Samsung will be investing KRW 17 trillion (US $15 billion) in 3-D NAND flash memory chips and OLED panels, that are both key smartphone components to stay ahead of competition, reported The Korean Herald.

The acquisition of the year happened on Tuesday, when Osram stated top Chinese LED chip package manufacturer MLS along with two other investors absorbed its general lighting business, LEDVANCE. If you had been following LEDinside since last November, MLS General Manager Lawrence Lin had spoken on multiple occasions about ongoing talks, and that it was close to sealing the deal just a couple weeks ago. Osram authorized trademark usage and as part of the deal MLS will be buying white LED chips from the German lighting giant’s plant in Malaysia once the fab enters mass production phase.

Dow reported earnings per share of $2.61, or operating earnings per share of $0.95. This compares with Earnings per Share (EPS) of $0.97 in the year-ago period, or operating EPS of $0.91. Certain Items in the quarter primarily reflected a $2.20 per share gain related to the Dow Corning ownership restructure and a $0.27 per share charge for costs associated with the restructuring plan announced in the quarter. The tax rate was impacted by Certain Items. Excluding these, the tax rate was within the Company’s modeling guidance.

LG Display, the world’s leading innovator of display technologies, announced today that it will invest KRW1.99 trillion (US $1.78 million) in a new 6th generation (1,500mm x 1,850mm) flexible OLED display production line in Paju, South Korea, as part of its preemptive efforts to change and lead the approaching era of flexible OLED screens for mobile devices.

Heliospectra, a world leader in intelligent lighting technology for controlled environments horticulture, is pleased to announce that Green Leaf, a recently licensed cannabis cultivation facility in Alaska, selected the Heliospectra LED lighting system. Green Leaf owner-operator Aaron Bean chose the Heliospectra LED-based solution after determining that it is the only product in the marketplace with the power and versatility to support every stage of the cannabis growth cycle.

Viribright Lighting announced that is has received a US Patent (US 9,379,300) for the design of an LED chip welded in a flip-chip manner on a floating copper heat radiation support. The Viribright LED packaging design generates more lumens per watt with better control of heat dissipation than previous LED manufacturing methods.

The first half of 2016 has flown by quickly, with the LED industry entering a mature phase and stabilizing growth rates, it is gradually losing its liveliness. Looking back to the first half of 2016, new terms emerged among the tide of acquisitions and price wars. The keywords can be summarized as five large niche lighting markets, four key markets, three competitive technologies, changes in two major products market positions, and one new technology term.

India’s Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) issued a warning to consumers to be cautious about websites claiming to sell 9W LED bulbs for less than INR 1 (US $0.02), reported The Times of India.

Nanoco Group, a world leader in the development and manufacture of cadmium-free quantum dots and other nanomaterials, and Wah Hong Industrial Corporation (TPEx: 8240, "Wah Hong"), a leading Taiwanese manufacturer and supplier of optical films, jointly announce that they have signed a supply and licence agreement in the display sector.

Philips Lighting announced the appointment of Stéphane Rougeot as Chief Financial Officer, effective September 1, 2016. Rougeot succeeds Rene van Schooten Business Group Leader Lamps, who in addition to his current role held the position on an interim basis for nine months.

Today’s high-speed wired communication networks use lasers to carry information through optical fibers, but wireless networks are currently based on radiofrequencies or microwaves. In an advance that could one day make light-based wireless communications ubiquitous, researchers from Facebook Connectivity Lab have demonstrated a conceptually new approach for detecting optical communication signals traveling through the air.

Philips reports Q2 sales of EUR 5.9 billion (US $6.49 billion) and comparable sales growth of 3%, a 9% improvement in Adjusted EBITA to EUR 544 million and net income of EUR 431 million

China’s LED industry produced 296.3 billion LEDs during first half of 2016, up 19.21% Year-on-Year, reported China Light Industry Internet (CLII).

Chinese LED manufacturer Honglitronic Optoelectronics announced it had rebranded itself as Honglizhihui Group, and is in the process of acquiring  connected car technology assets.

After three long years, Opple Lighting’s Initial Public Offering (IPO) application was finally approved by China’s Securities Regulatory Committee (CSRC), and is closer to its goal of being listed on the Chinese bourse.

Lexington Luminance plaintiff filed against Google for using patent infringed LEDs in two Google Nexus phones has taken a new turn recently, reported The National Law Review.

