Access Advance LLC today announced Samsung Electronics and Sharp Corporation joined its VVC Advance Patent Pool as both licensors and licensees in the first half of 2026. The additions strengthen Access Advance's position in VVC licensing, bringing two of the world's largest video codec patent holders into the program on both sides of the license. The participation reflects the growing adoption of VVC as the next standard for video delivery across industries.

"The growth we are seeing in VVC Advance reflects the broad range of industries and companies that are moving toward VVC as the next standard for video delivery," said Peter Moller, CEO of Access Advance. "Samsung and Sharp joining as both Licensors and Licensees is significant, but so is the participation of leading smartphone brands and the range of consumer electronics and technology companies now executing licenses. We are building a program that reflects where the video market is actually heading."

New Licensees and Licensors

The following companies joined the VVC Advance Patent Pool as Licensees since the beginning of 2026:

Five new Licensors also joined the VVC Advance Patent Pool in the first half of 2026:

Market Impact

With the addition of Samsung as a Licensee, the VVC Advance patent pool now includes six of the world's leading smartphone manufacturers: Honor, Huawei, Oppo, Samsung, vivo, and Xiaomi. VVC Advance Licensees together represent an estimated 62% of the global smartphone market. The VVC Advance Licensor base now includes significant patent holders across semiconductor design, consumer electronics, and mobile technology, with Access Advance holding licensing rights to a substantial majority of the essential patents underlying the VVC standard.

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. and SK Hynix plan to construct two new semiconductor fabrication plants each in South Korea's southwest region as part of a $590 billion investment initiative. This expansion is a component of a national project aimed at creating a chip production ecosystem and establishing a stronghold in the artificial intelligence sector. The spending underscores how early the AI infrastructure buildout remains, according to Deepwater Asset Management managing partner Gene Munster.

National Investment Strategy

The South Korean government announced the plan on Monday, identifying it as one of three new mega-projects developed in collaboration with global chip giants. President Lee Jae-myung emphasized the necessity of securing core elements of artificial intelligence faster than other nations. He identified semiconductors, physical AI, and AI data centers as the "triangle axis for this great leap forward."

Analyst Perspective on Spending

Munster stated that the combined $590 billion in factory investments is about 48% higher than the nearly $400 billion investors would have expected if capital spending had continued growing at about 20% annually. He noted that while Alphabet Inc.'s addition to the Dow Jones Industrial Average captured headlines, the capital expenditure plans announced by Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix represent the "real story" for the AI trade. The analyst added that the AI industry remains "massively supply constrained," which he views as a positive sign for the sector.

Regional and Financial Support

The Gwangju-Jeonnam government will contribute between 5 trillion won ($3.23 billion) and 20 trillion won ($12.95 billion) towards the project. President Lee Jae-myung highlighted the Honam region's suitability for development, citing abundant electricity, water, renewable energy, and affordable land. He pledged to appoint a dedicated Blue House official to oversee the project and ensure its rapid execution.

Market Reaction and Strategic Context

Samsung Electronics’ stock declined 3.87%, while SK Hynix fell 1.35% in Seoul on Monday morning. The market movement followed earlier reports suggesting the tech giants would announce major investment plans. The announcement comes shortly after SK Hynix surpassed Samsung Electronics to become South Korea’s most valuable company, a position Samsung had held since 2000.

Key Project Details

SK Hynix leads in supplying advanced high-bandwidth memory (HBM) chips to Nvidia Corp., while Samsung is investing heavily to catch up with its domestic competitor's technology. Additionally, rising AI infrastructure demand has led companies including BYD, Google, Advanced Micro Devices Inc., and Tesla Inc. to increasingly turn to Samsung Electronics for advanced contract chip manufacturing.