E Ink Holdings says business is recovering gradually from an inventory correction cycle. Demand for E Ink displays has risen, mainly due to the adoption of new color EPD displays for e-readers and electronic shelf labels (ESLs). The company believes that the first quarter of 2024 will be its lowest point in the year, and revenues will start rising in Q2 and onwards.

E Ink further says that many ESL customers are expected to increase orders in the third quarter of 2024, and a large retailer in North America has started replacing paper labels with ESLs. This could be Walmart as we published last year. 

Himax Technologies and E Ink Holdings announced a new collaboration to a revolutionary ultralow power battery-operated smart retail solution. The solution incorporates Himax's leading-edge WiseEye ultralow power AI sensing technology with E Ink’s signage EPD, featuring industry-leading E Ink’s Kaleido displays.

Leveraging WiseEye, the smart retail solution deploys context-aware AI in human presence and shopper insight detection while also significantly enhancing the already impressive battery life of an ePaper display and enabling real-time personalized marketing. Himax WiseEye ultralow power AI sensing technology incorporates Himax proprietary ultralow power AI processor, always-on CMOS image sensor, and CNN-based AI algorithm, offering state-of-the-art ultralow power, always-on sensing, on-device context-aware AI and has been widely deployed in consumer electronics and AIoT related applications. 

Electrochromics display developer Ynvisible announced that it has mass produced and shipped 25,000 large-format digital signage displays for Fortech S.r.l., Italy's leading provider of bespoke solutions for the fuel retail sector.

Fortech uses these displays to show average fuel prices at gas stations, as part of its PriceLink solution. Fortech chose Ynvisible's innovative display solution as it is battery-operated for wireless convenience, lightweight for ease of installation, and durable enough to withstand outdoor conditions.

E Ink and AUO announced a new strategic partnership to co-develop large-size color ePaper displays. E Ink will provide full-color ePaper modules, while AUO will provide integrated software and hardware technologies along with the TFT backplane components.

E Ink hopes this new agreement will enable it to expand the adoption of its ePaper displays in retail applications. AUO's Smart Retail Business Group has developed software and hardware platforms that will enable the integration of the new displays and offer a direct route to market. The company is set to launch a new a cloud-based platform solution that integrates digital signage and electronic shelf labels. Its integrated CMS serves over 30,000 client nodes globally. As part of the new partnership, AUO plans to introduce additional large-size, ultra-low power consumption, energy-efficient display solutions using the E Ink displays.

E Ink announced it is collaborating with Realtek Semiconductor, Integrated Solutions Technology (IST), and Chipbond Technology to develop the System on Panel (SoP) architecture, to be integrated into the next-generation electronic shelf label (ESL) jointly developed with the system integrator, SOLUM. 

SOLUM is the number one US ESL solution provider, and the project's aim is to simplify the material structure of ESL and bring a sustainable solution via reduced material usage, lower power consumption and simplified production processes.

Kobo launched two e-Readers, both of which use E Ink's latest Kaleido 3 color displays. First up is the Kobo Libra Colour, with its 7" color 1264x1680 E Ink Kaleido 3 touchscreen (300 PPI in monochrome, 150 PPI in color). The Libra Colour offers a Dual-Core 2 Ghz chipset, Kobo Stylus 2 support ($69.99 extra), physical page turn buttons and IPX8 waterproofing. The Kobo Libra Color will ship by the end of April 2024, for $219.99.

The Kobo Clara Colour eReader offers a 6" E Ink 1448 x 1072 Kaleido 3 display (300 PPI in monochrome, 150 PPI in color), a Dual-Core 2.0 Ghz chipset and IPX8 waterproofing. The Kobo Clara Colour eReaderw will ship by end of April 2024 for $149.99.

E Ink announced a new collaboration with Hitachi to achieve digital transformation and paperless operations in Hitachi's manufacturing sites at Omika Works. Hitachi deployed eNote devices, developed by E Ink's subsidiary, Linfiny Japan Inc., on Hitachi's IoT platform.  The eNote devices use 13.3" E Ink Kaleido 3 flexible and durable color ePaper displays.

One of Hitachi's most difficult challenges was to reudce paper media. Hitachi says that E Ink's ePaper solutions are very suitable for on-site work and would enable a smooth transition to digitalization without conventional work methods needing to be changed. 

BMW has unviled a new concept car, the BMW i5 Flow NOSTOKANA, that is covered with E Ink Prism 3 panels - and which pays a tribute to the 1991 Esther Mahlangu Art Car. 

Directly inspired by the South African artist Esther Mahlangu, the BMW i5 Flow NOSTOKANA has 1,349 E Ink Prism 3 segments that can be individually controlled.

Smartphone maker Infinix showcased the E-Color Shift, a smartphone rear panel that is covered with E Ink Prism 3 panels that enables users to change (the maintain) the colors of the cover.

Infinix did not yet disclose whether it aims to commercialize such technology in the future.