Samsung - MicroLED status - Page 8

Market research firm Yole Développement has been following the Micro-LED market for some years with some very interesting insights and forecasts.

Yole's technology & market analyst Zine Bouhamri was kind enough to discuss Yole's Micro-LED views with us. Mr. Zine is is a member of the Photonics, Sensing & Display division at Yole and he's deeply involved in the business development of the Displays unit activities.

Samsung unveiled two new Micro-LED TVs at CES 2019. First up is the consumer model, a 75" Micro-LED TV that is made from tiled displays. We already reported on this TV in September 2018, and it is great to see Samsung manage to bring this display to CES - even if it is an early prototype.

Samsung did not reveal any details on this TV, or any plans to commercialize this technology soon. It would seem that when Samsung is ready, its Micro-LED TVs will be the company's flagship TV technology. It's current high end TVs use QD-enhanced LCDs (and the company is to be close to release a hybrid QD-OLED TV in 2019).

In July 2018 Samsung said it aims to launch its first "consumer" Micro-LED TV, based on its modular The Wall display in 2019. Yesterday Samsung launched a new home screen range in India - that could in fact be based on a Micro-LED display.

The new TVs are branded as Active LEDs (also "LED for Home") and are based on modular LED tiles. The TVs are offered in 4 sizes - 110-inch (Full-HD), 130" (Full-HD), 220-inch (UHD/4K) and 260-inch (UHD/4K). The prices range from 10 million Rs (around $137,000) for the 110" to 35 million Rs ($480,000) for the 260-inch TV. As Active-LED TVs are modular, consumers can choose different shapes (but only one of the available resolutions/sizes).

According to a new report from Taiwan, Samsung Electronics is planning to release a 75" consumer Micro-LED TV in 2019, using LED chips and technologies from Taiwan's PlayNitride. Samsung will also invest further in PlayNitride to help it increase its production capacity (Samsung's stake in PlayNitride will reach 30% following this investment).

In July 2018 Samsung Electronics video and display chief, Han Jong-hee, said that Samsung aims to release a Micro-LED consumer TV next year - The Wall Luxury that will be based on its Wall modular TV. It could be that this will be the 75" TV that will use PlayNitride's chips.

In January 2018 Samsung unveiled its first Micro-LED TV, the 146-inch modular Wall, and started accepting pre-orders in June 2018. In February, Samsung's rival LG said that it is developing its own Micro-LED TV and it was rumored that it will unveil its first prototype in September 2018.

In a new report, the Korea Herald now claims that LG is indeed on track to reveal the first TV in September 2018 (at the IFA conference in Germany, which actually starts on August 31). LG's first TV will be larger than Samsung's demonstrated device at 175-inch. Samsung's TV however is modular, so it can be made larger. It is not clear whether LG's Micro-LED TV will have the same design.

Samsung Electronics says that the global market for Micro-LED displays will reach $4.5 billion in 2025 - up from $14 million in 2018. Samsung did not say whether this is its own market estimates.

A few days ago Samsung said it will soon release a high-end version of its modular Micro-LED display.

Samsung Electronics video and display chief, Han Jong-hee, says that Samsung aims to release a Micro-LED consumer TV next year. The TV will be a high-end premium set that will be called the Wall Luxury - and will not be priced as high as people think.

Samsung 146-inch Wall Professional TV

It's not clear whether this consumer version of The Wall professional will be modular. Han did say that it will be thinner than the current version at only 30 mm thick (the Wall Professional is 80 mm thick). This is still quite thick compared to current OLED TVs.

In January 2018 Samsung unveiled its first Micro-LED TV, the 146-inch modular Wall, and later the company said it will start shipping it in August 2018. Yesterday Samsung officially launched "The Wall Professional" in a tradeshow in the US, and it is now accepting pre-orders, aiming to find customers in lobbies, museums, galleries, and retail spaces.

Samsung did not reveal the price of its new TV - but maybe that's because it is a modular premium commercial display - so each order will be handled differently. It is estimated that the price of the 146" model will be at least $100,000. The Wall Professional features HDR 10+ and its brightness is up to 1,600 nits.

Samsung already announced that it plans to ship its first Micro-LED TV, the 146" modular Wall TV, in August 2018, and today the company says it will reveal the prices of these TVs in June 2018. Prices are expected to over >$100,000 for the 146" model.

Samsung's Visual Display Business VP, Han Jong-hee, also revealed that the company has an R&D project that aims to use quantum-dots in Micro-LED arrays. The basic idea is to convert blue micro-LEDs to white light, which will enable easier production processes as the whole TV will use a single LED color.

The Korea Herald reports that Apple and its subsidiary LuxVue Technology applied for over 30 Micro-LED patents in Korea in the past 10 years. As Apple's Micro-LED project is progressing, the company aims to prevent its competitors in Korea (mainly Samsung and LGD) from using its key Micro-LED technology.

According to the report, Apple applied for 11 patents directly, while LuxVue applied for 23 patents. LuxVue was acquired by Apple in 2014. Apple applied for patents that related to the Micro-LED chip structure, the pick-and-place process and the driving system.