Foxconn

Foxconn announces $10 billion LCD factory in Wisconsin

Foxconn Technology Group, the world's top contract manufacturer that counts Apple and other major Silicon Valley giants as its clients, has officially confirmed it would invest $10 billion into a new 20-million-square-foot manufacturing facility in Wisconsin to churn out high-resolution 8K LCD display panels used in smartphones, car dashboards and TVs.

Foxconn and Sharp buying a stake in micro-LED startup eLux

Apple's favorite contract manufacturer Foxconn Electronics is teaming up with its display-making subsidiary Sharp to acquire a 31.82 percent stake in eLux, a Delaware-based startup engaged in research and development of micro-LED technology and its application to virtual reality and augmented reality devices.

The American startup was established in October 2016 by researchers formerly employed at Sharp's research facilities across the United States.

Sharp says it will team with CyberNet Venture Capital, panel maker Innolux and Advanced Optoelectronic Technology (all affiliated with Foxconn) to buy eLux in October.

Nikkei said earlier this week that Sharp will take a stake of just over 30 percent in eLux, valued at $7 million, in exchange for related patents. Additionally, the Japanese giant will transfer 21 patents regarding micro-LED technology to eLux, said DigiTimes.

Apple is apparently serious about this promising new display technology.

Aside from acquiring micro-LED specialists LuxVue back in 2014, the Cupertino company could kick off trial production of micro-LEDs by the end of 2017, with Apple Watch Series 3 likely switching from OLED to micro-LED display technology.

Power-conserving micro-LEDs consist of small, light-emitting diodes that render images.

They're capable of boosting battery life by as much as 300 percent versus LCDs. The technology allows for improved color gamut and up to two to three times the brightness of OLED-based screens under the same power consumption.

Foxconn says it’s planning a number of investments in America

iPhone manufacturer Hon Hai Precision Industry Co, also known as Foxconn, is planning several investments in the United States, its Chairman Terry Gou said as he exited the White House on Friday.

Reuters cautioned that Foxconn has yet to finalize any plans, but it could be easily looking to build expensive factories in the U.S. and invest in other capital-intensive projects.

Three major Apple suppliers have submitted preliminary bids for Toshiba’s flash chip business

In the coming weeks, Toshiba will unveil a final decision concerning selling a majority stake in its lucrative memory business. Bloomberg reported this morning that iPhone manufacturer Foxconn's preliminary bid for Toshiba's semiconductor unit is valued at a whopping $26.93 billion. According to Bloomberg's sources, that amount is in part to force negotiations, using a bid that's too high to ignore.