November 2025

LEKIN Semiconductor announced plans to build a new production line in Suzhou, to produce automotive optoelectronic modules and displays, in a 5.2 billion yuan investment ($735 million USD). 

The new fab, when complete, will produce vertically-integrated products, from LED epiwafers to display modules, and will have an annual capacity to "supply over 5 million cars". The company said that the second phase of this fab, will focus on mini-LED and micro-LED displays technologies. Over the next 3 years, LEKIN also intends to increase its R&D investment.

In September Garmin launched its Fenix 8 Pro MicroLED smartwatch, the world's first with a microLED display. The panel is a 1.4" 454x454 round display that offers a brightness of 4,500 nits, produced by AUO. The microLED version of the Fenix 8 Pro has much improved brightness, but carries a $700 premium, is thicker (the touch layer is not in-cell like in the OLED version) and also cuts the battery life down from 27 days to 10 days - which says a lot about the low power efficiency of the microLED display.

Tom's Guide posted a review of the new microLED watch, comparing it with the AMOLED version. Interestingly, the reviewer says that the microLED was a bigger update than he expected. The display is noticeably brighter than the AMOLED, has improved viewing angles - and curiously it is clearer, too. It seems the reviewer is especially enthusiastic about the viewing angles. When running with a smartwatch, this is apparently important.

We are excited to announce the 3rd annual MicroLED-Connect conference, scheduled for September 16-17, 2026, in Eindhoven, The Netherlands. The event is a joint-collaboration between the MicroLED Industry Association and Techblick, and in 2026 it will be co-located with the highly synergetic 2nd AR/VR-Connect conference.

This in-person event will unite leading industry experts to explore the latest innovations, advancements and challenges in microLED display technology. Attendees can look forward to engaging activities such as tours, masterclasses, an exhibition, networking opportunities and events, and more.

We are now starting to design the agenda and exhibition for 2026. In 2025, we featured world-class companies including JBD, ASML, Google, Mojo Vision, Aledia, Coherent, Veeco, Hongshi Intelligence, KGOnTech (Karl Guttag), Panasonic, LAM Research, TrendForce, and many more. 

If you are interested in exhibiting, giving a talk or attending, don't hesitate to contact us!  We look forward to welcoming you to Eindhoven for another excellent microLED and AR/VR industry event!

ALD equipment maker Beneq announced Beneq its next-generation ALD platform designed for high-volume semiconductor manufacturing. 

The new Beneq Transmute platform, is suitable for production of Wide Bandgap (WBG) power electronics, advanced RF devices - and microLED displays. 

Avicena, a developer of microLED-based chip-to-chip interconnects, announced that its LightBundle microLED-based links now operate at 4Gbps per lane with transmitter currents as low as 100µA per LED. At this current, each link closes at a raw BER of 1×10^-12 with an equivalent energy of 80fJ/bit per LED, all without Forward Error Correction (FEC).

The company says that this new power-per-lane milestone was enabled by a new high-sensitivity receiver technology, developed in collaboration with the company's manufacturing partners and incorporating optimized photodetectors derived from high-volume image-sensor processes.

The MicroLED Industry Association (MIA) is pleased to announce its upcoming members-only webinar, dedicated to tiled large-area MicroLED displays.

In this session, MIA member company SiliconCore will take center stage to share insights into the market landscape, technology developments, and product innovations driving growth in this field. The webinar will delve into the unique challenges and opportunities of tiled MicroLED architectures, and the current market and industry status. 

France-based Hummink, developer of High Precision Capillary micro-Printing (HPCaP) technology, has successfully raised 15 million Euro in its Series B funding round, co-led by KBC Focus Fund, Cap Horn, and Bpifrance, joined by the company's historical investors Elaia Partners, Sensinnovat, and Beeyond. This round was also backed by the French Tech Seed fund and the European Innovation Council Fund.

HPCaP printing: 2.5 µm line width and 1.5 µm gap

For microLED developers, Hummink's systems can be used for non-destructive repair of critical display components by depositing inks with micron and sub-micron precision. We recently published a post discussing Hummink's unique micro-printing technology and how it can be used to repair microLED panels.

The CEA-Leti institute in France (a MicroLED Industry Association member) launched a new three-year multilateral program to develop ultra-fast data transfer based on microLED, with an aim to accelerate AI datacenters.

This new lab-to-fab initiative is set to begin in January 2026, and it will engage companies that develop microLEDs, optical fibers, photodiodes, and interconnects, as well as chipmakers, system integrators, and hyperscalers. CEA-Leti believes that microLED-based communication can be more energy efficiency than both copper-based systems, and laser-based ones. CEAT-Leti will lead the Multilateral MicroLED Data Link Program with financial backing from its industrial partners.

Don’t miss your chance to join the MicroLED Innovation Day 2026, a free virtual event that brings together leading innovators and experts from across the microLED display industry, in addition to the AR/VR industries. This event is the perfect opportunity to stay updated on the latest breakthroughs, network with global professionals, and explore collaboration opportunities—all from the comfort of your home or office.​

You can see our agenda above (the MicroLED and ARVR sections are on Track 3). Our agenda features presentations from pioneering companies covering the full spectrum of the microLED and AR/VR ecosystems: materials, processes, manufacturing tools, and end applications. Attendees will gain first-hand insights into the innovations driving microLED and AR applications, making this a must-attend event for anyone interested in the future of microLED technology, and the future of AR and VR light engines.​

TCL CSOT is showing a new single-chip full-color microLED microdisplay at its Global Display Tech-Ecosystem Conference (DTC 2025) in Suzhou, China.

The display is a 0.28" 1280x720 panel (5131 PPI) which TCL says is the world's highest resolution single-chip full-color microLED microdisplay. It's not clear if TCL means that it's the world's highest-res single-panel full-color microLED display, or that the display is based on a blue microLED with QD color conversion (and hence single-chip).