The LCD display technology, which was once highly debated as "marginalized", is set to experience a technological boom in early 2026. With the large-scale commercialization of RGB-Mini LED color backlight technology and the continuous increase in the domestic production rate of core materials, LCD not only breaks the squeeze from OLED technology but also reconfigures the high-end display market landscape with the dual advantages of "improved picture quality and controllable cost". The dominant position of Chinese enterprises in the entire value chain is further consolidated.
As the core breakthrough point for the high-endization of LCD, Mini LED technology is evolving from single-color backlight to color backlight. On January 19th, Hisense released the 2026 model E8S series RGB-Mini LED TV, which was the first to achieve universal pricing for this technology, pushing the price of flagship models to the same level as single-color backlight quantum dot products, causing a shock in the industry. Different from the traditional QD-Mini LED color conversion scheme of "blue light + quantum dot film", RGB-Mini LED directly emits light through each light bulb by integrating R/G/B independent chips, without the need for intermediate medium conversion. Not only does it reduce light energy loss by more than 40%, but it also achieves 100% BT.2020 ultra-wide color gamut coverage and color reproduction accuracy improved by 20% compared to the single-color scheme, effectively solving the problem of whiteing in high-brightness scenes.
Behind the technological breakthrough lies the collaborative innovation throughout the entire value chain. Haier relies on 1,393 patents related to light control and color control, along with its self-developed AI picture quality chip H7, to achieve precise zone control at 3×10240 levels. The highest 9,360 light control zones ensure that the color accuracy ΔE is less than 1, reaching the level of professional film and television production. In terms of hardware, the application of the automotive-grade light-emitting chip from Ganzhao Optoelectronics has enabled the red light chip's lifespan to exceed 160,000 hours, with durability far exceeding traditional quantum dot solutions. According to data from Avalon Cloud Network, during the Double Eleven period in 2025, Haier's market share in the RGB-Mini LED TV market reached 95.67%, leading the technological implementation pace. The global president of the International Society for Information Display (SID), Yan Qun, commented that the integrated innovation of Chinese enterprises marks that LCD technology has shaken off the following position and entered the stage of independent leadership.
The in-depth breakthrough in the domestic production of core materials has provided a solid foundation for the high-end development of LCD. By 2025, China's LCD material industry will achieve a key leap, with the domestic production rate of polarizing films reaching 50%, liquid crystal materials reaching 45%, and the domestic production rates of glass substrates and driving ICs increasing to 38% and 28% respectively. Sangjin Optoelectronics and Sanlipu have achieved mass production of 3-meter ultra-wide polarizing films, which are suitable for 110-inch large-screen LCD products; Chengzhi Yonghua has built a patent matrix of over 1,600 items by acquiring 1,183 liquid crystal patents from DIC Corporation in Japan. The PSVA liquid crystal material developed by it has successfully entered the high-end TV supply chain, and the vehicle-mounted low-temperature fast-response liquid crystal material has a response time of less than 250 milliseconds at -30℃, leading the global market.
The materials directly drive cost reduction and market expansion. Taking the 65-inch Mini LED LCD panel as an example, when the core materials were imported in 2023, the cost per panel reached 1,200 yuan. After adopting domestic materials in 2025, it dropped to 850 yuan, a reduction of 29%. The cost advantage combined with technological upgrades has led to a rapid increase in the global penetration rate of Mini LED backlit LCD panels. According to Omdia data, in 2025, the global shipment volume reached 38 million panels, with a penetration rate exceeding 38%. At the same time, the global LCD production capacity has continued to concentrate in China. TCL Huaxing completed the acquisition of LGD's Guangzhou 8.5-generation LCD line. Head companies such as BOE and TCL Huaxing have a global market share of over 65%, further strengthening their industry influence.
It is worth noting that LCD technology is accelerating its expansion into various scenarios. In the field of vehicle display, wide temperature range liquid crystal materials have become a necessity; in the medical field, domestic liquid crystal materials have achieved the strict standards of a contrast ratio of 3000:1 and color deviation of ΔE < 2, successfully entering the high-end market in Europe; enterprises such as HKC have further extended the RGB-Mini LED technology to commercial screens and automotive displays, and will further expand production capacity in 2026. Academician Ding Wenhua of the Chinese Academy of Engineering stated that the RGB-Mini LED technology achieves better color performance and energy-saving effects than QD-OLED, opening up a long-term growth space for LCD technology.
Industry insiders point out that with the widespread adoption of RGB-Mini LED technology and the deepening of material self-reliance, LCD has completely shed its label as a "retired industry", forming a complementary development pattern with OLED in different market segments. In the future, technological iterations will focus on improving light control accuracy and adapting to cross-border scenarios. Chinese enterprises, leveraging their full industrial chain advantages, will continue to lead the global LCD technology upgrade and market expansion pace.
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