s U.S. patents No. 5,998,925 and No 7,531,960. LEDinside could not reach Nichia for further comments, but will keep the industry posted about future developments in the legal case.
• More Apple rumors. A report from Taiwanese media UDN has singled out AUO as the 4-inch iPhone 7 display supplier. According to Roger Chu, Research Director, LEDinside, we still will not be seeing sapphire screens on the iPhone 7 because the sapphire supply chain is simply not ready to meet Apple’s massive demands. Other media reports by Macworld and others are already projecting possible new technologies that will be incorporated into the new phone. Meanwhile, Apple has explained how green LEDs in Apple Watch delivered to customers this week can actually take a person’s pulse.

Editor Recommendations

1. [Breaking News]: Osram Spins Off General Lighting Business
2. [Update] Osram Parts with General Lighting Businesses to Focus on Specialty Lighting
3. [Breaking News] Everlight Scores a Major Win against Nichia in Ongoing Patent Dispute
4. LEDinside: Osram to Focus on Automotive Lighting, Smart Lighting and LED Components after Splitting Luminaire Business
5. AUO to Make 4-inch iPhone 7 Displays, Sapphire Screens Ruled Out by LEDinside
6. How LEDs in Apple Watch Heart Sensor Work
7. EU Delays Halogen Ban to 2018
8. LEDinside: Latest LED Market Opportunities and Challenges
9. Taiwan LED Industry Advocate Lifting LED Lighting Tariffs at WTO Talks
10. More Filipino Consumers Switching to LEDs, says Philips Lighting

What’s Trending

1. LED Industry Focusing on UV/IR LED Niche Market Applications
2. LEDforum 2015: Sharing Business Development Strategies with LED Industry Giants, Free Registration
3. Indian Manufacturers Might Lose Large LED Orders to Chinese Competitors
4. Welcome to Russia, Baby
5. Oregon State University Unveils LED-based LiFi System
6. Overview of OPIE’15

Government policies

• U.S. City to spend $2.6M on LED Streetlight Upgrade

Industry News

1. Havells Acquires Indian LED Company Pompetec Renewable Energy Solutions
2. Cree Net Income Plunges in 3Q15
3. San’an Opto Net Profit Soars in 1Q15
4. Soraa Opens New Branch in Yokohama, Japan
5. MLS Meets 2014 Net Profit Goals, Releases SMD LED Production Capacity
6. Philips Becomes First Lighting Company in Dubai to Be Accredited As an Energy Service Company
7. Lianovation to Raise US$ 137M to Expand Business Operations
8. TCP Product Validation Proceeding as Expected
9. Plessey Featured as One of the best British Manufacturers in 21st Century on New Website
10. University of Cambridge Selects Veeco MOCVD System for LED Development
11. Soraa: Consumers Confused by Complex LED Metrics
12. MaxLite Appoints New VP of Product Management and Engineering
13. Dassault Falcon Jet Reduces Lighting-Related Energy with Digital Lumens Smart Lighting System
14. Shuji Nakamura Named as a 2015 Global Energy Prize Laureate

New Products

1. Schott Releases Flexible LED Aircraft Illumination Solution
2. Luxonic Launches High Bay LED Luminaires
3. Rubicon to Showcase Largest Sapphire Window Ever Produced at SPIE DSS
4. Philips Launches 60-Watt LED under $5 for Limited Time
5. Osram Expands Automotive LED Chip Portfolio
6. Samsung Display Details AMOLED Smartphone Displays
7. Osram Launches IR LED for Camera Applications
8. ZEISS Launches Camera Lenses with OLED Display
9. ATG Electronics Launches DLC Certified Surface Mount Fixture for Gas Station Applications
10. Cree Introduces Fully Luminous LR22 Architectural Troffer

Lighting Projects

1. Philips Illuminates New York City
2. Hull Tigers to Transform KC Stadium with Smart LED Floodlights
3. Designer Hyunje Joo Speaks about Award Winning Interactive Lights
4. Acrich Technology from Seoul Semiconductor adopted in Installations Worldwide