In Q3, TV panel purchasing momentum is strong, with an estimated 7~8% growth by QoQ. Manufacturers are confident in raising prices due to increased demand, aiming to turn TV panel production profitable. As a result, TV panel prices are expected to continue rising, with increases of 2~8 USD for different sizes.

Monitor panel prices continue to rise in July, with consumer models showing higher demand than commercial ones. Brands focused on consumer models or smaller secondary brands are more likely to experience moderate price increases. Anticipated price adjustments for July: Open Cell products are up by around 0.2 ~0.5 USD, the 21.5-inch panel is up by 0.2 USD, the 23.8-inch panel is up by 0.2 USD, and 27-inch panel price remains unchanged.

In Q3, panel manufacturers consider raising prices for NB panels. Q2 saw a 30% shipment growth due to increased demand from brand customers, but Q3 demand is expected to be cautious, leading to a 3% shipment increase. Lower-end TN models have higher demand than IPS ones. Anticipated July prices: 14-inch and 15.6-inch TN models may see a slight 0.1 USD increase, while IPS models remain unchanged.

TrendForce reported that TV panel purchases are gaining momentum in the early July, with both Chinese and other major brand customers increasing their orders in preparation for the busy promotional season in the second half of the year. Overall, the purchasing momentum is expected to grow by 7-8% in the quarter. The demand-driven growth, coupled with balanced supply and demand, is likely to sustain the upward trend in TV panel prices. For July, prices are projected to rise by $2 for 32-inch panels, $3 for 43-inch panels, $6 for 50-inch and 55-inch panels, $7 for 65-inch panels, and $8 for 75-inch panels.

Meanwhile, MNT panel prices have experienced slight increases, but the market demand for commercial models remains weak compared to consumer models. Consequently, the price hikes are expected to be modest, and various panel manufacturers are implementing different pricing strategies for different customers and sizes. For July, MNT panel Open Cell prices are expected to rise by approximately $0.2 to $0.5, while 21.5-inch module prices will increase by $0.2 and 23.8-inch module prices by $0.1. Prices for 27-inch modules will remain stable.

As for NB panel prices, after a stable period, panel manufacturers are contemplating raising prices in the third quarter. However, brand customers remain cautious about the demand for the second half of the year, resulting in ongoing negotiations with panel manufacturers. The demand for lower-end TN models is stronger than for higher-end IPS models, leading brand customers to tend to accept slight increases in TN panel prices. For July, mainstream sizes like 14-inch and 15.6-inch TN models are expected to see a minor increase of $0.1, while prices for IPS models will remain stable.

Apple has finally launched the Vision Pro, an MR device equipped with Micro OLED, but the debut of the Apple Watch with Micro LED panels has been repeatedly delayed. According to a report from TechNews, industry insiders revealed that the production timeline for the Micro LED Apple Watch has been pushed back once again, from the second quarter of 2025 to the first quarter of 2026.

Over the past decade, Apple has invested at least $1 billion in developing Micro LED panels, aiming to reduce reliance on Samsung and strengthen control over critical component supplies. Once in mass production, Apple intends to execute the crucial “mass transfer” process on its own. This highlights Apple’s cautious approach in researching and developing Micro LED technology, which is still in the sample phase due to challenging production techniques and higher manufacturing costs.

In the Micro LED project, Apple has partnered with ams Osram for the development of Micro LED components, collaborated with LG Display for backplate production, and enlisted TSMC to manufacture 12-inch silicon wafers. Initially, Micro LED technology will be introduced in the Apple Watch Ultra model before gradually expanding to other product lines such as iPad and MacBook, with the ultimate plan of incorporating it into the iPhone.

Currently, the Apple Watch utilizes OLED technology, which has been in use since the launch of the first Apple Watch model in 2015. In comparison to OLED screens, Micro LED displays offer higher brightness and overcome issues such as screen aging and differential aging, making them a promising advancement.

