CES: China leads global display innovation with breakthroughs

Visitors are viewing the large-screen TVs at Hisense's booth at CES 2025. (LIA ZHU/CHINA DAILY)

At CES 2025, Chinese television manufacturers have their position reinforced as technology leaders through technological breakthroughs, setting new standards for quality and innovation in the global display industry.

Hisense and TCL, both leading Chinese television manufacturers, showcased their advanced electronic display technologies at the world's largest tech show, with a diverse range of products, from Mini-LED TVs to in-car displays to AR glasses.

Hisense's core technology features its independently developed and manufactured Mini-LED chips, according to Dennys Li, president of Hisense Visual Technology.

"To overcome the biggest challenge in RGB display — the ability to manage light and color at the same time — having a powerful chip is essential. Based on Hisense's extensive expertise in chip development, we have introduced a significant upgrade to our next-generation AI image processing chip," Li told China Daily.

This innovation addresses critical challenges in LED technology, including lifespan, color purity, and brightness issues, said Li, adding that the newly updated image-processing chip is at the forefront of the LCD display technology.

With improved power efficiency and better color reproduction, the innovation extends LCD's life cycle, marking an important advancement for the LCD industry, said Li.

Electronic displays have become crucial across economic sectors, from consumer electronics like televisions, computers, mobile phones and tablets to applications in medical devices and home appliances.

Market analysis by Precedence Research projects the global display market to reach $182 billion in 2024, with expectations of more than doubling to $372 billion by 2034.

China's advancements in display technology are positioning the country at the forefront of this crucial industry, driven by innovations and manufacturing capabilities.

Recent research by the research company Display Supply Chain Consultants reveals China's increasing dominance in the global display industry. The country's share of total display capacity is expected to rise from 68 percent in 2023 to 74 percent in 2028, with LCD capacity specifically projected to reach 76 percent by 2028.

Notably, China is anticipated to surpass South Korea in OLED capacity by 2028, growing at an 8 percent compound annual growth rate, compared to South Korea's 2 percent.

This rapid advancement is backed by substantial investment and research intensity. According to the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation's report in September, Chinese firms in the technology and electrical hardware sector have increased their R&D intensity by 646 percent over the past decade, far outpacing the 67 percent increase seen in U.S. firms.

With investments exceeding 1 trillion yuan (about $13.6 billion) in production lines, Chinese manufacturers have developed LCD panels that improve both display quality and energy efficiency, according to Li. The innovations enabled by such scale investments also represent a significant contribution to global industry development, he suggested.

Li also noted that display technology innovation combines many disciplines, including materials, engineering and mechanics — all these need to be integrated. Looking at China's display supply chain, innovation isn't about one company achieving competitiveness but about innovating across the entire supply chain, he said.

Standardization efforts have played a crucial role in this evolution. Hisense, for instance, has been actively involved in establishing international standards for light source display technology.

The company has been involved in drafting nearly 20 international standards and winning the International Electrotechnical Commission's awards three times.

TCL, another Chinese leading TV manufacturer, has led and participated in the development of 386 technical standards, including 50 international standards, as of 2023. In the semiconductor display field, TCL CSOT has led the development of two international standards, filling industry gaps, according to the company.

In related fields such as audio-video technology and next-generation communication systems, Chinese companies continue to shape international standards, according to Sun Li, chief technology officer of TCL Industries.

That ensures seamless integration of display products with various technologies, including WiFi, operating systems, AI and decoders, he explained.

"In display technology, China has clearly mastered the entire supply chain, from semiconductors to complete machines, with increasing competitiveness," said Sun.

"This vertical integration has enabled Chinese companies to evolve from product assemblers to innovators capable of producing both core components and finished products with advanced features," he said.