[28TH FINETECH JAPAN] Denso, Automotive displays that are directly connected to safety are OLED

/in , , /by

Reporter : Daejeong Yoon

At the 28th FINETECH JAPAN held in Makuhari Messe, Japan during December 5-7, 2018, Hiroyuki Hara, manager of Denso said that OLED will be used as future automotive displays due to their various advantages.

Hara refers to the large screen including the touch panel as the latest trend of automobile display, and now LCD is mainly used. However, OLED is expected to be used more and more in automobiles as the automotive electronics makers and drivers demand high-quality displays.

Saying that key elements in automotive displays are high contrast ratio, wide viewing angle, design autonomy, light weight, low reflection and reliability, Hara emphasized that the display that can satisfy all of these key elements is OLED. In addition, the factors related to image quality such as contrast ratio and viewing angle are directly related to safety for the driver. Thus, OLED is to be adopted more. Referring to the requirements of automotive OLED, he finally commented that improving reliability, such as lowering the luminance drop due to temperature changes and preventing damage to OLED due to high humidity, will be key to OLED for its entry into the automotive display market.

The automotive display is likely to lead the market for next-generation displays following mobile devices and TVs. Various OLED panel makers such as BOE and Visionox, as well as LG Display and Samsung Display, are showing automotive displays at domestic and international exhibitions. Denso also invested Japanese yen 30 billion in JOLED early 2018 to compete with Korean panel makers. Meanwhile, the market for OLED displays for automobiles led by Samsung Display and LG Display is expected to grow to US$ 540 million in 2023 according to UBI Research’s recently published “Automotive OLED Display Report”.

[28TH FINETECH JAPAN] JDI and JOLED, announced Strengthening Cooperation for Mid-sized OLED Market

/in , , , /by

At the 28th FINETECH JAPAN held in Tokyo, Japan from December 5 to 7, 2018, JDI and JOLED announced that they would intensify their cooperation in order to target the middle-sized OLED market.

JDI announced that it will actively promote JOLED’s solution process OLED to medium-sized OLED markets such as industrial display markets or automotive display markets through its own design know-how, production infrastructure, and sales channels,.

In particular, JDI announced that it will provide new value to next-generation automotive fields along with JOLED such as support for safety such as electronic mirrors and displays for A/B pillars, new interface functions, movie appreciation using 4-8K displays, and the displays that are harmonized with interior design such as curved surfaces and big screens.

JDI and JOLED also shared booths for exhibition. JOLED introduced 21.6-inch FHD OLED monitors for e-sports and medical applications. In addition, it introduced a number of medium-sized OLEDs such as 12.3-inch HD OLED for automobiles, 12.2-inch FHD flexible OLED, 27-inch 4K OLED for home interior, and 21.6-inch 4K flexible OLED with cylindrical form. It also showcased large OLEDs such as 54.6 inch 4K OLED.

On the other hand, JOLED announced in July, 2018 that it would open its Nomi office for mass production of solution process OLED. Based on 5.5 generation glass substrates, Nomi has production capacity of 20,000 glass substrates per month and plans to mass-produce in 2020.

[Press Release] Foldable OLED Market Grows Fast to US$ 24.6 Billion by 2023

/in , , , /by

Reporter & Analyst : Daejeong Yoon

5G communication technology introduced from next year can process higher image quality and large-capacity contents such as VR more rapidly, besides real-time streaming service. As the communication speed increases, the relevant contents, are expected to be released, which require high resolution and large screen with graphics detailed.

The current smart phone is getting bigger up to 6 inches, but it is not enough for 4K resolution of 5G communication age. Since 4K resolution is to be possible at 7-inch and larger displays, they might be the most suitable product for the 5G communication era. Foldable smart phones are digital convergence products that can function as smart phones and tablet PCs as the next generation mobile devices that use 7 inch or more displays but maximize portability.

Owing to foldable OLED, foldable smart phones are likely to be available. Several companies have rushed to produce various prototype foldable OLED displays at exhibitions and conferences. A few panel makers even pledged to mass-produce foldable OLED displays competitively. OLED display companies worldwide including Samsung Display have invested enormous development costs in order to preempt the next generation product market, and now foldable OLEDs are starting to appear.

Samsung Electronics, which is leading the OLED smart phone market, is planned to launch the in-folding type foldable phone for the first time in the world next year. Accordingly, Samsung Display has prepared 1.5R foldable OLED. For Samsung Electronics, which has suffered sluggish sales of the Galaxy S series, Foldable Phone is a super premium product that needs to be succeeded.

<Expected structure of Samsung Electronics’ in-folding type foldable phone>

Source: Foldable OLED Report, UBI research

 

UBI Research (CEO: Yi, Choong-hoon), an OLED research institute, has published Foldable OLED Report. According to the report, the market for foldable OLED in 2019 is only US$ 480 million, but it is expected to grow to US $ 24.6 billion in 2023.

Yi said, “The rapid growth of the foldable OLED market is due to the fact that 7-inch and larger smartphones, which can support 4K resolution, become required products in the 5G communication era. Accordingly, the value of OLED panel makers will be determined by the success of foldable OLED production.”

 

<Foldable OLED Market Forecast>
Source: Foldable OLED Report, UBI Research

However, foldable OLED is not a product that anyone can produce. Since foldable OLED has a more complex module structure than conventional flexible OLED, it is necessary to overcome the changes in various panel characteristics caused by folding. Especially in in-folding type foldable OLED, compensation circuit technology to overcome TFT resistance change and resilience required when folding and unfolding screen are typical technical difficulties. In order to realize this technology, the key challenges of reducing stress at the area of folding, selecting a proper substrate, determining the ideal stack structure, and optimizing the liftoff process, need to be overcome. Even when folding over 200,000 times, it is required to have reliability that there will be no abnormality on display image quality and surface.

“Foldable OLED Report” published by UBI Research analyzes the development trends of panel makers together with the development issues of major films that determine the reliability of foldable OLED.

JOLED, introduced many inkjet OLED technologies

/in , , /by

This was the first time for JOLED to demonstrate its products and technologies at FINETECH Japan 2018.

JOLED, which received the inkjet OLED technology from Panasonic and is doing OLED panel business, has been selling medical monitors since early this year. Next year, Asus is also scheduled to sell inkjet OLED TVs made by JOLED.

Its exhibited products include medical OLED monitor, OLED monitor for games, automotive OLED and 3 kinds of OLED TVs.

 

JOLED’s Inkjet OLEDs have a peak intensity of 350 nit. In case of full white, it is 140 nits, but has sufficient brightness for monitor applications.

JOLED will build mass production lines next year to produce OLEDs for 20-inch monitors and TVs as a full-scale. It also plans to start OLED business for automobiles after 2020.

JOLED is the only company producing OLED panels manufactured by inkjet technology. JOLED is also promoting the license business by providing this technology to Chinese, Japanese and Taiwanese panel makers.

[28TH FINETECH JAPAN] Sharp, announced Future Strategy Combining IGZO and OLED

/in , , , /by

Mr. Atsushi Ban, Vice President of Sharp presented a future strategy that combines IGZO and OLED through a keynote session at the 28th FINETECH JAPAN, held in Makuhari Messe, Japan from December 5, 2018.

Ban emphasized “The proportion of OLED in the entire display market is expected to grow even higher, and the new value of OLED is no different than flexibility.”

He said, “Sharp is also planning a variety of applications using the thin, light-weight and flexible characteristics of OLED. From the third quarter of 2018, its Taki plant has produced 4.5G backplanes and the Sakai plant is under injecting glass for OLED and module processing for 4.5G 15K quantity.”

 

 

Ban also pointed out the possibility of expanding the OLED industry through flexible OLED, commenting that Sharp’s next goal is to develop foldable OLED that combines IGZO. Sharp has pioneered a new display technology, called IGZO, which has been known for its semiconductor properties for years, but Sharp has developed a crystalline form that maximizes its benefits for greater display performance, and IGZO improves the performance of display panels in three significant ways: lower power consumption, higher resolution and special benefits for touch-sensitive displays. Ban expected that it could create new value if IGZO is combined with medium to large sized foldable OLED or rollable OLED.

 

Finally, Ban introduced Sharp’s IGZO development roadmap and announced that it will develop much improved IGZO.

Fingerprint full-screen smart phones begin to compete

/in , /by

Reporter : Daejeong Yoon

<Vivo’s full screen smart phone with in-display fingerprint scanner, Android authority>

The competition for front fingerprint recognition of smart phones is expected to become hot.

In the smart phone with the existing home button, the front fingerprint sensor was installed on the home button. Fingerprint security enhances security, but recently, full screen Smartphone without home button has been released and fingerprint sensor has been moved to the back of Smartphone. This has caused disadvantages such as an uncomfortable hand shape when touching a finger to the fingerprint sensor and fingerprints on the camera lens.

In order to improve these points and to implement a complete full-screen Smartphone, the development of integrating full-screen fingerprint recognition with display is continuing.

The method of full-screen fingerprint recognition is largely examined by both optical and ultrasonic methods. The optics are inexpensive and easy to mass-produce, but the OLED substrate must be transparent because the sensor is to be located below the OLED panel. Therefore, it is applicable to rigid OLED using glass as a substrate, but it is difficult to apply to flexible OLED using colored PI as a substrate. The ultrasonic method is most stable in accuracy and durability, but it has a disadvantage of high manufacturing cost.

Currently, Chinese set makers have begun to launch smart phones with optical front fingerprint recognition. The Galaxy S10, which will be released next year by Samsung Electronics, is being watched for the adoption of ultrasonic full-screen fingerprint recognition. LG Display is also developing a display with front fingerprint recognition.

As such, the sales for full-screen smart phones with front fingerprint recognition are expected to be started in earnest. Competition in the smartphone market is expected to become more intense in the second half.

OLEDWorks, released LumiCurve Wave, a flexible OLED lighting.

/in , /by

OLEDWorks recently announced the release of ‘Wave’, the first commercially available OLED (organic light-emitting diode) lighting platform on flexible glass.

 

<OLEDWorks’ Wave lighting, source: oledworks.com>

As part of the new LumiCurve product family, the Wave is processed on 0.1mm thin Corning’s ‘Willow Glass’. OLEDWorks says that the Wave panels are extremely thin and light and deliver the superb light quality and excellent color rendering that is uniquely achievable with OLED.

The Wave is available in a warm white (3000K) model and a neutral white (4000 K) model. Warm white offers up to 300 lumens of brightness. Its efficacy is up to 62 lm/W (at 100 lumens), the temperature is 3000 K, and the CRI is 90. Neutral white has a maximum brightness of 250 lumens, efficacy of 47 lm/W (at 100 lumens), color temperature of 4000 K and CRI of 90. Both products offer a lifetime of up to 50,000 hours with a minimum bending radius of 10cm.
OLED, which is actively being adopted by the display of current mobile devices and TVs, is also being applied to a wide variety of applications including indoor lighting, automotive lighting, and display lighting in the lighting market due to its unique surface emitting characteristics.
In addition to OLEDWorks, which is launching new products, LG Display, which can mass produce OLED panels for lighting, is also expected to showcase various OLED lightings at CES 2019. Industries are focusing on whether OLED lighting market will be expanded in earnest.

The meaning of ‘Flexpai’, the world’s first foldable mobile phone

/in , /by

Reporter : Daejeong Yoon

Having a Gen5.5 7.5K line in Shenzhen, Royole is known as a head mount display (HMD) company rather than a display company. After completing installation of equipment in the second quarter of this year, Royole has been developing panels for the target of 7.8-inch tablet PC.
RoYole has two peculiarities in OLED field. One is the world’s first mass-production of foldable OLEDs and the other is the first use of oxide TFTs in mobile displays.

 

Source: Royole Homepage

 

Because plastic film is used for the cover window of foldable phone, the display of out folding foldable phone is very likely to be damaged due to the external environment.

In fact, Samsung Display already developed a QHD resolution outfolding foldable OLED with a bending radius of 5 mm a few years ago, but the company plans to mass produce infolding foldable OLED to minimize damage to the screen from December.

Since Royole has not yet produced products with oxide TFT, the company has not achieved complete TFT reliability. Because of very low yield for the time, the available supply volume is expected to be limited even if the sales begin.

Apple adopts LTPO TFT to extend battery life time to Apple Watch Series 4

/in , , /by

Reporter & Analyst : Daejeong Yoon

Apple released its Apple Watch Series 4 with enhanced healthcare features on a larger screen than before, in the Steve Jobs Theater at Apple Park in California, USA on September 12.

<Apple Watch Series 4, Source: Apple.com>

In this announcement, Apple brought Apple watch series 4 with a new technology called LTPO to improve power efficiency.

LTPO stands for low temperature polycrystalline oxide. It is a kind of TFT using only the advantages of poly-Si with good charge mobility and IGZO with low power driving. LTPO TFTs have low leakage current and good on / off characteristics, which lowers power consumption and increases battery life.

<Apple’s LTPO TFT patent>

In addition, Apple increased the size of its Apple Watch 4 to 40mm and 44mm. The edge-to-edge screen is 35% and 32% larger than previous models by narrowing the bezel compared to previous models. The screen resolution was 368×448 pixels for the 44mm model and 324×394 pixels for the 40mm model. The display of Apple Watch4 is a plastic OLED made by LG Display with a maximum brightness of 1,000 nit. The Apple Watch Series 4 starts at US$399 for GPS model, while the cellular model starts at US$499. The Apple Watch Series 4 is available for pre-order from Septmber14 in the U.S. with the availability beginning September 21.

