Direct emission - Page 5

eMagin, the OLED microdisplay maker, demonstrated a full-color directly-patterned OLED microdisplay, the first time that such a display prototype has been developed. eMagin's display (called the OLED-ULT) features a high luminance of 4,500 nits and a PPI of 2,645.

eMagin targets VR and AR applications for this high-brightness and high-resolution display, and the company says that the demonstrated generated "tremendous interest", including from some Tier-1 display company representatives.

eMagin, the OLED microdisplay maker, reported financial results for Q4 2015. Revenues were $6.7 (the same as in Q4 2014) and net loss was $2.1 million (up from a loss of $1.6 million in Q4 2014). The company currently has $9.3 million in cash and equivalents (up from $6 million at the end of 2014).

eMagin XGA096 OLED-XL

For the whole year of 2015, eMagin reports revenues of $25.1 million (down from $25.7 million in 2014). Net loss was $4.1 million (down from $5.3 million in 2014).

Looking forward, eMagin's CEO is optimistic - the company sees a growth in the US defense budget for 2016 and 2017 and it recently signed several new design wins with military customers.

Samsung Display recently confirmed that it is still developing large-sized OLED panels, and a couple of weeks ago it was reported that Samsung is discussing a large investment (around $3 billion US) into a new OLED TV panel fab.

New reports from Korea gives more details about Samsung's OLED TV plans. Samsung is actually considering a slightly larger investment - around $3.3 billion in a new fab, with an aim to enable Samsung Electronics to launch OLED TVs by 2018. Samsung is looking to build a Gen-8 (2200x2500 mm, or six 55" panels) fab - and will need to start ordering equipment soon. The new fab will enable Samsung to produce about 495,000 square meters in 2017 (7,500 monthly substrates) and over 2 million square meters in 2018.

During the OLED World Summit, an analyst from UBI gave an interesting presentation, showing the company's view of the current status of the OLED TV industry, and their OLED market forecasts for upcoming years.

So first of all, we have LG and Samsung. LGD has obviously been successful in launching WOLED OLED TVs, and scaling up to mass production has been achieved. LG is also hopeful that solution processing will enable them to produce RGB-structured OLEDs efficiently. LG is collaborating with Merck and Espon on printing technologies.

eMagin, the OLED microdisplay maker, reported their financial results for Q3 2015. Revenues were $5.4 million - down from $7 million in Q2 2015 due to a decrease in both product sales and R&D contract revenue. Net loss was $2.2 million, and eMagin currently has $5.1 million in cash and equivalents.

An eMagin OLED microdisplay

eMagin decreased its revenue guidance for 2015 and now anticipates annual revenues of $24 million or above. A couple of months ago eMagin has entered into an agreement with Craig-Hallum Capital Group that will allow them to raise up to $4.5 million.

LG Display is one of the two companies that lead the OLED industry, and the Korean display maker recently announced a major shift in focus from LCD displays to OLEDs. We conducted a short interview with an official from LGD regarding the company's OLED business goals and aims.

Q: LGD's CEO recently gave a very exciting speech regarding OLEDs, as the company shifts its focus towards OLEDs. What made you take that decision? How do you see the OLED TV market evolving in the next few years?

Market competition is getting fiercer with Chinese manufacturers rapidly catching up in terms of technology and capacity. In response, we recognize that differentiation in product and technology is essential to growth and maintaining leadership in the display industry.

IHS says that AMOLED material consumption will increase dramatically starting in the second half of 2015 as LG Display increase WRGB (WOLED) OLED TV panel production. The market will more than threefold - reaching $165 million in H2 2015, up from $58 million in H1.

IHS forecasts that the WOLED material market will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 79% from 2014 to 2019, to reach over $1.25 billion. The whole AMOLED materials market will grow at 54%, from $658 million in 2015 to $2 billion in 2019 (at a CAGR of 37%).

eMagin, the OLED microdisplay maker, reported their financial results for Q1 2015 - the company generated $6 million in revenue (down from $6.3 from last year) and with higher gross margin and lower expenses, they managed to turn a profit of $300K - after seven quarters of operating losses.

eMagin XGA096 OLED-XL

eMagin started to ship their ultra high brightness WUXGA displays, and also started to ship VGA displays globally (these are eMagin's lowest cost displays ever). eMagin also reports advances in direct-patterned OLEDs, and they completed development of its recently announced microdisplay-based HMD and demonstrated it to potential customers.

According to Korean site ETNews, Samsung Display decided to re-enter the OLED TV market. The Korean display maker reportedly finds it difficult to make a profit from the competitive LCD business (some reports suggest that SDC aims to split the OLED and LCD business soon).

Interestingly, the reports suggest that Samsung aims to use a WRGB architecture - like LG uses in their own OLED TVs, and unlike the direct-emission used in Samsung's small display and first-generation OLED TVs. The WRGB (white OLED with color filters and four sub pixels) was originally developed at Kodak, and then bought by LG back in 2009.

eMagin reported their financial results for Q4 2014. Revenues were $6.7 million (up 10% from Q4 2013), and operating loss was $1.6 million (down from $3.3 million in Q4 2013). eMagin has $6 million in cash balance, and the company expects revenues in 2015 to be $26-29 million.

An eMagin OLED microdisplay

eMagin reports good progress with their high-brightness direct-emission microdisplays, the HMD product they are developing in-house and the new backplane technology that is expected to cut power consumption by 30%.