Beijing | There’s little doubt that MicroLED is the future of DV-LED in the digital signage world. Until now, though, it’s mostly been limited to the high-end market because of steep production costs. That’s starting to change. Thanks to new manufacturing techniques and the benefits of scaling up, costs are expected to drop significantly—and BOE has just kicked off mass production of MicroLED displays.
Sony and Samsung introduced the first Ultra Fine Pixel LED solutions over five years ago. Now, MicroLED (MLED) technology is finally close to a major market breakthrough. Experts predict that MLED will surpass SMD in market value for the first time this summer, thanks to rising competition and new large-scale production lines.
One major player entering the scene with strong financial resources is BOE, the world’s biggest LCD manufacturer, In March, the company began mass production of panels in Zhuhai, across the water from Macau.
BOE says its new MLED factory is ready to compete, both in terms of technology and production capacity for “chip package displays.” The Chinese manufacturer offers a full lineup of MLED options, including traditional SMD and COB solutions, plus something new: COG (chip on glass) MLEDs, sold under the name α-MLED.
BOE’s product range covers everything from super-fine MLEDs with a pixel pitch as small as 0.3 mm, to COG-MLEDs at 0.5 mm, and COB models ranging from 0.9 to 1.5 mm. The company is not just doing Direct View displays either—BOE also makes MLED backlighting for TVs, monitors, laptops, gaming screens, and even car displays.
Right now, BOE is supplying panels for what they say is the biggest MicroLED project in the world: a massive 600-square-meter setup in Zhuhai, packing a resolution of 67,680 by 5,670 pixels.