Japan’s first flexible OLED, finally made its debut

/in , /by

Reporter & Analyst : Daejeong Yoon

Japan, which used to be the strongest country in display industry in the past, gradually declined through the era of CRT, PDP and LCD, and has fallen to the third-largest producer in OLED industry after China.
Currently, Japanese companies that produce AMOLEDs are Sony and JOLED. Both companies are producing OLED for special monitors at 500 ~ 1,000 units per month. Although JDI has developed flexile OLED, it has not commercialized yet.

Sharp has challenged the OLED market for smartphones in the current Japanese manufacturing environment, which was passive in production. The production of flexible OLED is to be started at the 4.5 generation production equipment of Sakai plant. The flexible OLED is scheduled to be adopted on AQUOS zero model for Soft Bank.

The product was exhibited at the Sharp booth of CEATEC 2018, which is a QHD+ 6.2-inch dual edge type. Sharp
Officials said that the sales have not started yet.

 

 

In addition, Sharp also exhibited two types of flexible OLEDs which are under development.

 

OLEDON, is to announce belt-plane source deposition technology for manufacturing ultra-high resolution and ultra-area OLED

/in , , /by

Plane source technology, which was first developed by OLEDON in the world, has the principle of depositing the first organic material on the metal surface and evaporating it upwards to produce fine pattern of 2250 ppi, which is ultrahigh resolution. In this plane source process, three processes such as the first deposition, the plane source inversion, and the second evaporation are necessary, and the number of the high vacuum chambers is increased when the mass production is applied. The belt plane source FMM deposition technology introduced by OLEDON has a concept of carrying out the above processes at a time in one evaporation equipment. This is a continuous plane source supplying deposition technology in which the metal surface is formed in a belt shape.

 

Hwang added, “Using vertical plane source enables smooth deposition process for the 12th generation class area substrate for QD-OLED TV without sagging problem. Vertical belt-plane source evaporation equipment adopts the concept of depositing the substrate in a standing-up position so that the load on the framed glass chuck and the open mask is very low. Thus, easy transportation of the substrate, and uniform deposition process of thin film over a very large area in the static state are possible.” This technology is expected to be applicable not only to the 8th generation but also to the cluster type mass-production evaporator with substrate sizes more than 10 generations in the future.

 

 

<Vertical belt plane source evaporator for QD-OLED, Source: OLEDON>

Commenting finally that the company has successfully completed the material denaturation test for blue materials and the blue dopant deposition test, Hwang expected the plane source deposition technology to be applied to both small & medium sized OLED and large area OLED manufacturing in future.

On the other hand, OLEDON holds more than 30 related patents including original patents of plane source and belt plane source evaporator. Also, the company recently filed a patent related to a vertical belt plane source evaporator for mass production.

 

Quarterly OLED sales was increased significantly

/in , , /by

According to the 3Q AMOLED Market Track issued by UBI Research, the second quarter OLED market was sluggish, affected by the lower utilization rate of Samsung Display. However, in the third quarter, the market rebounded rapidly, forming a market of US$ 8.3 billion.
The performance of the third quarter is up 43.9% from the US$ 5.77 billion in the second quarter, and up 16.6% from the same period of last year.

 

Samsung Display, which drove sales growth, posted sales of US$ 7 billion, while OLED sales for Smartphone accounted for US $ 7.2 billion as its major application.
By country, Korea achieved sales of US$ 7.9 billion, accounting for 95.5% of the total market. China occupied 4.3% of total sales with US $ 360 million.
Yi Choong-hoon, CEO of UBI Research, explained that 3Q sales growth was attributable to Samsung Display’s production of Galaxy Note and Flexible OLED for Apple’s iPhone XS.

[IMID 2018] Samsung Display, The display that will lead 5G is OLED

/in , , /by

At the IMID 2018 exhibition held in COEX, Seoul from Oct. 24 to 26, Samsung Display presented various OLED products under the theme of ‘optimized OLED for 5G era’.
First, Samsung Display emphasized the advantages of OLED by introducing the transition process of full screen OLED and HDR & true black under the theme of ‘realistic multimedia’. Currently, the smartphone market is dominated by full-screen smartphones applied with OLED, and OLEDs are able to display a completely black color compared to LCDs, resulting in a clearer picture quality.

 

The company also introduced the next generation touch technology such as HoD (Haptic on Display; when you touch the screen, you can feel the physical vibration by hand. Thus, you can enjoy the contents realistically.), FoD (Fingerprint on Display) and SoD (Sound on Display) together with full screen technology.

In addition, the front of the booth is equipped with a space to experience the durability of the flexible OLED with a plastic cover window, so that visitors can try to hit the panel with a hammer or drop the ball. Various advantages of flexible OLED have been shown.

 

Moreover, OLED for VR, which implemented 1200ppi ultra-high resolution, automotive rollable display (CID) and 5.9 type transparent HUD were displayed, raising expectations for future development of display technologies.

LG Display unveiled its 8K OLED TV for the first time in Korea, which had been showcased at CES 2018 in Las Vegas earlier this year. This product is the biggest OLED TV that is currently in existence and provides 4 times clearer picture quality than UHD resolution.

Furthermore, LG Display showed the possibility of various OLED applications while the company showcased its 65-inch CSO (Crystal Sound OLED), a sound system built into the panel, and 77-inch UHD wallpaper OLED product that can be closely adhered to the wall to enhance interior effects in the living room.

 

OLEDON unveils plane source deposition technology for ‘super-gap’ OLED manufacturing.

/in , , /by

Attention is growing since OLEDON, a venture company developing OLED deposition equipment, unveiled plane source deposition technology for OLED manufacturing to maintain ‘a superb gap with the competing countries’, at IMID2018, held in COEX, Seoul, Oct. 24, 2018.

Hwang Chang-Hoon, CEO of OLEDON, said, “Korea should actively invest in the development of creative deposition technology to maintain the first place in the current OLED producing countries.” He expects that plane source deposition technology is to be used both for small and medium size OLED and large area OLED manufacturing in future.
OLEDON is developing the world’s first curved plane source FMM deposition technology, which is an ultra-high-resolution OLED deposition technology capable of manufacturing 2250ppi AMOLED. The shadow distance of fine pattern can be up to 0.18um, enabling 11K high-resolution AMOLED pattern process.

 

<Existing FMM deposition pattern (left) and plane source FMM deposition pattern (right), Source: OLEDON>

According to Hwang, this process was confirmed with 800 ppi shadow mask, and the emission area of the pattern deposited with plane source was 1.7 times higher than the conventional deposition method.
On the other hand, OLEDON holds the original patent for the FMM deposition technology of plane source, and has recently applied for a patent for vertical plane source deposition for large area OLED TV manufacturing.

 

 

<Vertical plane source deposition for OLED TV manufacturing, Source: OLEDON>

Room mirror and side mirrors of Smart Car will be replaced by OLED

/in , /by

Japan Electronics Show, CEATEC2018, was held at Makuhari Messe last week. CEATEC JAPAN 2018 is a global showcase for Japan’s growth strategies and vision of the future. Various Japanese companies exhibited products centered on IoT robots and AI. It is recognized that the electronics industry in Japan is gradually shifting from large hardware to small advanced parts and software industries.

In the exhibition, the core technology of smart car was introduced for self driving. Kyocera introduced cockpit technology that can anticipate and prevent various accidents that may occur in blind spots as advanced sensing technology and image processing technology to enhance the safety of automobiles.

 

For automotive display business, the company also exhibited advanced concept cars with clusters, CIDs, room mirror displays and side view displays.

 

According to Kyocera officials, room-mirror and side-view displays that show the external environment might have limitations and need to be converted into OLED displays since all of the concept car’s displays use LCDs.
When LCDs are used for room mirror display and side view display that show rapid changes while driving at high speed, the location of surrounding cars is to be expressed as being behind the actual location, which can result in an accident. In particular, LCDs with low contrast ratio are not able to accurately represent external objects at night.
OLEDs with high-speed response and high contrast ratio are expected to dominate the future automotive room mirror and side view mirror market.

[ICEL 2018] TADF attracts attention as next generation emitting material

/in , , /by

In addition to monitors and virtual reality devices, OLED is gradually expanding its domain beyond smartphones and TVs, inclusive of the application of side-mirror OLED in automobiles. As new OLED applications are increased in various environments, it is essential to develop technologies to satisfy users.

In ICEL 2018, which is being held at Jeju International Convention Center from October 15th, many presenters and attendants emphasized that material development is essential to improve the performance of OLED as the OLED market grows more. As an alternative material, TADF (Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescence) is mentioned.

First, Hwang Seok-Hwan, chief researcher in Samsung Display said that TADF is to be a good resolution as one of emitting materials for new deposition process, referring to the continued growth of OLED panel and material market.

 

 

Hwang said that the efficiency of fluorescent Blue is almost saturated, so 100% luminance efficiency can be obtained theoretically by applying TADF with the advantages of not using expensive rare earth metals. He added that improvement of material stability, improvement of color purity by using boron material, development of host having high triplet energy need to be superseded.

 

Also, CYNORA, a leading TADF developing company, disclosed the performance of dark blue TADF developed so far.

CYNORA said that the luminance efficiency and color purity of dark blue TADF reached the level that the related companies required, and that its current goal is to develop the technology to improve lifetime. In addition, based on this know-how, the company will quickly develop green and red TADF, and now green TADF has been delivered to several customers as a sample.

 

 

Merck confirmed that TADF is the most powerful luminescent material to replace fluorescent Blue at its presentation together with a poster about TADF.

OLED companies and research institutes are focusing attention on whether blue TADF can quickly enter OLED market and upgrade OLED performance further.

 

[ICEL 2018] What are the future challenges for LG Display to improve OLED TV performance?

/in , , /by

At ICEL 2018, held at Jeju International Convention Center from Oct. 15, Soo-Young Yoon, Vice President and Head of LG Display Laboratory, presented the challenges for the OLED TV performance improvement and price reduction

 

Yoon said “In 2018, the future prospects of OLED TVs have changed more positively compared to that in 2016. In 2013, only LG Electronics was an OLED TV set maker. The number of OLED TV set makers has steadily increased; ten in 2016, and fifteen in 2018. Many TV set makers are choosing OLED. ”

He added that although OLED TV is on the track of success with lots of improvement, it has to be further developed. The challenge is the improvement for high brightness, color reproduction rate and with the development of 8K resolution. Also he mentioned that the price reduction is to be necessary.

 

 

Yoon explained that the development of components such as driver IC and controller is an important task to develop 8K OLED TV. In order to improve the brightness, color reproducibility, and lifespan, TADF and phosphorescent Blue are to be good alternatives for improving the RGB emitting materials. The enhancement of out-coupling is also important.

In addition, he referred to the solution processed OLED as a technology, to compete against LCD TV price, with the necessity of developing inkjet equipment, process, and soluble materials. For this, it is required to develop the ink jet equipment and shorten the process time for mass production, but the performance and reliability of the soluble materials will be more important.
Finally, he commented that the company will focus on 8K OLED TV and rollable OLED TV with the improvement of brightness until 2020. After 2022, the company will develop the OLED TV which has an enhanced brightness of 300 nits or more, a color gamut that satisfies BT.2020, and a lifespan of more than 30,000 hours.

 

CYNORA announced that it has extended its joint development agreement for TADF commercialization with LG Display.

/in , /by

TADF developer CYNORA has announced that it has extended its joint-development agreement with LG Display. The two companies have been co-developing deep-blue TADF OLED emitters for two years, and have now decided to continue the cooperation towards the commercialization of TADF emitters in OLED displays.

The performance of CYNORA’s latest deep-blue material was presented at IMID 2018 held in August of the year. Among the performance introduced, the CIEy is 0.13, the EQE is 20% based on 1000 nits, and the LT97 is 15 hours at 700 nits.

CYNORA CEO Gildas Sorin commented, “Currently, CYNORA focuses on the development of deep blue TADFs for OLED TVs. Through the accumulated know-how to develop deep blue TADF, it also has plans to develop a light blue TADF for lighting applications and a green TADF for displays.”

The golden market for Automotive OLED Displays is approaching.

/in , /by

The display of connected cars is getting bigger and bigger to for the convenience of providing various information. The displays used in general vehicles include the cluster, CID (center information display), RSE (rear seat entertainment), and RMD (room mirror display). In connected cars, various buttons of the center fascia are displayed, and a display is attached to the door using a camera instead of a side mirror. The Audi e-tron®, all-new electric Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) feature a small side-view OLED display instead of the existing side mirrors. According to Choong-Hoon Yi, CEO of UBI Research, the reason why automobile manufacturers are actively trying to use OLED displays is because OLED can be a good resolution in various aspects such as design, visibility and thickness. Since the side view camera is attached to the door, the viewing angle should be very good for the driver’s eyes. Especially in nighttime driving, black should be accurately represented on the display to make things clearer. In addition, OLEDs with fast response must be used for the mirror of car because the screen needs to be changed rapidly depending on speed of the car (if it is running at a high speed). In winter season when temperatures are low, LCDs with slow response times are not recommendable to be used.

Flexible OLEDs should also be used to mount the cockpit display on the dashboard that maximizes driver’s convenience.

<BenzのF015 cockpit displayとAudiのe-tron side view display>

In contrast, LG Display, the strongest player in the market for OLED TVs, is looking for the display market for clusters and CIDs as flexible OLED with two layers of RGB OLED. Visteon, the second-largest supplier of automotive displays, is preparing for the cluster market with LG Display’s pOLED. Since 12.3-inch p OLED is made of LTPS substrate and its OLED process is more complicated than that of OLED for smartphone, panel prices including module are expected to be equal to 55-inch WRGB OLED, which can create a premium market even if the quantity is small.

