The core patents already have expired. They have competition, it's called Reinkstone (and their DES/cofferdam tech).
The reason e-inks are so expensive and progressing so slowly is that it's a niche product which doesn't drive much R&D spending (compared to LCDs, which sell billions per quarter and you're reading this comment on).
It's not exciting, because the patents were never a barrier to innovation in the first place. LCDs have patents up the wazoo, it doesn't stop innovation there. The core problem with e-ink - the lack of market to justify R&D spending - hasn't really changed.
> I'm surprised the eink patent holders are seemingly content to lose their patent in time instead of licensing it and making real money
and I'm surprised I keep reading such claims on HN and everytime anyone ask which patent you're referring to, you get no concrete answer. It is like saying "microsoft holds lots of patents on operating systems" and that's why operating systems are so terrible and everyone is still using windows.
