Japan-based Rohm Semiconductor said on Feb. 14 that it has successfully developed a 4-channel LED driver IC –BD183x7EFV-M – applicable for automotive parts such as brake lights, fog lamps and turn signals. It is also embedded with MOSFET.The product raised efficiency by reducing the number of heat d

Samsung SDI and battery cathode supplier EcoProBM will invest up to KRW 120 billion into establishing a joint venture this year. The two sides plan to complete a plant in Pohang before the year is out to begin producing next generation cathode in January, 2022.EcoProBM said in a regulatory filing on

In 2019, South Korea’s SK Innovation joined the ranks of the world’s top 10 makers of electric vehicle (EV) batteries, according to market research firm SNE Research. Among the 10 companies, the SK affiliate was the only one that doubled its growth on-year.At No.1 was China’s CATL with a 27.9% marke

South Korea’s EcoPro BM will be doubling its production of battery cathode this year to 59,000 tons, up from the 29,000 tons in 2019, according to the company on Feb. 7.In a fourth earnings report on this day, EcoPro BM said thanks to growing demand for EV battery cathode from battery maker SK Innov

South Korean battery makers refuted findings by a team of experts and government officials who announced on Feb. 6 that 4 out of 5 of the fires that occurred at Energy Storage Systems between August and October in 2019 were due to batteries.The investigative team said that a variety of defects in th

Growth in the global smartphone market will remain lackluster this year in the aftermath of the deadly coronavirus that has claimed more than 700 lives in China where it originated from, according to market research firm Strategy Analytics (SA).SA cut its growth forecasts by 2% from the previous 3%

Battery cathode maker EcoProBM has signed on with SK Innovation to supply up to KRW 2.7 trillion worth of cathode to South Korean battery maker SK Innovation, according to EcoProBM in a regulatory filing on Feb. 3.The firm also said it would be building a new plant in Pohang, exclusively for produci

LG Electronics will be releasing different tiers of 5G smartphones this year depending on the region and demographics, according to the company on Jan. 30. The high-end LG V60 ThinQ will be sold only in the North American and European markets.“We plan on focusing on different strategies for differen

Samsung SDI has turned to micro-batteries for wireless earphones and plans to begin supplying to key clients within this year, the company said in a conference call after announcing its fourth quarter earnings report on Jan. 30.Most of the capex investment for the product will center in Göd of Hunga

South Korean chipmaker SK hynix has signed an agreement with Jiangsu Province’s Wuxi New Area – formerly Wuxi National Hi-tech Industrial Development Zone – to invest 2 billion yuan (KRW 340 billion) on jointly creating an industrial cluster specializing in semiconductor development, according to Ch

The fixed trading prices of DDR4 1Gb 2133MHz prices rose 1.07% on-month to USD 2.84 in January, indicating a gradual increase in DRAM prices, helped by a limited increase in supplies by memory chip makers, according to DRAMeXchange on Jan. 31.This marks the first price rise in more than a year since

Roh Tae-moon has been named as the new head of Samsung Electronics mobile division in a move signaling that the South Korean tech giant may work to push out more China-based ODM smartphones into the market.According to an executive-level reshuffling announced by Samsung Electronics on Jan. 20, a tot

In 2019, Huawei sold a total of 6.9 million 5G-enabled smartphones, according to the company on Jan. 15.The figure was slightly bigger than the 6.7 million that Samsung Electronics earlier revealed as the number of 5G handsets it sold during the like period.Included in the 5G smartphones sold by Hua

“Artificial intelligence should be applied not only to raise profit, but also to solve social problems so that it can contribute to keeping a balance between economic and social values,” said SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won at a conference on scientific innovation held at the Chey Institute for Advan

Kolon Industries on Dec. 24 displayed new components for hydrogen-fueled cars at the ground-breaking ceremony of the Hydrogen Energy Network’s hydrogen charging station in Sejong Government Complex in a move indicating its expansion into the sector.Hydrogen Energy Network is a special purpose compan

Korea PI Holdings – a special purpose company set up by local private equity fund Glenwood PE – signed a 608 billion won (US$523 million) deal on Dec.24 to acquire a controlling stake in SKC Kolon PI.Korea PI Holdings will buy 54.06-percent stake in SKC Kolon PI, with each buying a 27.03-percent sta

The global wireless earphone market is forecast to grow 90% in 2020 to around 230 million units, according to market research firm CounterPoint Research on Dec. 6.“The recent growth in the wireless earphone market closely resembles that of the smartphone market 10 years ago when the market grew 80%

SK hynix, the world’s No.2 memory chipmaker, on Dec. 5 said it has undergone its regular executive reshuffling that involved promoting Jin kyo-won, vice chief executive at the DRAM development division, to the new head for development and manufacturing.The firm’s vice chief for global business at SK

LG Electronics on Nov. 28 underwent a reshuffling for the new year that included naming Kwon Bong-suk as CEO and promoting a total of 49 employees.The key point was replacing the current chief executive with Kwon based on the conviction that it was time for a change to make fast, strategic decisions

Samsung Display will be selecting the ink-jet printing equipment provider for the world’s first QD display color filter in December, according to industry sources on Nov. 26The top two competitors are US-based Kateeva that is a leading the market for small-sized OLED TFE ink-jet printing equipment a