Wearable OLEDs - Introduction and Latest Industry News - Page 13

LG launched two new smart watches based on Android Wear 2.0, designed in collaboration with Google. Both new devices use round flexible OLED displays, and both will launch tomorrow in the US.

The first model is the Watch Style, which sports a round 1.2" 360x360 display, 512MB of RAM and 4GB of storage. The Watch Style costs $249 - $279.

San Francisco based Osterhout Design Group (ODG) officially announced two new AR headsets, both based on OLED microdisplays. The high-end R-9 provides a 50-degrees FOV based on a FHD (1080p) OLED microdisplay. This device is based on ODG's own Project Horizon platform, and will ship in Q2 2017 for around $1,799.

ODG R-9 headset

The R-8 offers a smaller FOV (40-degrees) and a lower resolution OLED (720p). The R-8 will ship in the second half of 2017 for "less than $1,000". Both headsets are based on Qualcomm's Snapdragon 835 CPU and support Qualcomm's Snapdragon VR SDK and PTC's Vuforia AR platform.

Kopin unveiled its first OLED microdisplay called the Lightning, which features a 2048 x 2048 resolution (2k x 2k) at 1" diagonal and a fast refresh rate of 120 Hz. Kopin specifically targets VR applications for this new microdisplay.

Kopin also unveiled a new optics system, which they brand as Pantile optics which is less than 30 mm thick and can be used to make thinner and lighter VR systems. A concept Pantile optics and Lightning OLED device is shown below next to a Samsung Gear VR system.

Lenovo has unveiled a VR headset prototype that is based on Microsoft's Windows Holographic platform. The headset uses two 1440x1440 AMOLED displays and weighs just 350 grams (100 grams less than the Oculus Rift).

Lenovo aims to ships this product later in 2017, and the price will be relatively competitive at "less than $400".

Lenovo recently demonstrated two new foldable device prototypes that use flexible OLED displays. First up is the CPlus, a smartphone that turns into a smartwatch or actually a smart "band" that is worn on the wrist.

The CPlus sports a 4.26" display, and is based on Android. Lenovo aims to make two version of this device, when it reaches the market - a small one and a large one.

Kopin announced that it is going to enter the OLED microdisplay market for mobile VR and AR applications. The company's first OLED microdisplays will be demonstrated at CES 2017 next month.

Kopin says it has developed a novel silicon backplane structure that will enable high-speed OLED-on-silicon microdisplays. The displays will feature an ultra-high resolution, low power and small form factor.

San Francisco based Osterhout Design Group (ODG) announced that it raised $58 million from several investors, including Shenzhen O-film Tech and Vanfund Urban Investment & Development. This is ODG's round A investment, but it is not a new company - it has been active with enterprise AR solutions for eight years, and in 2014 it sold some of its IP to Microsoft for $150 million.

ODG R-7

Why does ODG need so much money? Because it is entering the consumer market with its upcoming codename-Horizon platform, which will be an AR/VR platform that is based on OLED microdisplays. The Horizon platform will support a wide FOV, 120 fps and support for 4K 3D content.

Hong Kong-based Truly Semiconductors started working on its AMOLED fab in 2014, and in May 2015 estimated that production will begin in Q1 2016. The fab was delayed, and a few months later it was estimated that production will begin in September 2016.

Truly have finally announced that the fab is now online, and the company is starting AMOLED mass production. Truly published the (rather overdone and weird) video you see above - and according to the video the company is targeting smartphones, wearables, VR and automotive applications.

eMagin reported the company's financial results for Q3 0216. Revenues were $4.3 million, down 20% from Q3 2015, operating loss was $3.8 million (up from $3.3 million in Q3 2015) - and net loss was $2.4 million (up from $2.2 million in Q3 2015). As of the end of September the company had about $6.9 million in cash and equivalents (down from $9.3 million in the end of 2015).

These are disappointing results, but eMagin says it is making considerable strategic business progress. On the technical side, eMagin is developing direct-patterning micro OLEDs, and expect to complete its development work under the Man Tech program in 2017. Military customers will be offered displays in the second half of 2017. The 2K x 2K full-color OLED microdisplay is also progressing is on schedule to produce engineering samples. Samples will be shipped to customers in the beginning of December.

Samsung announced that it began the global rollout of its latest smartwatch, the Gear S3. The Gear S3 is now available in Korea, and will start shipping in more countries (including the US, UK, Germany and Australia) on November 18.

The Gear S3 is a round Tizen-based smartwatch that features a round 1.3" 360x360 (278 PPI) full-color Always-On Super AMOLED display. Other features include IP68 water resistant, LTE connectivity, mobile payments and built-in speaker and GPS. The Gear S3 comes in two editions, Gear S3 frontier and classic.