Micro-LEDs, why do we love you so much, when commercialization will take another five to ten years? Despite the long incubation period ahead before micro-LED screens can reach mass production stage, Facebook’s VR subsidiary Oculus announced it absorbed Irish micro-LED company InfiniLED. The strategy seems eerily familiar with the one launched by Apple years back in 2013, when it took Luxvue under its wing, so Oculus and its parent company Facebook are potentially eyeing micro-LEDs for its next generation VR headsets.

Grenoble-based research institute CEA LETI (LETI) recently shared with LEDinside how it is transforming nanowire technology first designed for transistors into making ultra-bright LEDs.

Chinese investors are not the only ones showing interest in purchasing Siemen’s 17% stake in Osram, according to a latest report from German business magazine Manager Magazin.

Philips Lighting reports sales at EUR 1.7 billion, continued profitability increase led by gross margin improvement; solid cash flow

Philips Lighting, a global leader in lighting, announced that it had signed up its 700th member for its EnabLED Licensing Program for LED luminaires and retrofit bulbs and that 100 new members have joined in the last nine months. The program, which gives companies a license and support to use its patented innovations, saw a 36% growth in member companies from Asia in the same period. 

Samsung Electronics scrapped its flagship Galaxy Note 7 after a series of explosion incidents caused by faulty batteries that has dented its brand reputation. Industry insiders estimate the Korean electronic conglemorate might raise DRAM, AMOLED and other component prices to compensate losses incurred from the Note 7 incidents.

Canadian city Kelowna located inthe south of Canada’s British Columbia province launched a pilot LED streetlight project that could help the city save millions of dollars and cut costs, reported CBC News.

Cree, a market leader in LED lighting, announced consolidated revenue of US $321 million from continuing operations, and $50 million from discontinued operations, for a combined revenue of $371 million for its first quarter of fiscal 2017. This represents a 13% decrease compared to combined revenue of $425 million ($381 million from continuing operations and $44 million from discontinued operations) for the first quarter of fiscal 2016 and a 4% decrease compared to the fourth quarter of fiscal 2016. Combined GAAP net income for the first quarter of fiscal 2017 was $0.6 million, or $0.00 per diluted share, compared to combined GAAP net loss of $24 million, or $0.24 per diluted share, for the first quarter of fiscal 2016.

Germany’s Deputy Economy Minister Matthias Maching submitted a proposal comprising of six key points to government officials to review investment at the EU level on Monday, Reuters cited local newspaper Welt am Sonntag reporting.

The U.S. Department of Energy's CALiPER program has released a new Snapshot report on outdoor area lighting that covers area/roadway luminaires, parking garage luminaires, and canopy luminaires. Outdoor area lighting is a major contributor to nationwide energy use, and the market segment has been an important player in the transition to solid-state lighting.

Since its launch earlier this year, Aura Light’s lighting rental scheme has seen a significant take-up by large companies wanting to spread the cost of their investment.

San’an Opto said that the company has engaged in preliminary discussions with Osram upon a potential acquisition or partnership. However, the two parties only met once to discuss related issues so far.

Everlight filed a declaratory judgment action against Nichia Corporation (“Nichia”) for invalidity and non-infringement of U.S. Patent Nos. 5,998,925 and 7,531,960 in the U.S. District Court for Eastern District of Michigan in 2012. These two patents are directed to YAG phosphor being used in LEDs and phosphor concentration. The court confirmed that all asserted claims of Nichia’s patents were invalid. Aside from the U.S. court ruling, Everlight has receive favorable rulings in Japan and Taiwan that Nichia’s patents are invalid.

Royal Philips NV is in discussion to sell its lighting-components division, Lumileds to American private equity firm, Apollo Global Management LLC, reported Bloomberg Technology.

Osram Opto’s advanced optical designs and light contrast technology might one day be applied in next gen LED manufacturing, said Byron Liang the German lighting giant’s Marketing Manager of VIS LED department in its China branch.

