CES 2024 was abuzz with new MicroLED technology with Samsung leading the show with larger sizes, a new line up and also a transparent MicroLED. Samsung showed their new line up of MicroLED “The Wall” displays, now based on 25-micron scale MicroLEDs (according to DSCC) with products at 76”, 89”, 101”, 114” and 140”. The company seemingly is positioning MicroLED TVs and signage now above the typical 55 to 65” OLED and QD OLED displays based on their tiled modular display approach. The 140” display size is new to the line-up and the smaller previous product offerings below 76” have been trimmed away.
Samsung Electronics also showed a transparent MicroLED display (Source: Samsung screenshot) which had everyone wowed for retail and signage applications. Called “surprisingly bright” it had observers excited, though it remained unclear on how it would come to market. CES gave partial answers: in retail environments and in automotive applications.
Indeed, transparent MicroLED applications were clearly a theme of the show: AUO showed MicroLED integrated transparently into automotive side windows and separately showed rollable MicroLED displays behind the headrests of cars. MicroLED displays are a perfect fit into automotive applications with their very high brightness which is great for outdoor automotive environments and much better lifetime characteristics without the potential for burn in.
At the other end of the scale, in micro display MicroLED applications there were at least three announcements of note. First was the new collaboration between monolithic MicroLED developer MICLEDI with Microdisplay expert Kopin. Second, was the demonstration of a new RGB high density display by Mojo Vision using its proprietary high-performance QD colour conversion architecture. And finally Sitan from China, showed new very high resolution Monochrome MicroLED imagers and gained a CES innovation award for their innovations.
Indeed, transparent MicroLED applications were clearly a theme of the show: AUO showed MicroLED integrated transparently into automotive side windows and separately showed rollable MicroLED displays behind the headrests of cars. MicroLED displays are a perfect fit into automotive applications with their very high brightness which is great for outdoor automotive environments and much better lifetime characteristics without the potential for burn in.
At the other end of the scale, in micro display MicroLED applications there were at least three announcements of note. First was the new collaboration between monolithic MicroLED developer MICLEDI with Microdisplay expert Kopin. Second, was the demonstration of a new RGB high density display by Mojo Vision using its proprietary high-performance QD colour conversion architecture. And finally Sitan from China, showed new very high resolution Monochrome MicroLED imagers and gained a CES innovation award for their innovations.
What was missing this year, was any real work on SmartWatch MicroLED displays, despite the fact that these will be one of the most important categories for MicroLEDs led by Apple. It is currently a race here for the first serious product announcement between the likes of Apple and luxury watch brand Tag Heuer working with AUO.
From InZiv’s perspective, we support the work of display makers and wafer makers at all display sizes and resolutions with our tools capable of measuring the electrical performance and optical performance of MicroLED dies down as far as 1 micron, and delivering no-damage testing of both flip chip and vertical chip designs with 6m chips tested per hour based on our Glide 1 tool announced recently.
So from the 140” displays to 0.13” inch displays, the MicroLED world is exploding with color!
