Osram intends to transfer some of the funds it earmarked for a LED chip fab to making IR LEDs for iris-scanning applications as demands from bankers, smartphone makers and VR systems rise, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters.

Xcel Energy has started to roll out a large scale LED streetlight upgrade in Minnesota to cut back energy consumption, reported Startribune.

These days, LEDs are increasingly being used as replacements for traditional lamps and other electronic appliances. This makes sense, since lighting in general is responsible for up to 20% of the world's electricity consumption. As a result, it has become even more crucial to develop advanced LED materials and technology that produce more light while maintaining efficiency and reliability. In many ways, Taiwan is a leader in the LED industry, since it consistently places at the top of global rankings for LED component output value, while continuing to introduce leading-edge technological advancements.

In the green energy sector, solar, wind, and lithium batteries prices all plummeted, which has disrupted markets and transformed existing market orders, leading to new developments.

The last phase of China’s incandescent bulb ban will be effective as of Sept. 30, 2016. China will ban the imports and sales of 15W and above general incandescent bulbs Starting from Oct. 1, 2016, and will make adjustments based on interim evaluation results, reported Yicai Global.

The Supervisory Board of SUSS MicroTec AG has appointed Dr. Franz Richter (61) as a new member of the management board of SUSS MicroTec AG. His contract will run for a period of three years. Richter accepted the appointment to the management board as of today and he will assume his position as new CEO on September 7, 2016. Richter on the one hand stands for continuity in the strategic orientation of the SUSS MicroTec Group and on the other hand for innovation and technological leadership.

Lextar’s revenue in August 2016 rose 13.1% monthly to NT $1.18 billion (US $37.63 million), reported UDN.com.

Opple Lighting and Huawei signed a HiLink Protocol Smart Home Partnership Agreement at the Shanghai Expo Center on Aug. 31, 2016.

Korean manufacturers Samsung and LG are raising R&D investments in developing QLED displays, reported The Korea Times.

About 64% of Indian consumers do not know how to get their hands on government subsidized LED bulbs, a survey by citizen engagement platform LocalCircles revealed.

Philips has unveiled a 55-inch 4K OLED TV at IFA 2016 that it has coined 901F TV, reported the Verge.

Royal Philips announced the appointment of Sophie Bechu as Chief of Operations and Executive Vice President. Sophie Bechu, who joins Philips as of September 1, 2016 from International Business Machines Corp. (IBM), becomes a member of Philips’ Executive Committee and reports directly to Philips CEO Frans van Houten. Sophie Bechu succeeds Pasquale Abruzzese, who left Philips in May of this year for personal reasons.

Veeco announced that it has received an order to deliver the 25th GENxplor™ R&D Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE) System to Technion, the Israel Institute of Technology based in Haifa, Israel. Introduced in August 2013, the GENxplor system is the number one selling R&D MBE system to universities and research institutions.

Huawei and Leedarson signed a strategic cooperation agreement on its largest annual conference in Shanghai expo center. They will work together to create a more market competitive ecosystem based on the principle of “equality and mutual benefit, Win-Win together”.

GE Lighting CEO Bill Lacey announced in an internal memo to employees that it will be withdrawing from Asia and Latin America Markets as of Nov. 30, 2016, reported China Association of Lighting Industry (CALI).

The Chicago-based Energy Resource Center has donated LED bulbs to Colorado Springs in U.S., reported KRDO.com.

Epistar, a leading innovator and manufacturer of LED solid-state lighting technologies, filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Adamax Inc.(d/b/a Newhouse Lighting) in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California on August 30, 2016. The complaint asserts that Newhouse Lighting products and technology infringe six Epistar patents and seeks injunctive relief to halt the further sale of the infringing Newhouse Lighting products.

Technology innovation group and LED manufacturer Lighting Science today announced the appointment of Ute Besenecker as Senior Scientist and Director of their HealthE™ Lighting product line. Besenecker comes to Lighting Science from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), where she recently earned both a Ph.D. in Architectural Sciences and Master of Science in Lighting. In her new role, Besenecker will assume primary responsibility for managing Lighting Science’s innovative HealthE lighting portfolio, which will include both commercial and industrial applications of the company’s patented Awake & Alert®, GoodNight®and DynaSpectrum™ lighting technologies.

In an environment of intense price wars, nothing can grab LED manufacturers attention more than "price hikes." Chinese LED manufacturers MLS, Kinglight and other manufacturers all raised their product prices in March 2016. Another wave of price hikes occurred in May, when San’an Opto and Taiwanese LED manufacturer Epistar increased prices. Recent market rumors point towards another round of price upticks.

Leyard Optoelectronic acquired two Chinese LED manufacturers Linso LED, Pread, and lighting installation company Frank-Time recently.

Sharp President Tai Jeng-wu told The Nikkei and other reporters that it intended to collaborate with Japan Display Inc. (JDI) in the development of OLED displays to catch up with Korean competitors Samsung.

Tami Nadu will be implementing a state-wide streetlight upgrade in all municipalities, said Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Monday.

Seoul Semiconductor (“Seoul”) continuously invalidated Japanese lens maker Enplas’s LED lens patents again in U.S. and Europe, and obtained the final infringement judgment from a U.S. Federal court holding that Enplas willfully infringed Seoul’s backlight system and lens patents, which has consolidated Seoul’s victory in global backlight lens patent litigations.

Lifco has signed an agreement to acquire the majority of Norwegian Nordesign AS, a supplier of LED-lighting to the Scandinavian market.

VisionChina Media ("VisionChina Media" or the "Company"), China's largest out-of-home digital television and advertising network on mass transportation systems and the leading provider of urban mass transit Wi-Fi, announced that its consolidated variable interest entity, VisionChina Media Group ("VisionChina Media Group") has entered into a new equity transfer agreement and a new profit compensation agreement (the "New Agreements") with Ledman Optoelectronic.

Sharp might be adjusting its OLED panel production plan, and move the production plant in Taiwan to a joint venture factory with Foxconn in Japan, reported Nikkei Asian Review.

Ten years after launching a gallium nitride (GaN) semiconductor company, the two Ottawa-based co-founders of GaN Systems, President Girvan Patterson and CTO John Roberts have announced their retirement. Having achieved their goal of building GaN Systems into the world leading manufacturer of GaN power transistors and supplier to more than 500 customers, serial entrepreneurs Patterson and Roberts will leave their operating roles. Patterson will retain a position on GaN Systems’ Board of Directors, while Roberts will remain available to the company as an emeritus contributor.

Cree recalls about 112,500 LED T8 tube lights in U.S. and Canada over burn hazard issues.

Chinese LED manufacturers Feilo Acoustic, cnlight and Foshan Lighting announced their latest financial investments and developments.

Auckson Opto recently announced its revenue for first half of 2016, which revealed its revenue and gross margin all declined.