<Visteon, 12.3 inches pOLED>

According to “Automotive OLED Display Report” published by UBI Research, the market for automotive OLED displays led by Samsung Display and LG Display is expected to grow to US$ 540million in 2023.

Samsung Display, supplies 7-inch OLED for Virtual Exterior Mirror to Audi

/in , , /by

Samsung Display announced on October 3 that the company will be supplying a 7-inch OLED display for Audi’s all-new electric Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV), the Audi e-tron®. The Audi e-tron has attracted attention throughout the automotive industry. One of its highlights are optional* ‘virtual exterior mirrors’ – a ‘first’ for a volume-production car.

Audi’s virtual exterior mirrors feature a small side-view camera instead of the existing side mirrors. The driver can view the images captured by the camera in real time through the OLED display installed between the vehicle’s A pillar (the column next to the front glass) and the door

<Virtual exterior mirror applied to e-Tron, Audi, Source: news.samsungdisplay.com>

The OLED display supplied by Samsung Display is equipped with one camera on each side of the vehicle dashboard, replacing the existing side mirror function, and the built-in touch sensor allows people to zoom in or out on the screen as if to manipulate a smartphone. Audi said the Virtual Exterior Mirror offers a wider field of view without blind spots, compared to a typical side mirror. It provides better visibility even on cloudy days and in dark places, and it provides a ‘view mode’ suitable for each driving situation such as highway driving, rotation, parking, etc for more convenient and safe driving. By eliminating the side mirrors that protrude out of the vehicle, it reduces air resistance and wind noise. Also, slim and beautiful design is possible, reducing the body width by 5.9 inches.

The images seen on the Samsung display that covers each virtual exterior mirror appear natural and distinct with none of the drag effects typically triggered by a slow response rate at low temperatures, while exhibiting outstanding color reproducibility. The Samsung 7-inch OLED display provides Audi e-tron drivers with an ideal visual solution, thanks to its low power consumption and innovatively thin, lightweight design, in addition to its superior imaging.

Jeeho Baek, Senior Vice President of Samsung Display, said “It is inspiring to many that our OLED display is used in Audi’s virtual exterior mirror, demonstrating that Samsung OLED technology is being optimized for cutting-edge automobile systems around the world. We will continue to actively support leading automotive manufacturers in helping them to advance the future automotive market through the use of our OLED display technology with its high resolution, advanced designs and low power consumption.”

OLEDON develops vertical plane source deposition technology for large OLED TV manufacturing

/in , , /by

Hwang Chang-Hoon, CEO of OLEDON, which has developed plane-source deposition technology for small & medium-sized OLED and large area OLED, said that it is under development of vertical plane source deposition technology capable of manufacturing ultra-large OLED TVs of 77 inches or larger. Hwang introduced the related technology that it is possible to mass produce OLED TVs of 77 inches or more without the sagging problem of large substrate such as 12th generation (3300 x 4000 mm) substrate when using vertical plane source deposition technology.

According to Hwang, the production yield for 75 inch TVs or larger with the conventional inline type evaporator might be very low due to severe sagging of the substrate and difficult control of many linear sources. To solve this problem, Hwang said that a new 12-generation large-area cluster-type deposition technology is needed, and that vertical plane source deposition technology will be an appropriate alternative.

On the other hand, OLEDON holds the original patents for plane source deposition technology. It also filed a patent related to the curved plane source FMM deposition for high-resolution AMOLED manufacturing, and a patent related to the vertical plane source deposition technology for manufacturing large-area OLED TV.

프리미엄 TV존 OLED TV와 Micro LED?

/in /by

2분기 실적 갱신을 하며 OLED TV 덕을 톡톡히 보고 있는 LG전자에 비해 삼성전자는 최근 프리미엄 TV 시장에서 고군 분투하고 있다. 마케팅을 앞세워 QD-LCD로 프리미엄 TV 시장에서 대응해 오다 점차 그 힘을 잃고 있는 것으로 보인다. 2017년부터 IFA, CES등 가전 전시회에서 QLED TV 개발 발표, 프라이빗 부스 전시 등 새로운 시도를 하고 있지만 개발이 더딘 와중 삼성전자의 Micro LED 상용화의 공식 발표로 향후 프리미엄 TV 시장의 구도에 대한 관심이 뜨겁다.
2018 CES와 2018 IFA에서 대중에 공개한 삼성전자의 Micro LED (Mini LED) TV “The Wall”은 상당 수준 발전한 Micro LED 기술을 보여주고 있으며 이에 따라 대만의 관련 업체 들의 주가도 높아지고 있다. 이런 흐름에 대응하는 차원에서 2018 IFA에서 LG전자도 173인치의 Micro LED TV를 전시한 것으로 보인다.

넓은 시야각, 완벽한 블랙의 표현, 빠른 응답 속도 등이 OLED TV의 장점으로 언급되며 프리미엄 TV 시장을 점유해 가고 있다. 산업에서는 아직까지는 Micro 수준이라고 할 수 없는 픽셀을 더 줄이고 가격을 경쟁 가능한 수준으로 하락, 전사에서 오는 신뢰성을 극복하는 등의 한계점 들을 극복한다면 150인치 정도의 초대형 디스플레이 시장을 형성할 수 있을 것으로 예상하고 있다. 이론적으로 Micro LED는 OLED 와 같이 RGB가 스스로 빛을 내는 자발광 디스플레이이며, 작은 부피와 높은 명암비, 사이즈를 줄임으로서 단위 면적당 더 많은 화소수를 넣을 수 있어 고해상도 구현에 유리하다. 또한, 초소형 픽셀사이즈로 구부러지는 디스플레이 구현도 가능한 것으로 알려져 있다.
하지만 여전히 가정용 TV로 생산하기에 Micro LED 는 제조 비용의 문제와 발열등 극복해야될 한계점을 가지고 있어 본격적인 상용화 까지는 시일이 꽤 걸릴것으로 내다 보고 있다. 각종 전시회에서 지속적으로 발전된 제품을 공개하고 있는 만큼 산업의 기대도 큰 것으로 보인다. 또한 동시에 OLED TV 또한, CSO(Crystal Sound OLED) 등 다양한 각도로 진화하고 있어 앞으로의 프리미엄 TV 시장이 기대된다.

 

(사진: 삼성전자, The wall, 2018 IFA, 출처: 유비리서치)

 

Apple, Apple Watch Series 4에 배터리 지속 시간 늘리는 LTPO TFT 적용

/in /by

Apple이 현지시간으로 9월 12일 미국 캘리포니아주에 위치한 애플 파크 스티브 잡스 극장에서 이전보다 더 큰 화면에 헬스케어 기능을 강화한 Apple Watch Series 4를 발표했다.

<Apple Watch Series 4, Source: apple.com>

Apple은 이번 발표에서 Apple watch Series 4에 LTPO라는 새로운 기술을 도입해 전력 효율을 향상시켰다고 밝히며 이목을 끌었다.

LTPO는 low temperature polycrystalline oxide의 약자로써, 전하 이동도가 우수한 poly-Si과 저전력 구동이 용이한 IGZO의 장점만을 활용한 TFT의 일종이다. LTPO TFT는 누설전류가 적고 on/off 특성이 좋기 때문에 소비 전력이 낮고 배터리의 지속 시간은 늘어난다.

<Apple의 LTPO TFT 특허>

또한, Apple은 Apple Watch 4의 본체 규격을 40mm와 44mm로 키우고 bezel을 좁혀 이전 모델들에 비해 display area를 35%와 32%로 늘렸으며, 화면 해상도도 44mm 모델은 368×448 픽셀, 40mm 모델은 324×394 픽셀로 증가시켰다고 설명했다. Apple Watch4의 디스플레이는 LG디스플레이에서 제작한 plastic OLED이며 최대 밝기는 1,000 nit이다.

Apple Watch Series 4의 출시 가격은 GPS 모델이 399달러부터이며 셀룰러 모델이 499달러부터다. 예약 주문은 9월 14일부터 진행되고 제품 출시는 21일부터다.

IFA 2018 TV 전시 동향

/in /by

2018년 8월 30일부터 9월 5일까지 베를린에서 유럽 최대 가전 전시회인 IFA2018이 개최되었다. IFA2018에서 전시된 TV는 OLED TV를 비롯하여 LCD TV와 micro LED TV, laser TV 4종류가 있었으며, 전시 참가 업체는 삼성전자, LG전자, 소니, 파나소닉, 샤프, 도시바, TCL, 하이센스, 창홍, 필립스, 베스텔, 메츠, 그룬딕, 레베 등이 있었다.

유비리서치는 IFA2018에 전시된 전세계 주요 TV 업체들의 전시 제품을 조사하여 OLED TV를 중심으로 “전시 동향 분석 보고서”를 출간하였다.

본 보고서에 따르면 IFA2018에서 TV 전시 주요 특징은 75인치 LCD TV 부상과 8K TV, micro LEDTV 세가지로 요약되었다.

첫째 LCD TV는 75인치가 중점적으로 부각된 이유는 65인치 LCD TV 가격 하락으로 2,000달러 이상의 프리미엄 TV시장에서 수익을 내기 위해서는 75인치 이상의 LCD TV가 필요해졌기 때문이다. 삼성전자 부스에서는 75인치가 65인치에 비해 차이가 별로 나지 않음을 홍보하였다.

두번째 특징은 8K TV이다. 이전 전시회까지는 샤프만이 8K LCD TV를 전시하여 왔으나 IFA2018에서 삼성전자가 8K LCD TV (QLED TV)를 처음으로 전시하며 많은 관람객을 끌었다. 88인치 8K OLED TV도 처음으로 LG전자 전시장에서 공개되었다. 완벽한 블랙과 OLED만의 생동감 있는 화면에 8K 고해상도가 겹쳐 가장 현실감이 있는 TV로 인정받았다. 8K LCD TV는 삼성전자와 샤프 이외에도 베스텔에서도 전시되었다.

<삼성전자 8K QLED TV>

<LG전자 88인치 8K OLED TV>

<베스텔 75인치 8K LCD TV>

 

세번째는 올해의 화두로 떠오른 micro LED TV다. CES2018에 처음으로 삼성전자가 공개한 micro LED TV는 100인치 이상 크기의 초대형 TV와 퍼블릭 시장을 만들수 있는 제품으로 인지되고 있다, 이 시장에 LG전자도 가세하기 위해 IFA2018에 173인치 4K micro LED TV를 출품하였다.

 

[IMID 2018] Can Blue TADF and Hyperfluorescence meet both efficiency and lifetime?

/in , /by

At IMID 2018 in Busan, BEXCO on August 31, Junji Adachi, CEO of Kyulux disclosed the performance of hyperfluorescence, which adds TADF dopant to the existing fluorescent host and dopant.

The color coordinates of the yellow hyperfluorescence revealed by Junji Adachi are (0.49, 0.50), the FWHM (Full Width at Half Maximum) is 76 nm, the EQE is 15.7% on 1000 nit basis, and the LT50 is 62,000 hours by 1000 nit. And the color coordinates of the green hyperfluorescence are (0.28, 0.65), the FWHM (Full Width at Half Maximum) is 31 nm, the EQE is 20.6% on 1000 nit basis, and the LT50 of 1,000 nit is 48,000 hours.

Junji Adachi also revealed the performance of Blue hyperfluorescence, which is currently under development. The maximum emission wavelength of the blue hyperfluorescence is 470 nm, the EQE at 1000 nit is 22%, and the LT50 at 750 nit is 100 hours. In particular, he predicted that the performance of Blue hyperfluorescence would be further improved in the future, saying that it began to improve rapidly in the first half of 2018.

In the following announcement, Dr. Georgios Liaptsis of CYNORA explained about the deep Blue under development, emphasizing that the wavelength should be 460 nm and the CIEy should be within 0.15. He revealed its performance, adding that CYNORA has been carrying out the necessary research to make the lifetime of deep Blue as long as that of sky Blue even with phenomenon that the life span is getting longer as the Blue goes closer to the sky Blue

Fluorescent blue is currently used for the Blue of all OLED applications. Attention is growing whether Blue TADF or Blue Fluorescence can be commercialized to realize better efficiency and lifetime than existing fluorescent blue.

[IMID 2018] Samsung Display, The key material that will connect the smart world and the individual in the future is the display

/in , /by

Reporter & Analyst : Daejeong Yoon

At IMID 2018 held in BEXCO, Busan, Korea on August 29, Kwak Jin-Oh, vice president of Samsung Display, delivered a keynote speech on the theme of ‘The Infinite Evolution with Display’. He emphasized “Display will be the key material to link to the smart world and the creation of a new world and environment will be accelerated.”

Comparing the evolution of living things with the evolution of displays, Kwak pointed out the direction of the next-generation displays such as ‘size diversity from small to large size, adaption in design inclusive of full screen and flexible, and convergence with other technologies’.

In terms of size diversity, Kwak said, “High-resolution displays that can feel realism in small and medium-sized area, and displays that can be immersed like a big screen in a movie theater in large area, are required.”

The design adaptation then was referred to design autonomy as one of the values of next-generation displays. He further emphasized the value of rollable and stretchable displays as well as foldable displays in small and medium sized displays.

Kwak said that Samsung is developing rollable displays as well as foldable displays that are currently attracting great interest. Unlike foldable display, rollable display requires consideration of the stress on the front of the panel. He commented “Because there are many things to consider such as the time when it is rolled up, and the number of times it is rolled and unrolled, the company is conducting research to solve them.”

