OLED Microdisplays: learn more and find a supplier!

Last updated on Tue 09/07/2024 - 11:50

OLED is a next-generation display technology that is replacing LCD displays in several markets, such as small displays for mobile applications, TVs and microdisplays. OLEDs are made from thin films of organic light emitting materials that emit light when electricity is applied. OLEDs have a much simpler structure compared to LCDs and have several advantages over the incumbent technology.

OLED microdisplays

OLED microdisplays are considered to be the current state-of-the-art near-eye display technology. OLEDs offer many advantages over competing technologies:

  • No backlight - a direct emissive display with high contrast and a wide color gamut
  • Fast refresh rate
  • Low power consumption (this depends on the image shown)
  • Wide operation temperature range

OLEDs do suffer from lower lifetime, limited market capacity, high price. Many believe that microLEDs will offer the ultimate solution for microdisplays, with their inherent high brightness and efficiency, but these displays are not commercial yet.

The OLED Microdisplay industry

Several companies in the US, Europe and Asia are producing OLED microdisplays - including eMagin (acquired by Samsung in 2023), Sony, OLiGHTEK, Kopin, BOE and SeeYa. In addition, Samsung and LG are both gearing up towards OLED microdisplay production.

LG Display 0.42'' 1280x720 OLEDoS SID 2020 photo

If you're interested in adopting OLED microdisplays in your device, we'll be happy to help, you can browse available display in our OLED marketplace. Be sure to send us a mail and together we can find the best display for your project.

Learn more about the OLED Microdisplays industry and market

Are you looking for more in-depth information on the OLED Microdisplay industry? Check out our OLED Toolbox, which provides a complete set of information products and tools for OLED professionals. The Toolbox provides an unprecedented depth of OLED content, data, analysis and insights, written and compiled by the industry's leading portal, OLED-Info.com.

The OLED Toolbox includes details on all OLED microdisplay developers and producers, a list of all current and planned fabs, a list of all microdisplays on the market, many company brochures and roadmaps, and more.

Sony launches a new 10,000 nits 0.44-inch FHD OLED microdisplay - the world's brightest and with the smallest pixels

Sony announced a new OLED Microdisplay, the ECX350F, a 0.44" 120Hz 1920x1080 (FHD) microdisplay that offers the world's highest brightness at 10,000 nits. It also offers the world's smallest pixel size at 5.1 um (the PPI is around 5,000).

Sony says that in order to reach this high brightness, it adopted a new OLED stack structure, a new "semiconductor process" and added a microlens array on top of the display. In addition, the bezel size of the new display is exceptionally small, with only 1.14 mm of added bezel on the long side of the display on both top and bottom.

Read the full story Posted: Oct 01,2024

Apple looks to adopt a TFT AMOLED for its future entry-level MR headset

There's an interesting report in Korea that claims that Apple is developing an entry-level MR headset, and is looking to adopt TFT based AMOLED displays, as opposed to the currently-used OLED microdisplays. It is reported that both JDI and Samsung are in talks with Apple, and have been requested to develop lower-cost TFT AMOLEDs with a pixel density of 1,500 PPI (down from 3,400 PPI high-end Sony microdisplays used in the Vision Pro).

Apple Vision Pro

It is understood that JDI has already developed the technology and produced 1,500 PPI samples for Apple. Interestingly it is reported that the JDI displays uses Sony's technology, although it is not stated which technology exactly. Samsung meanwhile is also developing 1,500 PPI AMOLEDs at its A2 fab. Apple's target is to release the headset at around 2026-2027 and by then it is likely that more OLED producers (such as LG Display) will develop similar displays. 

Read the full story Posted: Sep 10,2024

BOE developed 5,000 nits tandem 4K 0.9" OLED microdisplays

During the company's 2024 Innovation Partner Conference, BOE unveiled its latest OLED microdisplay. The display is a 0.9" 4K (6020 PPI) panel, that is based on a tandem OLED architecture. It achieves a maximum brightness of 5,000 nits.

BOE has also unveiled ultra-light (150 grams) VR glasses based on these displays. It is not clear whether this is a product that BOE aims to commercialize, or a reference design, or a product produced by one of its partners.

Read the full story Posted: Sep 10,2024

Meta reportedly cancels its plans to release a high-end VR headset

According to reports, Meta has decided to cancel one of its VR projects that was planned for 2027. This device was to be a high-end product, similar to Apple's Vision Pro - with a similar high price tag. Following the poor market reaction for Apple's Vision Pro, Meta decided to scrap the project.

