Samsung and LG will produce micro-OLED screens for the virtual reality market. Thanks to this technology, will the two South Korean suppliers bring a welcome boost to the VR headset market?
Samsung and LG are about to start the manufacture of micro-OLED screens, also known as OLEDoS (OLED on Silicon).. According to Chinese media ETNews, Samsung Display plans to open a fully dedicated production line in its native South Korea in the second half of the year. Initially, the factory should produce a small amount of slabs.
For its part, LG, Samsung’s major competitor in the display market, has partnered with SK Hynix, a South Korean semiconductor company, to produce micro-OLED panels. In fact, screen manufacturers absolutely must with a chip manufacturer to design a micro OLED panel.
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The big difference of Micro OLED screens
A micro-OLED screen differs from a traditional OLED panel by its substrate. Instead of a glass or plastic support, manufacturers use a silicon wafer. Organic light-emitting diodes are deposited on it, which can emit light without backlighting.
That’s why LG needs the support of SK Hynix. The former smartphone giant cannot produce silicon wafers itself. The first screens produced by LG based on a silicon wafer should see the light of day around 2025, reports The Elec, a South Korean media outlet. The wafers would be engraved in 28nm or 45nm at SK Hynix’s South Korean factories.
Unlike LG, Samsung has its own semiconductor division, Samsung Foundry. Logically, this ensures the production of silicon. The Seoul giant would manage all production of OLEDoS screens in-house, without the need for a third party.
Micro-OLED technology should mainly be used by virtual reality headset brands. Indeed, a Micro OLED screen pulls out of the game thanks to one higher density of pixels per inch (dpi). When making a panel, manufacturers can place many thousands of pixels on every inch of the substrate. The process guarantees very high resolution and brightness on small plates. This is ideal for viewing virtual reality experiences without compromising on image quality. As icing on the cake, the plates are very thin. Again, this is perfect for VR headsets.
According to a Counterpoint report, OLEDoS technology will make this possible Pushing the boundaries of virtual reality headsets, which currently suffer from too low a resolution and refresh rate. These limitations contribute to tiring the wearer’s eyes during sessions that are too long. In this context, should the micro-OLED significantly improve the user experience… and accelerate the acceptance of virtual reality among the general public?
Meta and Apple rely on Micro-OLED
Eager to further develop its Quest helmets, Meta turned to LG to equip it with micro-OLED screens. Mark Zuckerberg’s group has reached an agreement with the South Korean firm and plans to do the same with SK Hynix, The Elec notes. It was Meta who took care of the design of the record before entrusting the production to SK Hynix.
For its part, Samsung intends its Micro-OLED screens for its own products. We can expect to discover the brand’s first OLEDoS screen on its virtual and augmented reality headset. The accessory mentioned during the conference dedicated to the Galaxy S23 marks Samsung’s big comeback in the VR market. The South Korean company has tied a partnership with Qualcomm and Google to develop the mixed reality headset. Unsurprisingly, Qualcomm would be responsible for designing the chips, while Google will provide the software interface, a version of Android developed for the occasion.
We also know that Apple is interested in Micro-OLED technology. According to leaks that surfaced in 2021, the Californian giant is developing small OLEDoS displays with the help of TSMC in complete secrecy. Finally, it’s not out of the question that Apple will contact Samsung or LG, which are among its main suppliers, to produce micro-OLED panels for its next virtual reality headsets. However, to equip the first iteration, which is expected in June 2023, Apple would have turned to Sony.
Source: ET News