Physix Frontier · News Briefing Card (TMTPost · Oct 25, 2026)

AI Squeezes Capacity, Panel Makers Raise Prices

KEY FACTS

TCL CSOT took the lead on September 10 by issuing a TV panel price increase notice, with BOE and HKC following with their own price adjustments.
BOE will adjust prices for display products starting in the fourth quarter of 2026, with 27-inch IPS panels rising 5% to 8%.
Corning announced a price increase of 15% or more for yen-denominated products starting in the fourth quarter; it holds over 50% share of the glass substrate market.
AI demand is squeezing mature-node capacity, narrowing display driver chip supply, which accounts for about 15% to 20% of LCD panel costs.
In the first half of 2026, global large-size LCD TV panel shipments edged down 0.3% year over year.

KEY DATA

5%~8%27-inch IPS panel price increase

10%~15%Large-size OLED gaming panel price increase

15% and aboveCorning yen-denominated product price increase

4%~7%Q4 TV panel total cost increase quarter over quarter

PHYSIX OBSERVATION

The root of this round of price increases is not a demand recovery, but AI grabbing away mature-node and upstream material capacity. Panel makers are not selling more screens because of AI, yet they must pay for resource reallocation. Pricing power appears to have improved, but downstream acceptance is low and end-product prices have not followed upward; if quality control and thermal experience do not improve, the price hikes will only accelerate user resistance.

Source: TMTPost report