He also introduced a stretchable display that can implement patterns freely, and explained that it is developing various structures using RGB pixel unit and stretchable unit to implement displays that have high reliability with low stress.

Mentioning about biotechnology at the convergence area, he pointed out that new fusion technologies need to be considered such as measurement of oxygen saturation by transmitting light to hemoglobin or changes in the wake up mode and sleep mode of the display depending on the melatonin change.

Finally, Kwak concluded that display is evolving to create a new society and environment, emphasizing that display is the key material to link between the individual and the smart world in the forthcoming 5G era.

[IMID 2018] LG Display, showcased 2-stack RGB OLED for automobile OLED with improved life span.

/in , /by

At IMID 2018 held in BEXCO, Busan on August 29, Kim Kwan-Soo, research fellow of LG Display presented about a new OLED technology for automotive displays.

Kim said that RGB OLEDs applied to mobile devices and WRGB OLEDs applied to TVs do not satisfy customers’ needs in terms of life span. To solve this issue, he introduced 2 stack RGB OLED in which RGB OLED has the same tandem structure as WRGB.

Because 2 stack RGB OLED can be thick due to adding a layer of CCL (charge generation layer) to the multi-layer structure, HTL is made thinner than before and the charge balance of the emitting layer is optimized.

As a result, the 2-stack RGB OLED shows 1.5 ~ 2 times higher emitting efficiency than the 1-stack RGB OLED. Its lifetime is increased by 4 times on T80 basis.

However, the 2-stack structure has a disadvantage in that it has higher power consumption than the general structure. Thus, it is necessary to make efforts to solve this disadvantage.

[IMID 2018] LG Display and Samsung Display exhibited a large number of large, and small & medium sized OLED applications.

/in , /by

LG Display and Samsung Display introduced a number of applications using OLED at IMID 2018 held in BEXCO, Busan, drawing attention from many visitors. In particular, LG Display displayed its strategies mostly for large OLED applications such as 77-inch transparent OLED and 55-inch video wall OLED, while Samsung Display introduced the small and medium sized OLED applications mainly for automotive and virtual reality devices.

First, the panel thickness of the 77 inch transparent flexible OLED introduced by LG Display is 400 μm, the bending radius is 80 mm, and the luminance is 200 nit based on full white.

LG Display explained that it would improve the required transmittance and durability. Also, it commented that the goal is to reduce bezel to 0.5 mm at its display of 4 FHD OLEDs with 3.8 mm bezel.

In addition, LG Display presented a 1200ppi 4.3-inch WRGB OLED for virtual reality devices. One official explained that WRGB OLED, which represents the resolution by etching the color filter, would be advantageous for higher resolution than RGB using the deposition method.

Meanwhile, Samsung Display exhibited a number of automotive OLEDs, including unbreakable OLED for 6.22 inch steering wheel, 1000R curved OLED for passenger monitor, transparent OLED for HUD, S-curved OLED for CIO and rollable OLED. The concerned official expects the OLED to be widely applied to inside automobiles because it has excellent design autonomy, compared to LCD.

He added “Although there are many things to be improved, such as brightness and reliability, it is continuously improving the required performance through the feedback from European customers”.

Furthermore, Samsung Display showcased light field display and 2,000ppi resolution RGB OLED for virtual reality devices.

[IMID 2018] OLEDON, developed ‘curved plane source FMM deposition technology’ for 2250ppi AMOLED for the first time in the world

/in , /by

OLEDON is a company which develops plane source deposition technology for high resolution AMOLED manufacturing. Hwang Chang-Hoon, CEO of  OLEDON announced in IMID 2018 that it developed ‘curved plane source FMM deposition technology’ that can be adopted to 2250ppi AMOLED pixels, for the first time in the world.

Conventional linear source FMM deposition technology has a shadow distance of 3um. The available production range is 570ppi AMOLED resolution. On the other hand, the plane source deposition technology already demonstrated in OLEDON can achieve a resolution of 800 to 1200 ppi of AMOLED with a shadow distance of 0.8 to 1.5 μm. Meanwhile, the newly developed ‘curved plane source FMM deposition technology’ is an upgraded technology of the plane source deposition technology which can realize the maximum resolution of AMOLED to 2250ppi with a shadow distance of 0.18 ~ 0.6μm.

The principle is that light is gathered through a concave mirror, a curved surface is applied to the conventional flat plane source, and the light emitting material does not spread, but is precisely deposited at a desired position, thereby reducing the shadow distance.

If this technology is commercialized, it is expected that it can be widely applied not only to mobile devices but also to virtual reality devices.

소니 모바일에도 OLED 탑재

/in /by

OLED TV로 프미리엄 TV 사업을 성공적으로 부활시킨 소니가 모바일에도 OLED를 탑재했다. 기존의 Xperia 시리즈와 유사한 살짝 굴곡있는 유리 뒷면과 6인치 디스플레이를 채택했다. 뒷커버의 디자인을 두고 소니는 삼성과 애플등과 비교했을 때 손에 잡기 쉽도록 했다고 발표했다. 최근 iPhone의 M자형 디자인과 유사한 디자인의 스마트폰이 출시되고 있는 것과 비교, 소니는 뒤쪽 하단에 작은 홈을 만들었다. 이 홈의 기능에 대해서는 아직 알려진 바가 없으나 디자인 차별성의 의미로 해석해 본다.

경쟁사의 OLED 채택 스마트폰 출시에 비해 많이 늦었지만 스크린 사이즈를 최대한으로 키우고, 가장 경쟁력 있다고 할 수 있는 부분인 색감, 색재현율 등에서 많은 노력을 하였다. 19메가 픽셀 센서 카메라에는 최근의 트렌드를 반영하며 AI 기능을 더했고 사용자의 편리성을 위해 물리적 버튼도 동기화 했다. Xperia XZ3의 마케팅 포인트 중 하나는 점점 디스플레이 사이즈가 커짐에 따라 한손으로 동작하기 불편함에 대해 “한손으로 동작가능한 디자인”으로 보인다. 디스플레이의 끝 부분에 두번 탭을 통해 바로가기 메뉴등을 실행할 수 있도록 했다. Xperia XZ3은 2018년 9월 말부터 한국을 제외하고 다양한 국가 및 지역에서 출시될 예정이다.

OLED TV에 이어 소니의 감성을 담은 스마트폰을 기다려온 소비자들에게는 신규제품에 대한 희소식이고, 디스플레이 산업에 또한 그동안 모바일 사업에서 부진을 겪어온 소니가 OLED 채용으로 TV사업에서와 같은 부활을 할 수 있을지 지켜 볼 수 있는 제품이 아닐까 생각한다.

JOLED raised 47 billion yen to spur solution process OLED business for automobiles.

/in , /by

JOLED, the world’s first to successfully commercialize solution process OLED products, announced that it had raised a total of 47 billion yen as a third-party capital increase.

According to JOLED, Denso will invest 30 billion yen, Toyota Tsusho 10 billion yen, Sumitomo chemical 5 billion yen and SCREEN Finetech Solutions 2 billion yen. JOLED is known to cooperate with Denso to develop automotive displays and Sumitomo chemical to develop OLED materials for solution process.

In particular, Denso has been mainly using TFT-LCD for automotive displays, but it is expected to lead the development for applying lightweight and easy-to-shape OLED to automobile interior through this investment.

It is expected that this funding will accelerate the establishment of production system for the mass-production of JOLED’s solution process OLED. JOLED announced on July 1 that it would set up a “JOLED Nomi Office” in Nomi-city, Ishikawa, and aim to operate in 2020.

Major production products are medium-sized (10 to 32-inch) solution process OLEDs that will be used for cars or high-end monitors. Also, Toshiaki Arai, chief technologist of JOLED announced that they would target the middle-sized OLED market with solution process OLED, at the 2018 OLED Korea conference hosted by UBI Research in March.

 

[IMID 2018] 청색 TADF와 hyperfluorescence, 효율과 수명 두 마리 토끼 모두 잡을 수 있을까

/in /by

8월 31일 부산 BEXCO에서 열리고 있는 IMID 2018에서 Kyulux의 CEO, Junji Adachi는 기존의 형광재료 host와 dopant에 TADF dopant를 첨가하는 hyperfluorescence의 성능들을 공개했다.

Junji Adachi가 공개한 노란색 hyperfluorescence의 색좌표는 (0.49,0.50), 반치폭은 76 nm, 1,000 nit 기준 EQE는 15.7%, 1000 nit 기준 LT50은 6만 2천시간이며, 녹색 hyperfluorescence의 색좌표는 (0.28,0.65), 반치폭은 31 nm, 1000 nit 기준 EQE는 20.6%, 1,000 nit 기준 LT50은 4만 8천시간이다.

이 자리에서 Junji Adachi는 현재 개발 중인 청색 hyperfluorescence의 성능도 공개했는데, 최대 발광 파장은 470 nm, 1000 nit 기준 EQE는 22%, 750 nit 기준 LT50은 100시간이라고 밝혔다. 특히, 2018년 상반기부터 청색 hyperfluorescence의 성능이 빠른 속도로 향상되기 시작했다며 앞으로 성능이 더욱 더 향상 될 것으로 기대했다.

이어진 발표에서 CYNORA의 Dr. Georgios Liaptsis는 현재 개발 중인 진한 청색(deep blue)을 설명하며 파장은 460 nm, CIEy는 0.15 이내가 되야 한다고 강조했다. 연한 청색(sky blue)로 갈수록 수명이 길어지는 특징이 있는데, CYNORA는 진한 청색으로 연한 청색만큼의 수명을 가질 수 있도록 연구를 진행하고 있다고 설명하며 성능을 공개했다.

현재 모든 OLED application의 청색은 형광 청색이 사용되고 있다. 청색 TADF나 청색 hyperfluorescence가 상용화 되어 기존의 형광 청색보다 더 개선 된 효율과 수명을 보여줄 수 있을지 귀추가 주목된다.

[IMID 2018] Samsung Display, 미래에 스마트 세계와 개인을 연결할 핵심 소재는 디스플레이

/in /by

8월 29일 부산 BEXCO에서 개최된 IMID 2018 에서 곽진오 Samsung Display 부사장은 ‘The Infinite Evolution with Display’를 주제로 기조연설을 진행하며, “디스플레이가 스마트 세계를 연결해줄 핵심 소재가 될 것이며 새로운 세계와 환경의 창조를 가속화 할 것”이라 강조했다.

곽 부사장은 생물의 진화와 디스플레이의 진화를 비교하며 ‘소형부터 대형까지 디스플레이 크기의 다양성(size diversity)과 full screen, flexible 등 디자인 적응(adaption in design), 다른 기술들과의 통합(convergence)’ 등 차세대 디스플레이가 나아갈 방향을 제시했다.

크기의 다양성에서 곽 부사장은 “중소형 부분에서는 현실감을 느낄 수 있는 고해상도의 디스플레이가, 대형 부분에서는 영화관의 큰 화면처럼 몰입 할 수 있는 디스플레이가 요구된다”라고 밝혔다.

이어서 디자인 적응에서는 차세대 디스플레이의 가치 중 하나로 디자인 자율성을 언급하며, 중소형 디스플레이는 폴더블 디스플레이 뿐만 아니라 롤러블과 스트레처블 디스플레이의 가치를 강조했다.

곽 부사장은 현재 이슈가 되고 있는 폴더블 디스플레이 뿐만 아니라 롤러블 디스플레이도 개발하고 있다고 언급했다. 폴더블 디스플레이와 다르게 패널 전면에 가해지는 스트레스를 고려해야 하는 롤러블 디스플레이는 말려져 있는 시간과 말았다 펴지는 횟수 등 고려해야 하는 사항이 많기 때문에, 이를 해결하기 위한 연구를 진행하고 있다고 발표했다.

또한 디스플레이 패널을 자유자재로 형태를 구현할 수 있는 스트레처블 디스플레이도 소개하며, 낮은 스트레스와 함께 높은 신뢰성을 갖는 디스플레이 구현을 위해 RGB 픽셀 유닛과 스트레처블 유닛을 활용한 다양한 구조들을 개발하고 있다고 설명했다.

융합 부분에서는 바이오 기술들을 거론하며 헤모글로빈에 빛을 투과해 산소포화도를 측정하거나.멜라토닌 변화에 따라 디스플레이의 wake up 모드와 sleep 모드 변화 등 새로운 융합 기술도 고려해야 한다고 언급했다.

마지막으로 곽 부사장은 앞으로 열릴 5G 시대에서 디스플레이가 개인과 스마트 세계를 연결할 핵심 소재임을 강조하며 새로운 사회와 환경을 창조하기 위해 디스플레이는 지속적으로 진화하고 있다고 설명하고 발표를 마무리했다.

[IFA2019] 소니 4K OLED TV 브라비아 마스터 시리즈 AF9 공개

/in /by

소니가 IFA2019에서 공개한 AF9 시리즈 OLED TV는 차세대 고화질 프로세스 X1 Ultimate로서 약 2배의 리얼타임 화상처리 능력을 실현하여 현실 세계에 가까운 깊은 검정색과 밝은 흰색 표현이 가능하도록 했다.

음향 처리부분에서는 acoustic surface audio+ 기술로서 본체 후면 좌우의 actuator에 더하여 가운데에도 actuator를 설치하였다. 여기에 배면 스탠드에 서브 우퍼를 좌우 설치하여 3.2 채널 98W의 임장감을 표현하는 고화질 사운드를 완성하였다.

9월부터 유럽에 판매 예정이며 65인치 가격은 3,999 유로, 55인치는 2,999유로이다.

