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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. 

China-based OLED microdisplay developer Lakeside Optoelectronics (also known as Lakeside Lightning Semiconductor) announced that it is progressing with its 12-inch OLED microdisplay production line project in Yixing (Wuxi). The building itself is nearly complete, with the last floor concrete poured in. 

The new fab will have a capacity of 7,000 monthly 12-inch substrates, and should enter production in October 2025. The company also plans a 2nd phase which will double its capacity and enable it to produce around 10 million OLED microdisplays per year. 

Sony is demonstrating an early-stage MR headset, based on dual 1.3" 4K OLED microdisplays (or at least this is what is assumed, as Sony did not exactly detail the displays). The headset, which isn't yet a product, uses Qualcomm's XR2+ Gen 2 processor, includes passthrough video (soft-AR), and unique controllers.  Sony said its headset is "primarily designed for professionals who work with 3D".

It is likely that this headset uses Sony's ECX344A displays - which are actually 1.41" 4K (3552x3840) OLED microdisplays, announced in August 2023. These same displays are used by Apple in its Vision Pro headset.

US-based Pixelligent is an advanced materials company that delivers next generation optical materials applications in lighting and displays. For the OLED industry, Pixelligent offers materials that significantly increase light output by increasing the refractive index of materials in the device.

Pixelligent's President and CEO, Craig Bandes, was kind enough to answe a few questions we had, to learn more about Pixelligent and its solutions for the OLED industry.

Hello Craig! Can you explain your technology and materials and how they enhance the efficiency of OLED display?

We are best known for our high refractive index (HRI) nanocrystal formulations and dispersions that deliver breakthrough performance in next-generation electronics, like extended reality, displays, optics, and sensors. We designed our PixJet®, PixNIL®, and PixClear® products to offer the best combination of brightness, clarity, operating efficiencies, and device-lifetime. 

OLED microdisplay maker Sidtek announced that it is starting to install production equipment at its 12-inch production line in Wuhu City, Anhui Province. The company says the first production line in the project is on track to start production in 2024.

Sidtek is currently producing its OLED microdisplays on a 8-inch production line, also in Wuhu. The first phase of its 12-inch fab will have a monthly capacity of 6,000 substrates, and the company is planning an expansion to 18,000 substrate. The total investment in the 12-inch fab (including the 2nd stage) is estimated at 6 billion Yuan (around $840 million USD).

LG Display has been developing OLED microdisplay technologies for several years (branding these as OLEDoS), and last year it was reported that LGD is planning to build its first production line, as hoping to supply OLED Microdisplay to Apple in the future. LG is reportedly started ordering deposition equipment from Korea-based OLED equipment maker Sunic System.

According to the Korean publication The Elec, LGD has decided not to build an OLED microdisplay production line, at least for now. The company will continue its R&D project, though.

Apple first VR headset, the Apple Vision Pro, adopts dual 1.3" 4K OLED microdisplays made by Sony. According to reports, Apple is looking to replace Sony as its supplier and is testing displays made by Seeya and BOE. Apple seems to be aiming to adopt these in its next-gen Vision Pro model - and also in a future low-cost mixed-reality headset.

Sony officially launched its 1.3" 4K OLED displays last week, with an official price of $1,000 per unit. Some reports suggest that Apple is paying $350 per display - which is still very expensive, as the two OLED displays cost almost half of the total production cost of the Vision Pro (estimated at $1,500).

Back in 2021, Sony unveiled a 4K OLED microdisplay prototype. In June Apple announced the Vision Pro headset, which uses two Sony-made 1.3" 4K (3,552 × 3,840) OLED microdisplay, made by Sony. And today Sony finally officially introduced its ECX344A display, targeting VR and AR devices.

Sony says that in order to develop the new display it developed new miniaturization processes as well as a new pixel drive circuits and a high-speed driver circuit. Sony says that the display will ship by the end of 2023 and its price is set at 150,000 Yen, or just over $1,000 USD (it is estimated that Apple pays around $350 for each panel).

French OLED microdisplay maker MicroOLED announced that it has raised €21 million, led by Jolt Capital and with support from the French sovereign wealth fund Bpifrance via its Innovation Defense vehicle, alongside both historical investors, Cipio Partners and Ventech.

MicroOLED updates that it has been granted over 170 patents to date, through a close collaboration with neighbor CEA/Leti research centers. The company offers a line-up of compact products ranging from 0.2" to 0.6" in size, with high resolution and power as low as 1mW. MicroOLED will use to funds to accelerate its R&D, expand its production capabilities in Grenoble and grow its international sales teams.

Today we published a new edition of our OLED and MicroLED Microdisplays Market Report, with all the latest information. The new edition offers more that a dozen new updates, new companies, new brochures and catalogs, and more. Global multinational companies are working hard to develop and deploy next-generation AR and VR devices, and these devices will all be based on OLED and microLED microdisplay engines.

Reading this report, you'll learn all about:

• The advantages of OLED and MicroLED microdisplays
• The microdisplays that are available on the market today
• Information on all companies involved in this market
• Future technologies and roadmaps

The report package also provides:

• A list of all OLED microdisplays on the market
• A list of all OLED and MicroLED microdisplays makers
• Microdisplays spreadsheet
• Over 25 datasheets, presentations
• Free updates for a year

This microdisplays market report provides a great introduction to OLED and MicroLED microdisplays, and covers everything you need to know about the current status of the market and industry. This is a great guide if you're considering to adopt OLED microdisplays in your product, if you're looking to learn more about next-generation micro-LEDs and if you want to understand this industry better.