Micro-LED - Page 12

During a presentation at SID Displayweek 2018, Coherent showed a nice chart that summarizes the performance difference between LCDs, OLEDs and Micro-LED displays.

Micro-LEDs have many advantages - including much higher efficiencies and brightness, when compared to both LCDs and OLEDs. The main challenges with Micro-LED is the high costs in the production processes currently used, but many believe that Micro-LED displays will find commercial success in TVs, VR, microdisplays and wearable devices.

Taiwan-based AU Optronics (AUO) demonstrated the company's latest OLED, LCD and Micro-LED technologies at SID 2018.

The company had a relatively small OLED demonstration area, showing its True-Circle in-cell Touch AMOLED displays (1.2" and 1.4") unveiled in May 2017. These displays are already shipping. AUO also unveiled its large 13" transparent AR AMOLED (68% transmittance). This transparent OLED was shown for the first time. The 13" panel features a resolution of 1150x575 (100 PPI) and a brightness of 200 nits.

Officials from SID reported that 369 Apple employees attended Displayweek this year - a 30% increase over last year. And indeed I can say that you could see Apple's employees all over the show. It's clear that Apple is increasingly interested in next-generation display technologies - including OLED displays, Micro-LED displays and foldable technologies.

SID further says that this year 40 Google employees, 25 Amazon employees and 23 Oculus employees attended the show. The display is an extremely important part of most mobile devices today, and TIer-1 producers want more and more control on the display type, quality and performance.

The world's leading display conference, SID DisplayWeek, is now over, and it was a great event. This is just a quick first impression post - you can expect many more OLED-Info articles in the next couple of weeks after we get back to the office and sort through all the materials, interviews, photos and videos we have.

While LCD is still the dominant display technology in many applications, it is clear that OLEDs are taking over as the most promising technology, and we have seen exciting presentations and demonstrations from many companies. It was interesting to see how the three Chinese OLED makers at SID, BOE, Visionox and Tianma, have large booths with many flexible and foldable OLED displays and end products, while Samsung and LG Display both have very limited show areas compared to previous years. This is an interesting evidence to China's rising dominance - but also to Samsung's and LGD's focus on more consumer trade shows such as CES.

Today we are happy to publish this short Micro-LED explanation video, which we believe gives a nice introduction to Micro-LED display technology, production processes and to the current market status:

If you're interested in using this video in your web site, feel free to embed it. If you want more information on Micro-LEDs, check out our MicroLED-Info knowledge hub.

In February it was reported that Samsung is developing a hybrid Quantum-Dots OLED technology for its future TVs. This report was soon denied by Samsung's Visual Display Business VP, Han Jong-hee, who said that Samsung is sticking to its two-track strategy for premium TVs, namely QD-LCDs and Micro-LEDs.

Samsung OLED TV (2013)

Today Samsung's Han Jong-hee again says that Samsung has no plans to produce an OLED TV any time soon - but he does confirm that the company is researching a way to combine QDs with OLEDs. According to our information, Samsung's main R&D initiative use blue OLED emitters and blue light to white light conversion using quantum-dots, combined with color filters (QDCFs) to add red and green colors.

OLED microdisplay maker eMagin reported its financial results for Q4 2017. Revenues increased 40% from Q4 2016 and reached $6.4 million. Operating loss was $1.6 million (down from $3.8 million in Q4 2016) and net loss decreased to $0.9 million.

For the full year 2017, eMagin reported revenues of $22 million (up 3% from 2016) and a net loss of $7.8 million. As of the end of the year, eMagin had $3.5 million in cash and equivalents, but the company raised $10.6 million since (not, it seems, from Apple, Valve and LG).

Bloomberg posted an interesting article, saying that Apple is making good progress in its Micro-LED development project, and has managed to produce promising display samples. Apple is seeking to use Micro-LED displays in future wearable products - and eventually use Micro-LEDs in smartphones and maybe VR HMDs as well.

Apple display facility, Santa Clara, CA

Apple is not likely to become a MicroLED producer, but it does seek to control the production process entirely - and so become the first (and only) company to be able to adopt these displays.

In early 2018 Samsung unveiled its 146" modular Wall Micro-LED TV, and LG Display was quick to announce that it is also developing similar technology. According to reports, LGD aims to unveil its first Micro-LED TV in September 2018 (at IFA perhaps?) - and it will be larger than Samsung's.

Samsung 146-inch Wall Micro-LED TV

Samsung's focus for the premium TV market is on two technologies, Quantum Dots and Micro-LEDs. It is not likely that LG Display is shifting its focus from OLEDs to Micro-LEDs, but it may be that Micro-LEDs will be used for very large area TVs and maybe for modular designs signage displays.

Last week we reported that ETNews claims that Samsung is developing a hybrid Quantum-Dots OLED technology for its future TVs.

Today Yonhap News reports that Samsung Visual Display Business VP, Han Jong-hee, denies this story, saying that Samsung sticks to its two-track strategy for the high-end TV market, developing both QLED (quantum-dots enhanced LED LCDs) and Micro-LED TVs. Han further says that Samsung will start selling its Wall Micro-LED TV in August 2018.