일본에서 OLED TV를 판매하고 있는 회사는 엘지전자와 소니, 파나소닉, 토시바 4개사이다. 이들 회사들에서 OLED TV 가격이 가장 높은 회사는 소니이지만 판매량은 가장 높은 것으로 알려져 있다.

소니의 일본애 시장뿐만 아니라 해외 시장에서도 높은 브랜드 인지도를 바탕으로 OLED TV 사업을 확충할 예정이다. 내년에는 8K OLED TV 판매도 계획하고 있다.

[IMID 2018] LG Display와 Samsung Display, 다수의 대형과 중소형 OLED application 전시

/in /by

LG Display와 Samsung Display가 부산 BEXCO에서 열리고 있는 IMID 2018에서 OLED를 활용한 다수의 application을 선보이며 관람객들의 이목을 집중시켰다. 특히, LG Display는 77인치 transparent flexible OLED와 55인치 video wall OLED 등 대형 OLED application 위주로 전시한 반면, Samsung Display는 자동차용과 가상현실 기기용 OLED 등 중소형 OLED application을 주로 선보이며 뚜렷하게 서로 다른 사업 전략을 선보였다.

먼저, LG Display에서 77 inch transparent flexible OLED의 패널 두께는 400 um, 곡률 반경은 80 mm, 휘도는 full white 기준으로 200 nit다. LG Display는 부족한 투과도와 내구성을 더 개선시킬 것이라 언급했다. 또한, 3.8 mm narrow bezel을 가진 4장의 FHD OLED를 전시하며 bezel을 0.5 mm 까지 줄이는 것이 목표라고 설명했다.

이 밖에 LG Display는 가상현실 기기용 1200ppi 4.3 인치 WRGB OLED를 선보였다. 관계자는 color filter를 에칭하여 해상도를 나타내는 WRGB OLED가 증착 방식을 이용하는 RGB보다 고해상도에 유리할 것이라고 설명했다.

한편, Samsung Display는 6.22인치 steering wheel용 unbreakable OLED와 동승자 모니터용 1000R curved OLED, HUD용 투명 OLED, CID용 S-curved OLED, rollable OLED 등 OLED를 활용한 다수의 자동차용 OLED를 전시했다. 업체 관계자는 OLED가 LCD보다 디자인 자율성이 매우 뛰어나기 때문에 자동차 내부에 폭 넓게 적용될 수 있을 것이라 기대했다.

 

 

아직 개발 중인 단계로 휘도와 신뢰성 등 개선해야 할 사항은 많지만, 현재 유럽의 고객사들과의 피드백을 통해 지속적으로 성능을 개선하고 있다고 설명했다.

이 밖에, Samsung Display는 light field display와 가상현실 기기용 2000ppi 해상도의 RGB OLED 등을 선보였다.

 

[IMID 2018] OLEDON, 2250ppi AMOLED 제조용 곡면소스 FMM 증착기술 세계최초로 개발

/in /by

고해상도 AMOLED 제조용 면소스 증착기술을 개발하고 있는 OLEDON의 황창훈 대표는 2250ppi의 AMOLED 화소의 증착이 가능한 곡면 소스 FMM 증착기술을 세계 최초로 개발하였다고 IMID 2018에서 발표했다.

기존의 리니어 소스 FMM 증착기술은 섀도우거리가 3 um으로서 생산 가능한 AMOLED의 해상도는 570ppi 수준이다. 반면, OLEDON에서 이미 선보인 바 있는 면소스 증착기술은 섀도우거리가 0.8~1.5 um 으로서 AMOLED의 해상도를 800~1200ppi까지 구현할 수 있다. 한편, 이번에 새로 개발된 곡면소스 FMM 증착기술은 섀도우거리가 0.18~0.6 um로서 AMOLED의 최대 해상도를 2250ppi까지 구현 가능한 면소스 증착기술의 업그레이드 기술이다.  

원리는 오목거울을 통해 빛을 모으는 것처럼, 기존의 평평한 면 소스에 곡면을 가해 발광재료가 퍼지지 않고 원하는 곳에 정확히 증착 되어 섀도우 거리를 줄일 수 있는 방식이다.

이 기술이 상용화 된다면 mobile 기기 뿐만 아니라 가상현실 기기 등 폭넓게 적용될 수 있을 것으로 기대를 모으고 있다.

 

 

2018 imid_ 투명디스플레이와 자동차용 디스플레이 전시를 통한 신규 사업 방향 제시

/in /by

2018년 8월 부산에서 개최된 imid는 점점 전시의 규모를 키워가고 있음을 보여주었다. 대한민국 디스플레이 산업을 이끄는 삼성디스플레이와 엘지디스플레이는 모두 투명 디스플레이를 전시하였다. 엘지디스플레이는 77인치 탑에미션 방식의 투과율40% 투명 디스플레이와 55인치 FHD OLED 패널 3장을 이어붙인 비디오 월을 전시하였다. 비디오 월은 베젤이 3.5mm 에 불과하며 이 외에도 VR OLED 패널을 전시 지속적인 개발을 통해 성능이 향상되고 있음을 보여주었다.

삼성디스플레이 역시도 투명 디스플레이를 전시하였는데, 엘지디스플레이가 대형 OLED 산업을 이끈다면 삼성디스플레이는 중소형 OLED 산업을 이끄는 위치에 있음을 대변 하듯, 자동차용 사이즈의 투명 디스플레이를 전시하였다. 투명 OLED 디스플레이 사용을 통해 HUD 디자인 발전 가능성을 시사하였으며 이 외에도 다양한 자동차용 플렉서블 OLED 디스플레이를 전시하였다. 이를 통해 삼성디스플레이가 본격적으로 자동차용 OLED 패널 사업을 하고자 하는 의지를 엿볼 수 있었다. 또한 616ppi의 3.5인치 OLED패널을 사용한 VR과 1200ppi의 2.43인치 OLED 패널을 사용한 VR 을 전시하였다.

두 패널 회사들 외에도 머크, 희성소재를 비롯한 다양한 재료와 장비 업체에서도 학회 전시 참여를 통해 학계와 산업에 기여함과 동시에 사업을 소개하는 장소로 활용하고 있었다. 세계 최고의 OLED 산업리서치 업체인 유비리서치도 이번 기회를 통해 2018년 새롭게 구성한 Market Track등의 보고서를 소개하고 있다.

 

[IMID 2018] LG Display, 수명을 개선한 자동차용 OLED로 2 stack RGB OLED 선보여

/in /by

8월 29일 부산 BEXCO에서 열린 IMID 2018에서 LG Display의 김관수 연구위원(research fellow)은 자동차용 디스플레이에 적용될 새로운 OLED 기술에 대해 발표했다.

김 연구위원은 현재 모바일 기기에 적용되고 있는 RGB OLED와 TV에 적용되고 있는 WRGB OLED는 수명 측면에서 고객사들의 요구를 만족시키지 못하고 있기 때문에, 이를 해결하기 위한 방법으로 RGB OLED를 WRGB처럼 tandem 구조를 갖는 2 stack RGB OLED를 소개했다.

2 stack RGB OLED는 다층구조에 CGL(charge generation layer) 층이 더해져 두께가 두꺼울 수 있기 때문에 HTL을 기존보다 얇게 만들고 발광층의 charge balance를 최적화하였다.

그 결과 1 stack RGB OLED보다 1.5배에서 2배 향상된 발광효율과 함께 수명이 T80 기준으로 4배 이상 증가하는 효과가 나타났다고 보고했다.

하지만 2 stack 구조는 일반 구조에 비해 소비 전력이 높은 단점이 있어 이를 해결하기 위한 노력이 필요하다고 지적했다.

[IFA2018] 엘지전자 88인치 OLED TV 최초 공개

/in /by

유럽 최대 가전 전시회인 IFA의 엘지전자 TV 부스는 역시 OLED가 TV의 주력을 차지하였다. CES2018에는 전시되지 않았던 88인치 8K OLED TV가 공개상에서 최초로 모습을 드러내었다.
88인치 8K OLED TV는 OLED의 화려한 색상과 완벽한 블랙에 초고해상도가 더해져서 입체감이 한층 살아난 최상의 TV임을 보여주고 있다. 엘지전자 관계자에 의하면 프리미엄 TV 해상도가 4K를 넘어 이미 8K 시장으로 진입을 시작했기 때문에 OLED TV도 이에 대응할 수 있는 제품이 필요한 시기가 되었다고 언급했다.
LG디스플레이는 88인치 이외 75인치와 64인치 8K OLED 패널을 개발중에 있으며 내년에는 이들 제품들이 모두 시장에 나올 수 있을 것으로 기대된다. 현재 개발중인 8K OLED 패널은 모두 bottom emission 구조이다.

 

엘지전자는 CES2018에서 화질 프로세스 알파9으로 좋아진 OLED TV의 화질 소개에 중점을 두고많은 장소를 할애하였으나 88인치 8K OLED에 장소를 양보하고 간결하게 전시 공간을 꾸몄다.

OLED TV 성능 소개를 “Crisp and Smooth Motion”과 “Clean, Sharp, and Vibrant Images” 두 가지로 압축하였다. 이들 성능들은 화질 분야에서 최고로 인정받고 있는 소니와 경쟁할 수 있는 수준에 도달하였음을 나타내고 있다.

OLED TV 성능 소개를 “Crisp and Smooth Motion”과 “Clean, Sharp, and Vibrant Images” 두 가지로 압축하였다. 이들 성능들은 화질 분야에서 최고로 인정받고 있는 소니와 경쟁할 수 있는 수준에 도달하였음을 나타내고 있다.

2018 imid_ 투명디스플레이와 자동차용 디스플레이 전시를 통한 신규 사업 방향 제시

/in /by

2018년 8월 부산에서 개최된 imid는 점점 전시의 규모를 키워가고 있음을 보여주었다. 대한민국 디스플레이 산업을 이끄는 삼성디스플레이와 엘지디스플레이는 모두 투명 디스플레이를 전시하였다. 엘지디스플레이는 77인치 탑에미션 방식의 투과율40% 투명 디스플레이와 55인치 FHD OLED 패널 3장을 이어 붙인 비디오 월을 전시하였다. 비디오 월은 베젤이 3.5mm 에 불과하며 이 외에도 VR OLED 패널을 전시 지속적인 개발을 통해 성능이 향상되고 있음을 보여주었다.

삼성디스플레이 역시도 투명 디스플레이를 전시하였는데, 엘지디스플레이가 대형 OLED 산업을 이끈다면 삼성디스플레이는 중소형 OLED 산업을 이끄는 위치에 있음을 대변 하듯, 자동차용 사이즈의 투명 디스플레이를 전시하였다. 투명 OLED 디스플레이 사용을 통해 HUD 디자인 발전 가능성을 시사하였으며 이 외에도 다양한 자동차용 플렉서블 OLED 디스플레이를 전시하였다. 이를 통해 삼성디스플레이가 본격적으로 자동차용 OLED 패널 사업을 하고자 하는 의지를 엿볼 수 있었다. 또한 616ppi의 3.5인치 OLED패널을 사용한 VR과 1200ppi의 2.43인치 OLED 패널을 사용한 VR 을 전시하였다.

두 패널 회사들 외에도 머크, 희성소재를 비롯한 다양한 재료와 장비 업체에서도 학회 전시 참여를 통해 학계와 산업에 기여함과 동시에 사업을 소개하는 장소로 활용하고 있었다. 세계 최고의 OLED 산업리서치 업체인 유비리서치도 이번 기회를 통해 2018년 새롭게 구성한 Market Track등의 보고서를 소개하고 있다.

JOLED 470억엔 조달, 자동차용 solution process OLED 사업 박차 가한다.

/in /by

세계 최초로 solution process OLED 제품화에 성공한 JOLED가 23일 제 3자 할당 증자로 총 470억엔을 조달했다고 발표했다.

JOLED에 따르면 Denso가 300억엔, Toyota Tsusho가 100억엔, Sumitomo chemical이 50억엔, SCREEN Finetech Solutions이 20억엔을 투자할 것이며, Denso와는 자동차용 디스플레이 개발을, Sumitomo chemical과는 solution process용 OLED 재료 개발에 협력 할 것으로 알려졌다.

특히 Denso는 그 동안 자동차용 디스플레이용으로 주로 TFT-LCD를 사용했으나, 이번 투자를 통해 가볍고 곡면화가 용이한 OLED를 자동차 내부에 적용하기 위한 개발에 앞장 설 것으로 기대를 모으고 있다.

이번 자금 조달을 통해 JOLED의 solution process OLED 양산을 위한 생산 체제 구축이 가속화 될 것으로 기대된다. JOLED는 7월 1일에 이시카와현 노미시에 ‘JOLED 노미 사업소’를 개설하고 2020년 가동을 목표로 하고 있다고 밝힌 바 있다.

주력 생산 제품은 자동차나 하이 엔드 모니터용 중형 (10~32 인치) solution process OLED로써, 지난 3월 유비리서치가 개최 한 2018 OLED Korea conference에서 Toshiaki Arai chief technologist는 solution process OLED로 중형 OLED 시장을 공략할 것을 밝히기도 했다.

<2018 OLED Korea conference에서 밝힌 JOLED의 개발 로드맵>

전면지문인식 풀스크린 스마트폰 경쟁 시작

/in , /by

<전면지문인식을 탑재한 디스플레이가 적용된 VIVO의 스마트폰, Android authority>

스마트폰의 전면지문인식경쟁이 뜨거워질 것으로 예상된다.

