Recently, Wuhan China Star Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “China Star Optoelectronics”), a subsidiary of Chinese smartphone manufacturer TCL, filed an OLED patent infringement lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas against Samsung Display Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “Samsung”) and retailers Walmart and Best Buy.

On March 19, 2026, CSOT filed a complaint with the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, alleging that Samsung Display and its customers Walmart and Best Buy infringed upon three of its OLED display technology patents. These patents pertain to display technologies used in Google’s Pixel 8, 9, and 10 series smartphones. Previously, in June 2025, Samsung had initiated a patent infringement lawsuit against TCL and related entities in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, alleging that their OLED display products infringed on three of Samsung’s OLED patents.

The key factor leading to the reversal of the legal battle lies in the contest over the validity of the patents. In June 2023, CSOT filed a multi-party reexamination (IPR) proceeding with the U.S. Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) regarding two patents asserted by Samsung, seeking to challenge their validity. However, the PTAB issued a final written decision upholding the validity of those two patents, which provided CSOT with a stronger foundation for patent validity in filing its counterclaim.

In the current TCL v. Samsung case, CSOT alleges that Samsung has incorporated OLED innovative technologies developed and held by TCL and CSOT into its display panels, modules, and devices, thereby constituting infringement. Additionally, Walmart and Best Buy were named as co-defendants for selling and importing products incorporating the disputed technology. In its complaint, CSOT emphasized that Samsung “has benefited significantly by incorporating the innovative technology pioneered and developed by the plaintiff into its OLED display panels, modules, and devices.”

Meanwhile, partial settlement progress has been made in the lawsuit filed by Samsung in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas. On March 19, 2026, Ultimate Eshop LLC and Samsung filed a notice with the court confirming that the parties had reached a settlement regarding Samsung’s claims in that case. However, the main lawsuit between Samsung and CSOT remains pending.