Going net-zero carbon is the smart, inevitable choice for the companies of today and of the future – where “the business model fits as a solution glove to all the things that we need to address in the climate change challenge,” says Harry Verhaar, Head of Global Public & Government Affairs, Philips Lighting, in a Climate TV interview during the Business & Climate Summit convened in London last month by The Climate Group.

Royal Philips announced the results of the first published study to demonstrate that absolute oxygen saturation of arterial blood (SpO2), a vital sign that is commonly monitored in hospitalized and other patients, can be accurately measured across multiple patients using contactless technology. 

Osram and Epistar have been especially active this week. The German lighting giant has announced many new developments one week ahead of its latest financial result announcement. Changes in the company structure include the appointment of their new CFO Ingo Bank, OLED taillights being supplied to BMW, and acquisition of U.S. LED module manufacturer Novità Technologies.

German lighting giant Osram announced two important developments in its automotive lighting business this month, such as supplying OLED taillights to BMW and its latest acquisition of U.S. automotive LED module manufacturer Novita Technologies. How will the acquisition affect the LED industry, though?

Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport in Arizona, U.S. finished installing more than 3,000 LED bulbs in the East Economy parking garage, reported KTAR News.

Six cities in Indian state Chhattisgarh in central India to replace conventional CFL streetlights and tube lights with LEDs soon, reported the largest English newspaper in the region The Hitadava.

IGNIS Innovation (IGNIS), a Canadian emissive display technology company, announced the execution of a Patent License agreement with LG Display, the Seoul-based world-leading display manufacturer. Under the agreement, IGNIS will provide LG Display under a non-exclusive license, access to its circuit technology to enhance the performance of OLED displays. As recognized by the display industry leaders, circuit technology is crucial for today’s AMOLED applications including TV, IT, high resolution smartphone, virtual reality, automotive and next generation printing.

Once again, pioneering lighting technology from Osram is being fitted to a production vehicle. This time it is OLED technology (Organic Light Emitting Diode) in the tail lights of the new BMW M4 GTS. These organic area light sources take up very little space, opening up design options that car manufacturers have so far only dreamed about. “Our OLEDs in the tail lights of the BMW M4 GTS make us the first company to have this new technology on the road in a production vehicle. 

Many households in impoverished regions around the world are starting to shift away from inefficient and polluting fuel-based lighting—such as candles, firewood, and kerosene lanterns—to solar-LED systems. While this trend has tremendous environmental benefits, a new study by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) has found that it spurs economic development as well, to the tune of 2 million potential new jobs.

In a July 14 meeting, the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) Board of Governors elected four new members to the board, including Annette Kay Clayton, Chief Executive Officer and President of North America Operations and chief supply chain officer for Schneider Electric, Schneider Electric North America; Lee Cooper, president and CEO of GE Healthcare U.S. and Canada; Jack Nehling, president of Phoenix Contact USA; and Rich Stinson, president and CEO of Southwire Company.

Osram’s managing board is complete again. At an extraordinary meeting on Monday, the supervisory board of the lighting company appointed Ingo Bank as new CFO of OSRAM Licht AG. Ingo Bank, 48, joins Osram from Parexel, a U.S. biopharmaceutical service provider where he served as Chief Financial Officer. He will take up his post at Osram on September 1, 2016. "In Ingo Bank, we have found a financial expert with a proven track record and a strong international background. At the same time, he has extensive knowledge of technology markets, including the lighting industry," said Peter Bauer, chairman of the supervisory board of OSRAM Licht AG. Ingo Bank's term will run for three years.

Ritdisplay, a subsidiary of Ritek Group, is an OLED panel maker. This year the market's demand has been strong. In first half of 2016, its revenue reached NT $997 million (US $31.21 million), and its annual growth rate surpassed 40%, according to a MoneyDJ report.

pureLiFi, the global leader in LiFi technologies, has announced the completion of its Series B Financing Round led by Temasek. The funding will support the development and commercialization of its proprietary cutting-edge LiFi technology that uses modulated LED light to provide wireless communications, with the potential to be significantly faster than current WiFi technology. Harald Haas, the founder of pureLiFi and the “father of LiFi”, said “I am absolutely delighted that this significant step for pureLiFi has been achieved towards unlocking the grand LiFi vision”.

The University of South Wales (USW) and the Lighting Industry Association (LIA) have agreed a formal partnership, cementing a relationship which will see the development of a range of specialist lighting courses.