On September 29, 2016, Nichia Corporation (“Nichia”) filed a request for a preliminary injunction in Germany at the Düsseldorf District Court against Mouser Electronics Inc. (“Mouser”), alleging that the white LED product “334-15/X1C5-1QSA” manufactured by Everlight Electronics Co., Ltd. (“Everlight”) and distributed by Mouser in Germany infringes Nichia’s YAG patent EP 936 682 (DE 697 02 929).

Cree confirmed that the company has laid off approximately 2.5% of its employees at its Durham headquarters, reported the Journal Times. The company reported that local job cuts and an unspecified number of jobs that were eliminated out of “response to current business conditions.”

Microelectronics from Infineon Technologies AG (FSE: IFX / OTCQX: IFNNY) is a key technology for automated and connected driving. As leading chip provider for driver assistance systems, Infineon continues its innovation path and has acquired 100 percent of Innoluce BV, a fabless semiconductor company headquartered in Nijmegen. Based on the know-how of Innoluce, Infineon will develop chip components for high-performance lidar systems. Both companies agreed on confidentiality on the terms.

X-Celeprint, a XTRION owned company, is working with potential partners to adopt its elastomer stamp micro-assembly technology for commercialization, the company CTO Christopher Bower told LEDinside during LEDforum 2016, which took place in late September in Taiwan.

San’an Opto clarified rumors that it was in acquisition talks with Osram on Monday.

The International Energy Agency might try replicating India’s LED bulb policy in Indonesia to lower costs of the efficient lighting technology, reported The Hindu.

In June 2016 NICHIA commenced a lawsuit claiming that certain white LED-containing products sold by B&Q plc, the largest DIY company in the UK, and sourced from third-party Asian manufacturers infringed Nichia's European “YAG” patents.

Chinese LED lighting company Yaming Lighting appointed Ayhan Siriner as the new general manager for Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region as part of its regional deployment strategy.

Cree appoints Daniel Castillo as President, Lighting, effective Nov. 7, 2016. In this role, Castillo will report to Chuck Swoboda and will lead both the commercial and consumer lighting businesses. Castillo joins Cree from Eaton Corporation, where he was most recently Senior Vice President, Oil, Gas and IEC Assemblies. Prior to his work at Eaton, Castillo held leadership roles in lighting and other electrical product areas at both Cooper Industries and General Electric.

Osram has been very active over the last past months, and recent market rumors have resurfaced about interested Chinese buyers. This time the rumored acquisitor is its Chinese rival San’an Opto, who will mostly be looking into merging Osram Opto, according to LEDinside sources. San’an Opto is rumored to be offering a generous EUR 7.2 billion for the German LED company, but there are also some estimating the German company can fetch a sales price of nearly EUR 8 billion.

Effective Oct. 4, 2016, Osram, a leading global lighting and technology company, has successfully completed the acquisition of Novità Technologies, a U.S. manufacturer of automotive LED modules which are used primarily in tail lights, fog lights and daytime running lights. With this move, Osram will further expand its position in the U.S. automotive LED market. “The successful closing of this transaction is a further step in our strategy to strengthen our leading position in automotive lighting and to expand our LED automotive portfolio for project business,” said Hans-Joachim Schwabe, CEO of the Specialty Lighting business unit. 

Chinese LED chip manufacturer San’an Opto is in talks of acquiring Osram group, German magazine Wirtschaftswoche reported Thursday, without indicating information sources.The acquisition talks are more than just business transacations, but reveal Chinese government's industry policies, analyzed LEDinside.

Osram has gained the services of Thorsten Müller as its new Head of Innovation and Research. The 39-year-old is currently the CEO of the Connected Devices and Solutions division at Bosch and will take up his new position as Head of Corporate Innovation at Osram on December 1, 2016. “Thorsten Müller is an acknowledged expert on the Internet of Things”, said Stefan Kampmann, Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of OSRAM Licht AG. “He will provide us with valuable impetus for the ongoing digitization and connectivity in the lighting industry and drive forward our transformation into a high-tech company.”

Sony is known for its technology in displays, TVs, and other consumer electronics, but its latest gadget unveiled recently in Japan is focusing on LED grow light technology, according to reports by Nikkei Technology and other tech media.

Neutrogena launched an economic LED facial mask on Monday that uses red and blue LEDs that can treat acne on people’s faces, reportedEliteDaily.