Article Abstract: Mini LED vs COB display are two types of new technologies that are currently attracting great attention. Who will be better between them?
We all know that the field of indoor low-cost has been firmly occupied by LCD, which is inseparable from the characteristics of LCD. But in the indoor high-priced piece of this can be described as fierce competition, in addition to LCD itself occupying part of the market, like OLED display, COB small pitch display and mini LED display three mixed in it, playing the same.
Back in 2018, Guoxing Optoelectronics made a splash at the Guangzhou Shangri-La Hotel and the US Infocomm exhibition when it unveiled its high-definition mini LED display products. The product launch drew an overwhelming response, with attendees flocking to see the new technology.
Following the exhibition, the media and companies were abuzz with talk of mini LED, creating a mini fever that temporarily put the technology in the spotlight. With mini LEDs measuring around 100 microns, experts believe that mass production is feasible and could serve large display, TV, and mobile phone backlight applications. Smartphone manufacturers in particular are eager to adopt this technology, with some already in the product design and certification phase as of late 2017.
Otto Electronics also showcased a mini LED commercial display system at the US Infocomm exhibition, which received a positive response. Other companies, such as JYLED, Samsung, Jingtai, LG, and Hola-LED, have also launched mini LED products, further bolstering the technology’s popularity.
In addition to mini LED, COB small-pitch displays are also generating considerable interest. It remains to be seen which technology will ultimately outperform the other.
Many people may have heard of COB small-pitch displays, but may not be entirely clear on what it entails. In fact, COB is a new LED packaging technology that enables direct packaging of LED chips and shortens the distance between them, resulting in a higher density of LED chips on the display.
Traditional SMD (or “surface mount device”) packages require that LED chips be first attached to an LED circuit board, which limits the minimum distance between LED chips to 1mm. By eschewing the SMD process, COB minimizes manufacturing time and opens up possibilities for the outdoor LED display industry.
It’s worth noting that COB and mini LED are not necessarily in competition with each other. Mini LED refers to display components with a spacing of 50 to 100 microns, a range that can be achieved through either COB or traditional SMD packaging.
The adoption of a new technology depends not only on its merits but also on the investments made by large companies in the industry. For example, in the battle between LCD and plasma displays a decade ago, many companies focused on LCD technology, with only Changhong staying loyal to plasma. However, despite superior performance, plasma displays fell out of favor with consumers, and the technology is now on the wane.
In contrast, supporters of COB and mini LED are numerous and varied, ranging from domestic listed companies to international display giants. There is no apparent fractionation similar to what happened with plasma displays.
Most leading domestic enterprises believe that COB has great potential and will become increasingly prevalent in the near future. This will bring more surprises and vitality to the LED industry as a whole.
