MicroLED-Info.com: the Micro-LED experts

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.

Digitimes reports that Taiwan's Ministry of Science and Technology approved PlayNitride's application to setup a NT$500 million (US$17 million) production facility at Hsinchu Science Park.

PlayNitride aims to produce micro LEDs, display modules and panels at its new facility at Hsinchu. According to Digitimes, Apple is in preliminary talks with PlayNitride towards a possible Micro-LED technology cooperation.

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Earlier this month Bloomberg reported that Apple is progressing with its Micro-LED development project, and has already managed to produce promising display samples. Now Taiwan's Digitimes reports that Apple is collaborating with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) towards mass production of Micro-LED panels.

Apple and TSMC are focusing on small-sized micro-LEDs on silicon based backplanes, targeting both wearable devices and AR applications. The Micro-LED microdisplays for AR applications will be around 0.7-0.8 inch in size, while the wearable panels will be larger at 1.3-1.4 inch.

OLED microdisplay maker eMagin reported its financial results for Q4 2017, and during the quarter's conference call its CEO, Andrew Sculley, discussed Micro-LED for microdisplays.

VueReal Micro-LED microdisplay prototype

eMagin actually did a research in this area with a University and has some patents towards micro-LED based microdisplays. However according to Andrew this technology still faces some challenges and it may take several years before Micro-LEDs could be applied to microdisplays - unlike TVs or larger displays which are already on the market.

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In early 2018 LG Display announced that it is developing Micro-LED displays, for large-area TVs at first. It is now revealed that LGD filed for three new trademarks in the EU, and all three seem to be related to microLEDs: XµLED, SµLED, and XLµLED.

In its filing, LGD says that these trademarks will primarily be used for smartphones, but the trademarks could also be applied to laptops, tablets, wearables and VR glasses. Interestingly LGD did not say it could be applied to TVs or large-area displays, which will probably be LGD's first Micro-LED application, so it's not really clear what these trademarks really mean.

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.

Australia-based RPCVD developer BluGlass announced that it has entered into a collaboration agreement with a "well-funded" microLED company to investigate the use of its Remote Plasma Chemical Vapor Deposition (RPCVD) production technology to produce RGB MicroLED devices.

BluGlass estimates that Micro-LED production will benefit from its low-temperature RPCVD manufacturing solution. The two companies will work together to demonstrate proof of concept of a unique red, green and blue (RGB) microLED display application. BluGlass will be paid for its deposition services and retain all RPCVD related IP rights resulting from the collaboration.

According to a report by Bloomberg, 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.

Apple display facility, Santa Clara, CA

Apple is not likely to become a MicroLED producer, and it will seek partners to eventually produce the displays. However controlling the basic technology could be very beneficial to Apple that aims to be the only company able to use Micro-LED displays - starting in wearables, but also perhaps in smartphones and VR HMDs. In any case, Bloomberg reports that it will still take a few years before Apple's technology is ready for production.