With the release of Apple’s Vision Pro, its Micro OLED display technology has caught the attention of more people. In fact, global Micro OLED display manufacturers have been working in this field for many years. In recent years, Chinese manufacturers have been particularly active in this area. TrendForce has compiled the recent global manufacturers’ product and technological advancements in this article.

eMagin

Founded in 1996 and headquartered in New York, eMagin Corporation is a leading enterprise in Micro OLED display technology, serving world-class clients in the military, consumer, medical, and industrial markets. Since 2001, eMagin’s micro-displays have been used in AR/VR, aircraft cockpits, heads-up display systems, thermal imagers, night vision goggles, future weapon systems, and various other applications. In May 2023, eMagin announced its final merger agreement with Samsung Display, with Samsung acquiring eMagin for $218 million.

Sony

Sony began developing the foundational display technology for Micro OLED in 2009, with the aim of applying it to electronic viewfinders for cameras.

In June 2023, Apple released the Vision Pro, featuring two Sony Micro OLED displays with a size of 1.42 inches, a resolution of 3648×3144, a pixel density of 3391ppi, and a module brightness of up to 6000 nits. It has been reported that this high-spec Micro OLED screen is also priced high, with a single screen costing $350, and its production capacity is limited.

MICROOLED

MICROOLED was founded in 2007 and is headquartered in Grenoble, France. The company is dedicated to the development and manufacturing of high-resolution Micro OLED micro-displays. In January 2012, MICROOLED introduced its first 0.61-inch micro-display with 5.4 million pixels. In August 2012, STMicroelectronics invested 6 million euros in MICROOLED, and the two companies initiated collaborative development work. In 2015, MICROOLED announced that it had sold over 150,000 0.38-inch WVGA micro-displays. In 2020, MICROOLED announced a funding of 8 million euros to accelerate the development of consumer-grade AR solutions.

Kopin

Kopin Corporation was founded in 1984 and is headquartered in Westborough, Massachusetts. Since 1990, the company has been providing LCD, LCoS, and OLED micro-displays for military, enterprise, industrial, medical, and consumer wearable products. In March 2023, Kopin announced significant progress in the Helmet-Mounted Display System (HMDS) project for the F-35 fighter jet, completing performance tests for OLED micro-displays.

Kopin has also been involved in the establishment of Chinese Micro OLED manufacturers, such as Kunming O-Film (now renamed “Yunnan Visionox Opto-Electronic Technology Co., Ltd.”) and Lakefield Optoelectronics.

BOE

In August 2017, BOE announced a joint investment of 1.15 billion RMB to establish Kunming BOE Display Technology Co., Ltd. (now renamed “Yunnan Invensight Optoelectronics Technology”). The company is engaged in the production, sales, and research and development of OLED micro-displays.

BOE announced further investment of 3.4 billion RMB for the construction of a 12-inch OLED micro-display production line to meet the demand of the high-end AR/VR market in December 2019. The designed capacity is 10k wafers per month, with main products including 0.99-inch and 1.31-inch OLED micro-displays.

In March 2021, BOE disclosed on the investor interaction platform that the 8-inch silicon-based Micro OLED production line of Yunnan Invensight Optoelectronics Technology had achieved mass production in August 2019 and is currently ramping up production. The newly established 12-inch Micro OLED production line will be completed in three phases and is expected to be fully completed in January 2024, with a designed annual capacity of 5.23 million wafers.

In May 2023, BOE unveiled its 1.3-inch 4K (3552×3840) Micro OLED display at SID Display Week.

Seeya Technology

Seeya Technology was founded in October 2016 and focuses on the research and production of 12-inch silicon-based OLED micro-display. In 2022, DJI released the Goggles 2, the world’s first consumer-grade FPV goggles utilizing Micro OLED screens, which features Seeya’s 0.49-inch 1920×1080 Micro OLED micro-display.

Lakeside Optoelectronics

Lakeside Optoelectronics was established in April 2017. In May 2023, Lakeside Optoelectronics announced a partnership with Panasonic. Prior to this, Lakeside Optoelectronics had established long-term strategic partnerships with Panasonic and US-based Lighting Silicon Corporation. Panasonic’s next-generation smart VR glasses, MeganeX, will incorporate Lakeside Optoelectronics’ third-generation Micro OLED display. The product is expected to be launched in 2023.