Oculus Rift photo

The original Oculus Rift

Meta was planning to use OLED microdisplays in its upcoming high-end headset, as these are the best performing displays for such products. It is reported that one of the reasons that Meta is not proceeding with its project is the high price of the OLEDs. These are expensive displays indeed - according to some estimates, Apple is paying $350 for each display, which means around $700 for each headset. On the other hand, it is estimated that OLED microdisplay prices are set to drop sharply in the near future as new capacity comes online, and new players (including Samsung and LGD) start producing displays. 

Read the full story Posted: Aug 25,2024

Samsung shows a 1.3" 12,000 nits OLED microdisplay at K-Display 2024

Samsung Display demonstrated a new OLED microdisplay at K-Display 2024, a 1.3" 12,000 nits 4000 PPI display. It is not clear whether this display is a direct-emission display, or one that uses white OLEDs with color filters.

Samsung Display's CEO, Choi Joo-seon, said during the conference that SDC will soon commercialize OLED microdisplays based on eMagin's direct-patterning deposition technology (SDC acquired eMagin in 2023). Choi says that the price of OLED microdisplays is an important differentiating factor. Last week Omdia estimated that the price of OLED microdisplays is set to decline sharply in the near future.

Read the full story Posted: Aug 17,2024

Omdia: the price of OLED microdisplays is set to decline sharply in the near future

According to Omdia, the price of OLED microdisplays is expected to drop rapidly in the next few years, as production capacity grows, new OLED producers join the industry,  and as wafers sizes increases as well which improves production efficiency. 

Interestingly Omdia acknowledges that new technologies are set to improve the performance of OLED microdispalys - such as tandem architectures, direct emission, and more. These technologies will increase the cost of production, and it's not clear whether Omdia takes that into account in their estimates above, or whether they assume 

Read the full story Posted: Aug 12,2024

Microsoft signs up Samsung Display to supply it with OLED microdisplays for a 2026 headset

According to reports from Korea, Microsoft has signed an agreement with Samsung Display for the supply of OLED microdisplays for a future MX device, that Microsoft plans to launch in the future (likely 2026 or later).

Samsung Display OLED microdisplay roadmap slide (2022-08)

Microsoft agreed to order a few hundreds of thousands of units of Samsung's OLED microdisplays. Samsung Display is collaborating with Samsung System LSI, that will design the CMOS backplane, which will be produced by Samsung Foundry. Samsung Display will handle the frontplane OLED deposition and encapsulation.

Read the full story Posted: Aug 09,2024

DSCC details the display industry's capital spending on equipment from 2020 to 2027

DSCC says that display makers are increasing their OLED CapEx investment as demand for OLED displays is on the rise. DSCC has raised its forecast for OLED spending by 14% compared to their previous update, while they retain their previous forecast for LCD, OLED microdisplay and microLED display equipment spending. 

Between 2020 and 2027, OLED display makers will invest $44 billion in new production equipment. The spending on OLED equipment will keep growing year after year from 2023 to 2027, reaching $6.5 billion in 2027, as OLED penetration in the smartphone, tablet and laptop market is increasing, and fab utilization is increasing too, encouraging display makers to add capacity.

Read the full story Posted: Aug 09,2024

The Fraunhofer IPMS manages to increase the transparency of its OLED microdisplays to 45%

A few months ago researchers from the Fraunhofer IPMS announced that they have developed semi-transparent yellow high resolution OLED microdisplays, that are significantly lighter than conventional combiner-based optical see-through near-to-eye systems. 

The Fraunhofer IPMS now announced that it has managed to increase the transparency of these microdisplays to 45%. 

Read the full story Posted: Aug 08,2024

Researchers develop a new method to produce 20,000 PPI OLED microdisplays

Researchers from Soochow University and the University of Muenster have developed a method to produce ultra high resolution OLED microdisplays - with up to 20,000 PPI.

To achieve such high resolution, the researchers used a method they refer to as "first surface patterning and then patterned growth". The idea is that the substrate is first patterned using lithography, and then the organic materials are deposited. Following the substrate treatment, the organic materials are diffusing on the substrate, selectively grown on the designated areas.

Read the full story Posted: Aug 08,2024