기존 홈버튼이 있는 스마트폰에는 홈버튼에 전면 지문인식 센서를 탑재하여 제품이 출시되었다. 지문을 이용한 보안강화로 소비자들의 큰 호응을 얻었지만 최근 홈버튼이 없는 풀스크린 스마트폰 위주로 제품이 출시가 되며 지문인식 센서도 스마트폰의 뒷면으로 옮겨졌다. 이로 인해 지문인식 센서에 손가락을 터치할 때 불편한 손모양과 옆에 위치한 카메라렌즈에 지문이 묻는 등 단점이 발생했다.

이러한 점들을 개선하고 완벽한 풀스크린 스마트폰을 제조하기 위해 전면지문인식을 디스플레이와 일체화 시키려는 개발이 지속되고 있다.

전면 지문인식은 크게 광학식과 초음파식이 검토되고 있다. 광학식은 가격이 저렴하고 양산에 용이하지만, 센서가 OLED panel 하부에 위치해야 하므로 OLED 기판이 투명해야한다. 따라서 glass를 기판으로 사용하는rigid OLED에는 적용이 가능하지만 유색PI를 기판으로 사용하는 flexible OLED에는 적용이 어려운 상황이다. 초음파식은 정확성과 내구성이 가장 안정적이지만 제조가격이 비싸다는 단점이 있다.

현재 중국 set업체들은 광학식 전면 지문인식을 채택한 스마트폰 출시를 시작하였으며, 삼성전자에서 내년 출시예정인 galaxy S10에 초음파식 전면지문인식을 채택 여부가 관심을 모으고 있다. 또한 LG 디스플레이도 전면지문인식을 탑재한 디스플레이를 개발 중에 있는 것으로 알려졌다.

이처럼 풀스크린에 전면지문인식을 탑재한 스마트폰 출시가 본격화 될 것으로 기대되는 가운데 하반기 스마트폰 시장의 경쟁이 더욱 치열해 질 것으로 기대된다.

Samsung Electronics, Display Business division’s operating profit in the second quarter of 2018 was KRW 140 billion.

/in , /by

Samsung Electronics announced its sales of KRW 58.48 trillion and operating profit of KRW 14.87 trillion through the earnings conference call of the second quarter, 2018 on July 31. Its sales decreased by 4% YoY and the operating profit increased by KRW 800 billion. Sales decreased 3% QoQ and operating profit fell by KRW 800 billion QoQ.

According to Samsung Electronics, the display panel business recorded sales of KRW 5.67 trillion and operating profit of KRW 140 billion, due to slowing demand for flexible OLED panels and declining sales of LCD TV panels. Despite improved utilization of rigid OLED, OLED division’s earnings declined QoQ due to continued weak demand for flexible products.

Competition with LTPS LCD is expected to intensify at rigid OLED in the second half of 2019, but earnings are to improve on increased sales following the recovery of flexible product demand. Sales and operating profit are projected to improve in the second half on the back of production of flexible OLED for Apple’s new iPhone models from 2Q.

Samsung Electronics plans to expand its share of OLEDs for mobile devices by strengthening its differentiated technology and cost competitiveness, and to strengthen its capacity for new products such as foldable OLEDs. Samsung official said that foldable OLED will contribute to growth from next year rather than immediate performance in the second half of the year.

IT • Mobile (IM) division posted sales of KRW 24 trillion and operating profit of KRW 2.67 trillion. Operating profit fell 34.2 percent from KRW 4.06 trillion in the same period a year ago, and also fell sharply from the previous quarter (KRW 3.77 trillion). In 2Q, handset sales reached 78 million units, of which 90% are smart phones. 5 million units of tablet were sold. The average selling price (ASP) of the handsets is in the second half of US$ 220. The Consumer Electronics (CE) division posted sales of KRW 10.4 trillion and operating profit of KRW 510 billion in the second quarter of the year. Overall sales and operating profit of the first half of the year were KR W 20.14 trillion and KRW 0.79 trillion, respectively. TV profits improved thanks to robust sales of high value-added products such as QLED TVs amid the global sports events. On the other hand, SEC’s facility investment in the second quarter was KRW 8 trillion. By business, semiconductor area accounted for KRW 6.1 trillion and KRW 1.1 trillion was invested for display area. In the first half, a total of KRW 16.6 trillion was invested; including KRW 13.3 trillion in semiconductors and KRW 1.9 trillion in display.

LG Display, Showed OLED lighting for unmarried mothers

/in , /by

LG Display delivered 30 OLED lighting units, made by its employee volunteers, and baby products to 30 unmarried mothers.

This volunteer activity was carried out by the talent services of OLED lighting employees. OLED lighting business division donated 30 flexible OLED lighting panels, and the product planning team customized the lightings for breastfeeding for unwed mothers.

On July 27, the employee volunteers assembled light fixtures, which were customized by woodworking parts through social enterprises, and panels as finished products. In addition, various items needed for a baby and cheer letters for the unwed mothers were packed together. The packaged gift sets were delivered to 30 unmarried mothers living at the unmarried mothers’ facilities through the Eastern Social Welfare Society on July 30.

OLED lighting reduces light flickering and blue light, which affect eye health. And its mild light protects you from eye fatigue. It is also regarded as an eco-friendly product because it generates less heat and has no harmful substances. Since it is the organization that best knows the characteristics of OLED lighting, it suggested the service of delivering the OLED lighting for breastfeeding, made by its members, suitable for the baby-care environment.

Kim Yong-Jin, manager of the OLED lighting sales team who participated in the volunteer service, said “I feel it was worthwhile to deliver the OLED lighting directly to the necessary neighbors although I have dealt with it for business. When I see the neighbors who were delighted with little help, I have to think once again that service activity is so much fun.

<Source: LG Display>

Samsung Electronics, 2018년 2분기 디스플레이 사업 영업이익 1,400억원 기록

/in /by

Samsung Electronics는 7월 31일 진행된 2018년 2분기 실적 컨퍼런스 콜을 통해 매출 58조 4800억원, 영업이익 14조 8700억원을 기록했다고 발표했다. 전년 동기 대비 매출은 4% 감소했고 영업이익은 8000억원 증가했다. 전분기 대비 매출은 3%, 영업이익은 8000억원 줄었다.

Samsung Electronics에 따르면, 디스플레이 패널 사업은 flexible OLED 패널 수요 둔화와 LCD TV 패널 판매 감소로 실적이 감소하며 매출 5조 6,700억원, 영업이익 1,400억원을 기록했다. OLED 부문은 rigid OLED 가동률이 개선되었음에도 불구하고, flexible 제품 수요 약세가 지속돼 전분기 대비 실적이 감소했다

하반기에는 rigid OLED에서 LTPS LCD와 경쟁이 심화될 것으로 예상되나, flexible 제품 수요 회복에 따른 판매 확대로 실적이 개선될 것으로 전망된다. 애플 아이폰 신모델용 flexible OLED를 2분기부터 생산함에 따라 하반기에 매출과 영업이익이 개선 될 것으로 예상된다.

Samsung Electronics는 차별화된 기술력과 원가 경쟁력 강화를 통해 모바일용 OLED 점유율을 확대하고 foldable OLED 등 신규 제품군 역량을 강화할 계획이다. foldable OLED는 당장 하반기 실적보다는 내년 이후 성장에 기여할 것이라고 언급했다.

IT·모바일(IM) 부문의 2분기 매출은 24조원, 영업이익은 2조 6,700억원을 기록했다. 영업이익은 전년 동기(4조600억) 대비 34.2% 줄었으며 전 분기(3조7700억원)보다도 크게 감소했다. 2분기 휴대폰 판매량은 7,800만대로, 이 중 90%가 스마트폰이다. 태블릿은 500만대가 판매됐다. 단말기 평균판매가격(ASP)은 220달러대 후반이다.

소비자가전(CE) 부문의 2분기 매출은 10조 4,000억원, 영업이익은 5,100억원을 기록했다. 상반기 전체로는 매출 20조 1,400억원, 영업이익 7,900억원이다. 글로벌 스포츠 이벤트 특수 속에 QLED TV 등 고부가 제품 판매 호조로 TV 이익이 개선되었다.

한편 삼성전자의 2분기 시설투자 규모는 8조원이었다. 사업별로는 반도체 6조 1,000억원, 디스플레이 1조 1,000억원 수준이다. 상반기 누계로는 반도체 13조 3,000억원, 디스플레이 1조 9,000억원 등 총 16조 6,000억원이 집행됐다.

LG디스플레이, 미혼모를 위한 OLED조명 밝혀

/in /by

LG디스플레이가 30일, 미혼모 30명에게 임직원 봉사자들이 직접 제작한 OLED조명등과 아기 용품을 전달했다.

이번 봉사활동은 OLED조명담당 임직원들의 재능봉사로 진행됐다. OLED조명사업사업담당에서 플렉서블OLED조명패널 30개를 기증하고 상품기획팀에서 미혼모의 수유등을 맞춤 디자인했다.

지난 27일, 임직원 봉사자들이 사회적 기업을 통해 맞춤 제작한 목공 부품으로 등기구와 패널을 완성품으로 조립했다. 또한, 아기에게 필요한 각종 물품들과 미혼모를 위한 응원 편지도 작성해 함께 포장했다. 포장된 선물세트는 30일, 동방사회복지회를 통해 미혼모시설에 생활중인 미혼모 30명에게 전달됐다.

OLED 조명은 눈 건강에 영향을 미치는 빛 깜빡임 현상과 청색광이 적고 은은한 빛을 내 눈의 피로를 줄여준다. 또한 발열이 적고 유해물질이 없어 친환경제품으로도 손꼽힌다. OLED조명의 특성을 가장 잘 아는 조직이기에 아기를 돌보는 환경에 적합한 수유등을 직접 만들어 전달하는 봉사를 제안했고 구성원 모두 재능을 더해 완성할 수 있었다.

봉사활동에 참여한 OLED 조명영업1팀 김용진 책임은 “업무로 늘 접하던 OLED조명이지만 꼭 필요한 이웃에게 직접 전달할 수 있어서 보람을 느꼈다”며 “작은 도움에도 기뻐하는 이웃들을 보니 봉사가 이렇게 즐거운 것이었나 다시 생각하게 됐다”고 소감을 밝혔다.

<Source: LG Display>

How much will be the investment cost for 8Generation QD-OLED TV?

/in , /by

In the “2018 OLED Equipment Report” recently published by UBI Research, the required investment cost was analyzed for the QD-OLED that Samsung Display started to develop.

QD-OLED, which is being developed by Samsung Display, is a method of displaying three colors of RGB by separating green and red from the light emitted from blue OLED through QD (quantum dot) material. The light passing through the QD material once again passes through the color filter and displays a richer color.

QD-OLED is similar to the manufacturing method of WDRGB OLED produced by LG Display. First, both companies use oxide TFTs. At WRGB OLED, blue is applied twice and red and green are deposited between them. In contrast, QD-OLED is fabricated by depositing only blue material twice. Both methods use the open mask with an empty center.

For both QD-OLED and WRGB OLED, the color filter manufacturing cost is assumed to be same; however, QD-OLED should be equipped with additional equipment to coat QD materials.

According to the report, it is expected that the investment cost is to be equal because the similar equipment can be used for module, cell, encapsulation and evaporator. Since WRGB OLED is bottom emission type, it is formed together when backplane is formed including TFT. However, QD-OLED adopts top emission method. A color filter is separately formed on the top glass substrate and the QD layer is patterned thereon. Therefore, QD-OLED requires higher investment cost than WRGB OLED.

The report describes that based on 8Generation 26K, the investment cost for QD-OLED is estimated to be US$ 1.1 billion, which is 1.03 times higher than WRGB OLED (US$ 1.07 billion). In contrast, the required investment cost to manufacture OLED by inkjet method, which JOLED is promoting commercialization, is projected as US$ 0.88 billion, which is to be about 80% of QD-OLED.

UBI research just issued 2018 2Q AMOLED Display Market Tracks

/in , /by

UBI Research recently published “2Q18 AMOLED Display Market Tracks”, which includes market updates of the second quarter of 2018. The report covers OLED display panel makers’ investment status, OLED display market forecasts from 2018 to 2022, OLED demand and supply trends, and competitiveness analysis of OLED Smartphone business for Samsung Display and other OLED display panel makers.

The market update, published with the Excel spreadsheet, describes the production line status and the added line status through future investments of the 15 OLED display panel makers worldwide. Also, it describes not only the major OLED application market such as smart phones and TVs, but also the market forecast by country.

The demand for OLED mobile sets (including smart phones and smart watches) in the first quarter of 2018 dropped to 98 million units from 130 million units in the fourth quarter of last year, due to the lower-than-expected performance of the premium smartphone market, where Samsung Electronics’ Galaxy S series and Apple’s iPhone occupy most of the market. OLED mobile set market is to recover gradually until 3Q, when Apple’s new smartphone model is launched, and by the end of 2018, the demand is expected to recover as to the similar level of the same period of last year. In addition, Samsung Display is anticipated to have a positive impact on the recovery of the Smartphone market in the second half of the year by securing competitiveness by lowering the sales price of rigid OLED panel for mobile phone to about US$ 25 to compete with LCD in China.

Consumers' smartphone replacement cycle is getting longer due to the reason that there is no revolutionary change in the new model compared to the past, and the Smartphone penetration in most of the countries except for India, South America and Africa is reaching the limit. Accordingly, the outlook for the downturn is mostly forecasted in the recent smartphone market. There is a growing interest in technology and design to apply a different form factor to revive the market. In this regard, Samsung Electronics' foldable OLED smartphone, which is scheduled to be released later this year or early next year, is expected to create a new momentum. Attention is focused on whether a folding- type flexible display (Dynamic Flexible Display) will be succeeded as a new type of smartphone from the existing edge-type flexible display (Static Flexible Display).

