February 2024

MicroLED Connect, our hybrid event series focusing on the microLED industry, will be hosting a two-day virtual event focused on the OLED innovations, technologies, manufacturing, markets and more. The online event will take place on April 10-11, and will be an excellent opportunity to learn the latest OLED updates and connect with industry professionals on our excellent online event platform.

Today we have published the agenda for this event, with 20 exciting talks by leading OLED developers, supply chain companies and top-edge researchers. This will be an excellent opportunity to learn and connect with the OLED industry. You can register for the event here, with a yearly pass to MicroLED-Connect (with an option to also include entry into our September on-site event in Eindhoven, The Netherlands). Our members also gain access to past event recordings.

LG Display says that its WOLED TV and gaming displays have been awarded UL's low-plastic verification, given to products in which the plastic usage accounts to less than 5% of their total weight.

LGD says that its 65-inch OLED TV panel contains about 4% plastic content, about 905 lower than to a 65" LCD panel. In addition, by substituting key components with easily recyclable materials, LG Display has increased the recyclability of parts to as high as 92.7% at disposal.

China-based display IC developer Tianyi Micro announced a strategic cooperation with Israel-based foundry Tower Semiconductor, to develop next-generation OLED microdisplay backplanes.

The new driver ICs will be based on Tower’s unique 180nm and 65nm dedicated micro display backplane process flows, supporting current-driven (as opposed to voltage-driven) OLED pixel designs. 

Samsung Display demonstrated a new technology it brands as Flex Magic Pixel, that adjusts the viewing angle of the flexible OLED screen so that it is not visible to the person next to it. Samsung says that when this technology is combined with the proper AI technology, can be used to enhance the security of smart devices.

Samsung gives a use case example - when a smart device user runs a banking application in a public place, AI technology can automatically recognize the environment and initiate additional security features. The company's new Flex Magic Pixel enables the introduction of dynamic OLED privacy. Samsung Display is showing the new application at MWC 2024.

Universal Display Corporation reported its financial results for Q4 2023, with revenues of $158 million, and a net income of $62 million. For the whole year (2023), UDC reproted revenues of $576 million and net income of $203 million. The company ended 2023 with $800 million in cash and equivalents, and has increased its quarterly dividend.

UDC says that the market still suffers from soft spending in smartphone and premium TVs. UDC, however, says that it believes that the OLED industry is starting a new and exciting multiyear investment cycle.

Researchers from Korea's Gachon University, Seoul University and Chungbuk University developed a multi-functional encapsulation technology that can be used to develop fiber-based wearable OLED devices, deposited on textiles.

The new OLED device is produced on a light extraction substrate, that is super-hydrophobic - developed by coating a water-repellent layer on a rough surface obtained through ion beam treatment, ensuring excellent uniformity and easy power control. The new encapsulation offers high performance (10-6 g/m-2/day) and also achieves a UV transmission rate of less than 3%.

 This is a guest post, by Ioannis (John) Kymissis

Micro light-emitting diode (microLED) technology is the bright young thing in the display world, literally and figuratively. Its high luminance, sharp contrast, and vivid colors, among other attributes, make this one of the most dynamic emerging technologies for next-gen display applications. We’re just beginning to see what the future holds for microLEDs and their potential impact on display and imaging capabilities.

On the Technology Fast Track 

MicroLEDs have made rapid advancements since they were first submitted for patent in 1998. The Kansas State University researchers who developed these miniaturized versions of LEDs envisioned using them in sensors, detectors, and mini-displays. But now, in just under three decades, many major display leaders and emerging companies are racing to produce and integrate the technology in everything from smartwatches to TVs to automotive displays. 

Omdia updated its forecast for Apple's OLED adoption in its IT devices (iPads and Notebooks), saying that the company will begin the OLED transition with the 11-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro due later in 2024.

Samsung Display and LG Display will be Apple's suppliers, and the two companies will adopt new technologies. SDC will produce rigid glass based LTPO tandem AMOLEDs and LG will produce flexible AMOLEDs, at its E6 line. Omdia estimates that Apple will pay $80-90 for the 11" displays and $120-130 for the 12.9" displays, without the touch and cover glass (which will add $20-30 per display).

Samsung announced that in 2023 it retained its market-leading position in the TV mraket, with a 30.1% market share (revenues). The company also disclosed that it sold 1.01 million OLED TVs in 2023 - mostly QD-OLED TVs, and some WOLED TVs as well.

Samsung quotes Omdia saying that it had a 22.7% market share in the OLED TV Market (by revenue), which is pretty impressive, as the company is relatively very new to this market.