With its excellent performance, micro LED displays have suddenly emerged among many display devices and formed a category of their own.
We analyzed the world’s 10 most representative micro-LED display manufacturers and analyzed their previous product features one by one to help you choose the most suitable partner.
The world’s top ten manufacturers with micro-LED display manufacturing capabilities:
- Samsung
- Konka
- LG
- TCL
- BOE
- AUO
- PlayNitride
- HC SemiTek
- Nationstar Optoelectronics
- Kinglight Optoelectronics
Samsung
Samsung uses nanotechnology to weld the LED chip working circuit directly to the glass, thereby reducing a series of problems such as brightness loss and narrow viewing angles encountered when using traditional displays.
In addition, Samsung uses a hybrid fine processing method to eliminate the possibility of screen burn-in or permanent screen discoloration, making the visual effect more stable.
Micro LED designed by Samsung uses a modular design that allows users to personalize the shape, size and proportion of the screen to fit almost any space, and this innovative screen technology will have a major impact on the future.
Konka
In September 2019, Konka Group invested 30 billion in capital, officially launched the research and development and production of micro LED displays, and built the world’s first Micro LED full-process research and development, small batch production line.
This production line has successfully developed the world’s highest-definition glass-based P0.375 Micro LED display and the world’s first flexible P1.2 Micro LED display.
Konka Group has a first-mover advantage in terms of technology layout and has now become the earliest, most comprehensive and largest micro LED display manufacturer with a full Micro LED industry chain layout among existing home appliance companies in China.
LG
LG once released the 272-inch Micro LED sign “LG MAGNIT” with a resolution of 8K (7680×4320) at the 2023 ISE (Integrated Systems Events). This is the first time LG Electronics has launched a Micro LED with 8K resolution.
Later, a series of Micro LED TVs specially designed for home theater enthusiasts were launched. Micro LED TVs have up to 33 million LEDs installed, enabling the display to deliver OLED-like contrast and black levels, pixel-perfect lighting control and ultra-bright, vibrant colors without common issues like burn-in or limited viewing angles.
However, the Micro LED launched by LG has not received a high response in the market, and Micro LED products have now been removed from the official website.
Although the production of Micro LED is retained, it is no longer for individual consumers, but is produced through contract processing.
BOE
BOE is a leading company in the global semiconductor display industry. For every four smart terminal displays in the world, one screen is manufactured by BOE.
As China’s largest semiconductor display manufacturer, BOE enjoys a unique and leading position in the R&D and manufacturing of micro-LED displays.
The self-developed COG product uses a glass substrate and is equipped with an active point-to-point direct drive method, which greatly improves the display color and image quality, bringing creative designs to more application scenarios.
TCL CSOT
TCL is one of the few Chinese companies without a clear Chinese name. Its subsidiary TCL CSOT has exhibited micro-LED displays in many convention and exhibition centers, and its strength in manufacturing micro-LED displays is beyond doubt.
The following are some records about TCL CSOT’s participation in micro LED displays:
- TCL CSOT participated in DTC 2020 (2020 TCL CSOT Global Display Ecology Conference) with 4 products including a 142-inch IGZO glass-based active MLED display and a 48-inch 8K In-cell Touch AM Mini LED backlight curved car screen.
- As one of the leaders in the display industry, TCL participated in SID2022 (US International Display Week 2022) with dozens of products, covering OLED, MiniLED and other display technologies. It showed its talents at the exhibition and amazed everyone.
- A 0.26-inch silicon-based Micro LED display was exhibited at “DTC 2023” (TCL CSOT Global Display Ecology Conference 2023), which is the smallest micro LED display currently known in the industry.
AUO
AUO is headquartered in Taiwan and has operations in many countries around the world. AUO has been deeply involved in the display field for many years and has a solid foundation and in-depth technology. It has gained a large number of customers in industries such as automotive displays and medical instruments.
AUO is the first micro-display manufacturer to integrate micro-LED display technology into automobiles. A promotional video was released on the official website last year. This video introduces an “interactive transparent smart car window” that integrates highly transparent Micro LED displays into car side windows and is equipped with touch functions for entertainment, online video conferencing and safety warning information display.
According to the person in charge of AUO, in the future, they will focus on developing in-vehicle immersive applications so that people can enjoy themselves and relax while driving.
PlayNitride
PlayNitride is the youngest micro-LED display manufacturer, established in 2014. Currently, there is little information about PlayNitride on the Internet, but new products are frequently displayed in the news media.
The following is an introduction from some news media.
- In August 2022, it was listed on the Taiwan Innovation Board and was also the first company to be listed and traded on the New Board.
- In October 2023, PlayNitride Technology and W Hotel Taipei will join hands to present the Micro LED interactive installation art “To Light You Fade”.
- In March 2024, Nichuang Chairman Li Yunli pointed out that the total amount of funds raised is expected to be US$80 million to US$100 million, and passive Micro LED products will be launched in cooperation with Ribao, which is expected to be trial-produced by the end of this year and mass-produced next year.
HC SemiTek (BOE subsidiary)
HC SemiTek was originally a semiconductor manufacturing supplier. In early April 2020, it invested 1.5 billion yuan in the construction of Mini/Micro LED projects. In early December of the same year, a flip chip patent technology licensing agreement was signed with Semicon Light.
HC SemiTek has successfully demonstrated a 0.39-inch Micro LED micro-display sample for AR in 2022, and plans to implement a 0.12-inch Micro LED display sample in 2025. If a 0.12-inch micro LED display is realized, it will break the size of the 0.26-inch silicon-based Micro LED display exhibited by HC SemiTek at DTC in 2023.
However, according to the person in charge of the HC SemiTek project, the heavy investment in the research and development of micro-LED displays did not reverse the losses, so it was fully acquired by BOE in 2023 and became a subsidiary of BOE.
Nationstar Optoelectronics
Nationstar Optoelectronics entered the micro LED display industry in 2018, and established the Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Semiconductor Micro Display 2 years later (2020), specializing in the field of micro LED.
With the launch of nStar I in June 2020, nStar II in September 2022, and nStar III this time, Nationstar Micro LED full-color display product iterative upgrades are steadily advancing.
According to Nationstar Optoelectronics, nStar III adopts Nationstar Optoelectronics’ independently developed mass transfer technology and Micro LED glass-based packaging patented technology to achieve high-density integration of more than 500,000 Micro LED chips, with a thinner appearance and smoother appearance. High, which can take into account both heat dissipation and display consistency.
Kinglight Optoelectronics
Compared with other micro LED display manufacturers, Kinglight is not only the latest manufacturer to deploy micro LED displays, but also does not have much advantage over other micro LED manufacturers. Therefore, although micro-LED display-related products have been exhibited at some exhibitions, the response has been mediocre.
Summarize
Due to cost issues, only a few micro-LED display manufacturers have reached mass production capabilities. Moreover, some micro LED display manufacturers have lost their small share of the market due to their late entry into the market.
