Trendforce of Taiwan has said that the easing of supply in the OLED market will make life difficult for LCDs based on miniLED to flourish in the short term. The analyst said that some vendors are looking at putting as many as 2,000 to 10,000 miniLEDs in a 5.5″ smartphone display. While this would give high contrast and allow a thin device as there is little space needed to spread the light, with so many sources, the challenge is that the cost could be double that of a rigid OLED ($17 – $18) at between $35 and $40.
On this basis, the company is recommending that those wanting to develop miniLED backlights should focus on niche markets that are less price sensitive. Innolux showed a 10.1″ automotive display at CES and AUO has talked about a 15.6″ notebook, a 27″ gaming monitor and a 2″ VR LCD (AUO told us that these products are unlikely to be seen before the summer).
Analyst Comment
Automotive is a clear application. Although the investment in Joled by Denso and the recent news of an adoption by Mercedes of OLEDs, there is still some nervousness about lifetimes and the qualification of OLEDs for automotive applications. Using miniLEDs should allow the high contrast that makers want, with the security (and wider supply chain) of LCD. (BR) Denso Confirms ¥30 Billion Investment in JOLED and LG to Supply OLED Displays to Mercedes-Benz Among Others