Samsung Display

In early 2022, Samsung Display announced that it was developing Micro OLED displays, with the project in its early development stage. The company planned to start building its first production line in 2023, begin mass production of Micro OLED displays in 2024, and expand capacity in 2025 for full commercialization by 2026.

In December 2022, South Korean media reported that Samsung had started ordering equipment for a 300mm pilot production line, with SFA Engineering and AP Systems as the equipment suppliers. The production line will be located in Samsung’s A2 factory in Asan, South Korea. Samsung aims to receive the first equipment in the first quarter of 2023 and start volume production by the end of 2023, with a monthly capacity of 6,400 wafers. The production line is expected to be fully operational in 2024.

In May 2023, eMagin announced the final merger agreement with Samsung Display. Samsung Display will acquire eMagin for a price of $218 million.

LG Display

In February 2023, it was reported by South Korean media that Meta would collaborate with SK Hynix and LG Display to develop Micro OLEDs for AR/VR headsets. Meta would primarily handle semiconductor design, SK Hynix would be responsible for wafer production, and LG Display would complete the OLED deposition on wafers and perform the final step of cutting them into Micro OLED panels.

It was mentioned that SK Hynix’s Icheon headquarters in Gyeonggi Province has three DRAM production lines: M10, M14, and M16. The production line designated for Micro OLED wafer production is the M10 line, which uses 12-inch wafers as the standard and has a monthly production capacity of 100,000 wafers. If product development proceeds smoothly, they plan to start producing 30,000 wafers per month from 2025-2026. Additionally, the team is expected to utilize 28nm or 45nm nodes for Micro OLED wafer production.

Epson

Epson has been conducting research on OLED-related technologies for nearly 20 years and has released several smart glasses equipped with Epson Micro OLEDs. Epson’s VM-40 AR optical module features a 0.453-inch 1920 x 1080 Micro OLED display.

(Photo credit: Apple)

According to the latest panel price analysis released by TrendForce in late June, TV panel prices continue to rise as panel manufacturers maintain control over their production capacity, ensuring a balance between supply and demand.

Despite lackluster sales performance during the 618 promotion, there has been a significant increase in sales revenue, reflecting strong demand for large-sized products with higher prices. Brand customers have not adjusted their procurement needs accordingly, and overall procurement demand is expected to continue growing as they prepare for the peak season in the second half of the year. This sustained growth in demand is likely to support the continuous upward trend in panel prices. Currently, it is projected that in June, prices for 32-inch panels will increase by 2 US dollars, 43-inch panels by 3 US dollars, 50-inch panels by 7 US dollars, and 55-inch panels by 8 US dollars. Meanwhile, 65-inch and 75-inch panels are expected to see an increase of 10 US dollars.

Following two consecutive months of price hikes by Taiwanese panel manufacturers, Korean and Chinese panel manufacturers have also begun considering raising prices. However, the recent weak demand in the commercial market has led brand customers, primarily focused on commercial sales, to continuously revise down their shipment forecasts. Consequently, the inclination towards price hikes is conservative, and both buyers and sellers remain in a stalemate. It is currently anticipated that Open Cell panel prices for this month will continue the upward trend of the past two months, with an expected increase of approximately 0.2 to 0.5 US dollars. As for panel module pricing, there is a possibility of a 0.1 US dollars increase for 21.5-inch and 23.8-inch organic panels, while 27-inch panels are expected to maintain a stable trend.

The demand for notebook (NB) panels is showing a monthly improvement trend. After several months of price stability, panel manufacturers are gradually becoming more inclined to raise prices. However, brand customers remain cautiously optimistic about the demand in the second half of the year and continue to exercise restraint in their stocking pace. Therefore, the idea of price increases is still leaning towards a conservative and resistant stance. It is currently expected that panel prices in June will remain stable. However, with the ongoing increase in demand, it is not ruled out that starting from July, certain NB panel prices may experience a slight upward trend.