 

UBI Research predicts that the OLED Smartphone market will grow from 430 million units in 2018 to 900 million units in 2022, and the market for foldable OLED Smartphone is to be from about 1million units in 2019 to 18million units in 2022. This reflects the expansion of OLED panel production lines by panel makers such as LG Display and BOE, besides Samsung Display. It will be updated as new applications are developed in future and the Smartphone market moves forward.

In OLED panel market, OLED panel for Smartphone still occupies 91% of the whole market. Samsung Display has accounted for 90% of total OLED panel market performance and LG Display is followed with about 7.8% share.

OLED TVs, which are continuously increasing in demand worldwide compared to the Smartphone market, are expected to be in short supply this year. LG Display, the only OLED TV panel supplier, will continue to invest in production for the next five years. With the recent approval of new production facility for OLED TV panel in Guangzhou, the full-scale equipment move-in is expected this year. In Paju P10 investment plan, it was confirmed that LG Display will invest in OLED TV panel production line instead of LCD line investment which was examined before. Thus, the OLED TV market is projected to grow to US $ 5.6 billion.

LG Display “Strategic direction is OLED. Uncompetitive LCD lines are planned to be switched.”

/in , , /by

In the 2Q earnings release conference call hosted on the 25th July, Kim Sang-don, LG Display CFO, said, “Looking back at the first half of 2018, the market was in a difficult situation due to the slump in prices, the traditional off-peak season and increased display supply from China. We expected the market conditions to be stabilized in the first half of this year from the bad market condition of the second half of last year, but it has continued to decline more rapidly and steeply. However, with starting the second half of 2018, it has been observing that the price is rising since July owing to upcoming favorable seasonality and customer restocking.”

“Although the market situation has changed favorably in the second half of the year, it is different from the past supply and demand cycle because of the uncertainty of forecasts. Moreover, the oversupply and asymmetric competition in the display market are unavoidable.” LG Display announced that it will maintain its conservative strategy in the second half of the year as the unpredictability is still high.

LG Display’s sales revenue in the second quarter of 2018 was KRW 5,611 billion, decreased by 15% compared to the second quarter of 2017. Operating loss in the second quarter of 2018 recorded KRW 228 billion. This compares with the operating loss of KRW 98 billion in the first quarter of 2018 and the operating profit of KRW 804 billion in the second quarter of 2017. The company suffered a large deficit due to a continued and steep decline in panel prices and lower demand in panels following the previous quarter. Although the shipment was increased by 2% QoQ, the selling price per area (m2) was decreased by 4%.

As a positive indicator, the TV panel price fell sharply, but the overall panel price decline was only 1% due to the competitive position of OLED panels. The market is anticipated to turn into positive situation in the third quarter, compared to the first half of the year, since panel shipments are expected to increase with the orders to restock the inventory.

LG Display, which is currently conducting both LCD and OLED business with small and medium sized panels and large area panels, mentioned clearly about its future strategic direction including the direction for the second half of the year as “concentrating on OLED business and focusing on high value of LCD business” in this conference call.

LG Display announced that it will focus more on differentiated LCD features and technologies in the IT sector such as narrow bezel, IPS borderless, and oxide technology, as well as high-value-added products such as larger-size TV panels and commercial displays, considering that a structural oversupply in panels and fierce competition among display makers are expected to continue down the road.

In addition, LG Display will achieve a turnaround to profit in the OLED TV sector in the third quarter of 2018. By making its final decision to invest in its Gen 10.5 OLED panel production line in Paju, Korea, and by starting mass production in the latter half of 2019 at its Gen 8.5 OLED production line now under construction in Guangzhou, China, LG Display will accelerate the expansion of the global large-size OLED market. Furthermore, additional production facilities for OLED 8.5 generation are known to be considered with the plan that the rationalization of LCDs during the year is also to be implemented although there was no direct mention of the timing and specific lines. For the plastic small and medium-sized OLED panel business, which is experiencing difficult times, compared to large area OLED, for which LG is expanding the production capacity in response to increasing demand, it said that they are preparing for future markets with the necessary strategic technologies with the emphasis of mobile and automotive markets. The E6-1 line, which has been mentioned as a production plant for Apple, is expected to begin mass production in the fourth quarter of this year, revealing the possibility of a possible supply of display to the iPhone OLED model in 2018. In addition, demand for OLED panels is increasing in the automobile market, and it is expected that full-scale business will start in the second half of next year. At the current order backlog, it is confirmed that OLED panels are in the late stage of about 10%. This means that much of the work has already been done. Finally, LG Display is well aware of the lack of funding and funding shortfalls over its competitors in relation to its future preparations. The company plans to reduce its capex by about 3trillion won by 2020, with a substantial portion of depreciation and amortization It is possible through internal working capital management and it plans to borrow the rest. LG Display confirmed that it has not reviewed the rights issue several times in the market, and LG Display has thoroughly prepared a variety of OLED portfolios, revealing its commitment to success by differentiating it from its competitors in the area of latecomers.

TV용 8세대 QD-OLED 투자 비용 얼마나 될까?

/in /by

유비리서치에서 최근 발간한 “2018 OLED 장비 보고서”에서 삼성디스플레이가 개발을 시작한 QD-OLED 투자 비용이 얼마나 필요한지를 분석하였다.

삼성디스플레이가 추구하고 있는 QD-OLED는 청색 OLED에서 나오는 빛을 QD(quantum dot) 재료를 통하여 녹색과 적색을 분리하여 RGB 3색을 나타내는 방식이다. QD 재료를 통과한 빛은 다시한번 칼라 필터를 통과하며 보다 풍부한 색감을 나타내게 된다.

QD-OLED는 LG디스플레이가 제조하고 있는 WRGB OLED와 제조 방식과 유사한 부분이 매우 많다. 우선 TFT는 양사 모두 oxide TFT를 사용하고 있다. WRGB OLED는 청색이 두 번 도포되며 그 사이에 적색과 녹색이 증착 된다. 이에 비해 QD-OLED는 청색 재료만 두 번 증착하여 제작된다. 두 방식 모두 증착용 마스크는 가운데가 비어 있는 오픈 마스크를 사용한다.

QD-OLED와 WRGB OLED의 칼라필터 제조 비용을 동일할 것으로 추정되나 QD-OLED는 QD 재료를 코팅하는 장비가 추가로 도입되어야 한다.

보고서에 의하면 모듈과 cell, encapsulation, 증착기는 유사한 장비가 사용될 수 있어 투자 비용 역시 대등할 것으로 예상된다. 하지만 WRGB OLED는 bottom emission 방식이어서 TFT를 포함한 backplane 제조시에 같이 형성되나 QD-OLED는 top emission 방식을 추구하고 있어 상판 유리 기판에 칼라필터를 별도로 제작하고, 그 위에 다시 QD층을 패터닝하여 만든다. 따라서 QD-OLED는 WRGB OLED에 비해 다소 높은 투자 비용이 필요해진다.

8세대 26K 기준으로 투자비를 계산하였을 때 QD-OLED는 1.1 billion$로서 WRGB OLED 1.07 billion$에 비해 1.03배 높을 것으로 예상된다. 이에 비해 JOLED에서 사업화를 추진중인 잉크젯 방식의 OLED 제조에 필요한 투자 금액은 0.88 billion$로서 QD-OLED의 80% 수준이 될 것으로 본 보고서는 기술하고 있다.

‘18년 2분기 AMOLED Display Market Tracks’ 발간

/in /by

유비리서치는 최근 2018년 2분기 시장 업데이트를 포함하는 “2Q 18 AMOLED Display Market Tracks”를 발간하였다. 이번에 발간한 내용은 OLED 디스플레이 패널 업체들의 투자 현황과 2018년부터 2022년까지의 OLED 디스플레이 시장전망, OLED 수요와 공급 트렌드, 그리고 삼성디스플레이와 전세계 OLED 디스플레이 패널 업체들과의 OLED 스마트폰 사업에 대한 경쟁력 분석을 포함하고 있다.

엑셀 스프레드시트에 Data의 형태로 발간된 시장 업데이트는 전세계 15개의 OLED 디스플레이 패널 업체들의 생산 라인 현황과 향후 투자를 통해 추가되는 라인 현황과 스마트폰, TV등 주요 OLED 어플리케이션 시장과 국가별 시장 전망 등을 주요 내용으로 다루고 있다.

삼성전자의 갤럭시S 시리즈와 Apple의 iPhone이 대부분의 시장을 점유하고 있는 프리미엄 스마트폰 시장이 예상치를 밑도는 실적으로 인해 2018년 1분기 전체 OLED 모바일 세트(스마트폰, 스마트 와치 등 포함) 시장의 수요는 작년 4분기 130백만대에서 98백만대로 감소했다. OLED 모바일 세트 시장은 Apple의 신규 스마트폰 모델이 출시되는 3분기까지 서서히 수요를 회복하여 2018년 말 경에는 작년 같은 시기 수요를 회복할 전망이다. 또한 삼성디스플레이가 중국시장에서 LCD와의 경쟁을 위해 모바일 용 Rigid OLED 패널의 가격을 약 25불 수준으로 낮춰 경쟁력을 확보함에 따라 하반기 스마트폰 시장의 회복에 긍정적인 영향을 줄 것으로 기대된다.

 

 

과거에 비해 신규 모델의 혁신적인 변화가 없는 등의 이유로 소비자들의 스마트폰 교체 주기가 길어지고 인도와 남미, 아프리카 등 제3세계 국가들을 제외한 대부분의 지역에서의 스마트폰 보급률이 거의 한계점에 다다라 최근 스마트폰 시장의 침체에 대한 전망이 대부분이다. 시장의 반등을 위해서 이전과는 다른 폼 팩터(Form factor)를 적용하기 위한 기술과 디자인에 대한 관심이 높아지고 있다. 이와 관련하여 올해 말 혹은 내년 초 출시를 예상하고 있는 삼성전자의 Foldable OLED 스마트폰을 놓고 기존의 엣지 형태의 플렉서블 디스플레이에서 (Static Flexible Display) 접는 형태의 플렉서블 디스플레이가 (Dynamic Flexible Display)가 새로운 스마트폰의 형태로서 성공할 것인가에 대해 관심이 집중되고 있다.

 

유비리서치는 2018년 4.3억만대의 OLED 스마트폰 시장이 2022년 약 2배의 9억대 수준으로 성장, Foldable OLED 스마트폰 시장은 2019년 약 1백만대에서 2022년 18백만대까지 성장할 것으로 기대하고 있다. 이는 LG디스플레이와 BOE등 삼성디스플레이 외 패널업체들의 OLED 패널 양산 라인 확대를 반영한 것으로 향후 신규 어플리케이션의 개발과 스마트폰 시장의 움직임에 따라 업데이트 할 예정이다.

OLED 패널 시장은 여전히 스마트폰 용 OLED 패널이 전체 시장의 91%를 점유하고 있으며 업체를 기준으로는 삼성디스플레이가 전체 OLED 패널 시장 실적의 90%를, LG 디스플레이가 뒤를 이어 약 7.8%를 차지하고 있는 것으로 나타났다.

스마트폰 시장에 비해 전세계 적으로 꾸준히 수요가 증가하고 있는 OLED TV는 올해도 수요에 비해 공급이 부족할 것으로 분석되며 유일한 OLED TV용 패널 공급업체인 LG디스플레이는 향후 5년간 생산확대를 위해 지속적인 투자를 진행할 예정이다. 최근 광저우 OLED TV 패널용 생산 공장의 승인으로 본격적으로 설비 반입 등이 진행될 예정이며 파주 P10 투자계획에도 지난해 LCD 생산라인 투자 검토에서 OLED TV용 패널 생산라인 투자를 진행하고 있는 것으로 확인됨에 따라 OLED TV 시장은 2022년 5,6 B달러 규모로 성장할 전망이다.

 

TV向け第8世代QD-OLEDへの投資額は？

/in /by

最近、UBI Researchが発行した『AMOLED製造・検査装置産業レポート』では、Samsung Displayが開発を始めたQD-OLEDへの投資額がどれくらいなのかを分析した。

Samsung Displayが目指しているQD-OLEDは、青色OLEDから放出される光が量子ドット（Quantum Dot、QD）材料を通って緑色と赤色に分離され、RGBの3色を実現する方式で製造される。QD材料を通り抜けた光は、再びカラーフィルターを通り、さらに豊かな色を表現できるようになる。

このようなQD-OLEDの製造方式は、LG DisplayのWRGB OLEDと似ている部分が多い。まず、TFTは2社ともにOxide TFTを使用している。WRGB OLEDは青色が2回塗布され、その間に赤色と緑色が蒸着される。それに比べ、QD-OLEDは青色材料のみ2回蒸着して製造される。蒸着用マスクは、両方ともオープンマスク（Open Mask）を使用する。

 

 

QD-OLEDとWRGB OLEDのカラーフィルターの製造費は同様であると考えられるが、QD-OLEDの場合、QD材料をコーティングする装置を追加導入しなければならない。

本レポートによると、モジュールとセル、封止、蒸着装置は、同じ装置が使用される可能性があり、投資額もほぼ同様になると予想される。しかし、WRGB OLEDは背面発光方式のため、TFTを含めたバックプレーンを製造する際に同時に形成される反面、QD-OLEDは前面発光方式のため、上部のガラス基板にカラーフィルターを個別に形成し、その上に再度QD層をパターニングして製造する。その結果、QD-OLEDにはWRGB OLEDより高い投資額が必要となる。

第8世代の26Kを基準に投資額を計算してみると、QD-OLEDは11億米ドルで、10億7,000万米ドルのWRGB OLEDに比べて1.03倍高くなることが見込まれる。一方、JOLEDが事業化を進めている印刷方式OLEDの製造に必要な投資額は8億8,000万米ドルで、QD-OLEDの80%程度になるとみられる。

 

Daejeong Yoon(ydj7211@ubiresearch.com)

 

Foldable OLEDの核心、カバーウィンドウの競争激化

/in /by

<KOLON Industries（左）とSKC（右）の透明PIフィルム、参考：KOLON Industries>

 

Foldable OLEDの量産が今年末に開始されると期待される中で、Foldable OLEDの主要材料の一つであるカバーウィンドウの競争が激しくなる見込みだ。Foldable OLEDはディスプレイが折りたたれる特性から、従来のカバーウィンドウに使用されていたガラスは割れるため、続けて使用することができない。

従って、割れないカバーウィンドウとして透明PIと薄板ガラスの開発が、積極的に進められている。特に透明PIフィルムに関しては、Sumitomo Chemicalと韓国のKOLON IndustriesやSKCの競争が予想される。Sumitomo Chemicalは、Samsung Electronicsが来年発売予定のFoldableスマートフォンに採用されるFoldable OLEDカバーウィンドウ向け透明PIフィルムを供給する最初のメーカーになるという。

しかし、透明PIフィルムのカバーウィンドウは、ガラスのカバーウィンドウの硬度と外観特性を満たせないため、改善が必要な状況にある。Samsung DisplayはSumitomo Chemicalの透明PIフィルムの他にも、多くのメーカーの透明PIフィルムを検討している。

Sumitomo Chemicalの透明PIフィルムと激しく競い合っているメーカーは、韓国のKOLON IndustriesとSKCである。KOLON Industriesは約10余年前から透明PIフィルムを開発しており、現在唯一透明PIフィルム量産設備を備えているメーカーである。SKCもフィルムの製造技術力を基に、2017年末に透明PIフィルムの設備投資を行った。

他に、薄板ガラスをFoldable OLED用カバーウィンドウとして開発する動きも出ている。主要メーカーにはAsahi GlassとドイツのSCHOTTがあり、厚さ0.1mm以下の実現に向けて開発を進めている。しかし、薄板ガラスも折りたたまれた状態では、耐久性に問題があると知られている。

Foldableスマートフォンの発売時期が迫ってきている中、OLEDパネルメーカーとカバーウィンドウ材料メーカーがどのような材料と構造、特性のFoldable OLED用カバーウィンドウを採用するかに業界の関心が集まっている。

**

 

Material Science、中国最大のOLED製造メーカーに赤色プライム層材料を量産供給

/in /by

OLED材料メーカーのMaterial Scienceは、来月の8月から赤色プライム層材料を中国最大のOLED製造メーカーに、量産供給することを16日明らかにした。

赤色プライム層材料は、赤色を発する発光層（EML）と正孔輸送層（HTL）の間に蒸着され、発光効率を高める材料である。陰極から出た電子がEMLを過ぎてHTLまで侵入しないように防ぐことで、OLED発光効率を高くするため、OLED機器の使用時間を増やすことができる。

Material Scienceが開発した赤色プライム層材料は、2016年に中国LTOPTOと設立した合弁会社LTMSで生産して供給する予定だ。合弁パートナーのLTOPTOは、LCD用液晶とOLED原料などを生産する化学会社である。

LTMSは昨年の2017年上半期に、中国陝西省西安に量産設備を構築し、今回の契約によって8月から稼働を開始する。LTMSは現在、月産500㎏規模の生産設備を備えているが、今後、中国内のOLEDメーカーと追加供給の契約が締結されれば、月産1tまで生産設備を拡大する予定だ。月500㎏という生産能力は、第6世代OLEDの生産ライン6本（マザーガラス投入基準で月9万枚）に供給できる規模である。

UBI Researchが発行した『AMOLED Emitting Material Market Track_1Q18』によると、赤色プライム層材料市場は、2018年から2022年まで年平均成長率35%を記録し、2022年には2億4,800万米ドル規模になるとみられる。

 

Daejeong Yoon(ydj7211@ubiresearch.com)

 

언브레이커블 OLED, OLED 시장의 새로운 다크호스가 될 수 있을까?

/in /by

삼성디스플레이에서 언브레이커블 OLED panel을 공개하여 주목받고 있다.

삼성디스플레이는 깨지지 않는 스마트폰용 패널을 개발해, 美 산업안전보건청 공인 시험기관인 UL(美 보험협회시험소, Underwriters Laboratories Inc.)로부터 인증을 받았다고 23일 밝혔다.

 

<삼성디스플레이의 언브레이커블 OLED, 삼성디스플레이>

 

삼성디스플레이는 플렉시블 OLED 패널에 플라스틱 소재의 커버 윈도우를 부착해, 기판과 윈도우 모두 깨지지 않는 완벽한 언브레이커블(Unbreakable) 패널을 완성했다.

현재 상용화된 플렉시블 디스플레이는 깨지지 않는 플라스틱 기판을 사용하지만, 유리 소재의 커버 윈도우를 부착해 강한 충격을 받을 경우 윈도우가 깨지는 문제가 발생한다.

UL에 따르면 삼성디스플레이가 개발한 언브레이커블 디스플레이는 美 국방부 군사 표준규격(US Military Standard)에 맞춰 실시한 내구성 테스트를 완벽하게 통과했다. 1.2미터 높이에서 26회 실시한 낙하 테스트에서 제품의 전면부, 측면부, 모서리 부분 모두 파손 없이 정상적으로 작동했으며, 극한의 저온(-32도)/고온(71도) 테스트에서도 문제 없이 작동했다.

특히 美 국방부 군사 표준규격보다 더 높은 1.8미터 높이에서 실시한 낙하 테스트에서도 삼성디스플레이의 언브레이커블 패널은 손상 없이 정상적으로 작동했다.

삼성디스플레이 관계자는 “최근 개발되고 있는 플라스틱 윈도우는 깨지지 않는 내구성에 유리와 흡사한 투과율과 경도를 갖추고 무게까지 가벼워 휴대용 전자기기에 특히 적합하다”며 “앞으로 언브레이커블 패널이 스마트폰은 물론 안전기준이 까다로운 차량용 디스플레이나 군사용 모바일 기기, 학습용 태블릿PC, 휴대용 게임기 등 다양한 전자제품에 활용될 것으로 기대하고 있다”고 밝혔다.

삼성관계자의 말처럼 언브레이커블 OLED가 적용될 수 있는 분야는 다양할 것으로 기대되고 있다. 하지만 커버윈도우가 glass가 아닌 film인 만큼 이미 유리에 시각과 촉각이 적응 되어있는 소비자들에게 어떤 반응을 얻을지가 관건이다. 또한 스마트폰의 경우 2~3년 간격으로 주로 교체되고 있고 커버가 깨졌을 시 디스플레이를 교체해주는 등의 교체수요도 중요하다. 하지만 언브레이커블 OLED가 상용화가 된다면 이러한 교체수요는 감소될 수 있지만 다른 한편으로는 깨지지 않는 다는점이 소비자들의 구매욕을 끄는 큰 마케팅 포인트가 될 수 있다.

언브레이커블 OLED가 적용된 제품들이 실제 시장에서 얼마만큼의 성과를 거둘 수 있을지 향후 set 업체와 display업체들의 움직임이 기대된다.

 

 

작성 : 장현준 선임(hyunjun@ubiresearch.com)

 

 

LG Display “전략적 방향은 OLED, 점차적으로 경쟁력 없는 LCD 라인 전환 계획”

/in /by

김상돈 LG Display CFO는 25일에 주최한 컨퍼런스 콜에서 “2018년 상반기를 돌아보면 전통적인 비수기 시즌과 중국 발 디스플레이 공급 증가로 인해 판가 하락으로 어려운 시장 상황이었다. 작년 하반기부터 좋지 않던 시장 상황이 올해 상반기 안정될 것으로 예상하였으나 오히려 더 빠르고 가파르게 하락하였다.”고 말했다. 하지만, 2018년 하반기는 계절적 특수성과 고객의 재고 확충 맞물려 7월부터 가격이 상승하는 모습을 보이고 있다고 밝혔다. .

하반기에 진입하여 시장의 상황이 우호적으로 변경되고 있으나 예측 불확실성으로 과거 시장과는 차이가 있으며 더욱이 앞으로 디스플레이 시장의 공급과잉이랑 비대칭 경쟁 구도는 불가피한 상황임을 전했다. 이에 대해, 시장의 변동성 확대가 예상 됨에 따라 LG Display는 하반기에도 보수적인 전략을 유지할 것임을 밝혔다.

LG Display의 2018년 2분기 매출은 5조6112억원, 영업손실은 2281억원을 기록했다. 전년 동기 대비 매출은 15% 감소했고 영업이익은 8040억원에서 지난 분기에 이어 패널 출하의 예상 대비 하회 등의 어려운 시장 상황을 반영하여 계속적으로 큰 폭 적자를 면하지 못하였다. 출하 면적은 전분기 대비 2% 증가 하였지만 면적(m2)당 판가는 4% 감소하였다.

긍정적인 지표로는 TV 패널 판가 하락이 컸으나 OLED 패널의 경쟁력 우위 포지션으로 인해 전채 패널 판가 하락은 1%에 그쳤다. 3분기에는 면적 기준 출하 큰 폭으로 증가, 업계의 재고 보충을 위해 주문 증가 예상 등 상반기 대비 시장상황이 긍정적일 것으로 보고 있다.

현재 LCD와 OLED 중소형과 대형 패널 사업 모두를 하고 있는 LG Display는 이번 컨퍼런스콜을 통해 “OLED 사업에 집중, LCD 사업은 고부가 가치에 집중” 이라는 하반기와 향후 LG Display의 전략적 방향에 대해 명확히 언급하였다.

현재 IT 산업이 역 장하고 있어 LCD 산업이 어렵지만, 좁은 베젤(Narrow Bezel) 혹은 베젤의 삭제(Borderless)등 차별화 기술을 통해 하이엔드 부분과 초대형 커머셜 고부가 가치 제품을 중심으로 사업을 진행할 것임을 전달했다.

OLED는 LG Display가 향후 현재 산업 1위 자리를 유지하고 성장하기위해 중요한 사업으로 3분기중 OLED TV는 흑자 전환을 예상하고 있으며 최근 승인이 확정된 중국 광저우의 생산라인과 파주 P10공장의 10.5세대 OLED 생산라인 투자를 앞당겨 OLED 대형 시장을 드라이브 할 것이라는 입장이다. 또한 직접적으로 시기와 특정 라인에 대한 언급은 없었지만 연내 LCD 합리화 계획을 진행하여 OLED 8.5세대 추가 생산 공장 증설 계획도 내비쳤다.

증가하는 수요에 대응해 생산 규모를 늘리고 있는 대형 OLED 사업에 비해, 힘든 시기를 겪고 있는 플라스틱 중소형 OLED 패널 사업에 대해서는 모바일과 자동차 시장을 강조하며 필요한 전략 기술로 미래 시장에 대한 준비를 진행하고 있음을 전달했다.

Apple향 생산공장으로 거론되어온 E6-1라인은 올해 4분기 양산을 시작할 것으로 언급한 것을 미루어 최근 2018년 iPhone OLED 모델에 디스플레이 공급과 관련한 사실 가능성을 짐작할 수 있는 것으로 드러났다. 또한 자동차 시장에서도 OLED 패널의 수요가 증가하고 있으며 내년 하반기 본격적인 비즈니스가 시작될 전망임을 밝혔으며 현재 수주 잔고에서 OLED 패널은 약 10% 후반 수준으로 이미 상당 부분 진행되고 있음을 확인 하였다.

마지막으로, LG Display의 미래 준비와 관련하여 경쟁사 대비 예산 부족과 펀딩 부족의 우려를 잘 알고 있으며 2020년까지 기존에 계획한 Capex에서 약 3조원 줄인 수준으로 진행할 계획이며 이 중 상당부분은 감가상각비와 내부 운전자본관리를 통해 가능하며 나머지는 차입할 계획임을 밝혔다. 시장에서 몇차례 언급된 유상증자는 검토하고 있지 않음을 확인하였으며 LG Display는 OLED의 다양한 포트폴리오를 철저히 준비하여 후발주자인 분야에서도 경쟁기업 대비 차별화를 통한 사업 성공의 의지를 밝혔다.

 

 

작성: Hana Oh (hanaoh@ubiresearch.com)

 

Material Science、中国最大のOLED製造メーカーに赤色プライム層材料を量産供給

/in /by

OLED材料メーカーのMaterial Scienceは、来月の8月から赤色プライム層材料を中国最大のOLED製造メーカーに、量産供給することを16日明らかにした。

赤色プライム層材料は、赤色を発する発光層（EML）と正孔輸送層（HTL）の間に蒸着され、発光効率を高める材料である。陰極から出た電子がEMLを過ぎてHTLまで侵入しないように防ぐことで、OLED発光効率を高くするため、OLED機器の使用時間を増やすことができる。

 

Material Scienceが開発した赤色プライム層材料は、2016年に中国LTOPTOと設立した合弁会社LTMSで生産して供給する予定だ。合弁パートナーのLTOPTOは、LCD用液晶とOLED原料などを生産する化学会社である。

 

LTMSは昨年の2017年上半期に、中国陝西省西安に量産設備を構築し、今回の契約によって8月から稼働を開始する。LTMSは現在、月産500㎏規模の生産設備を備えているが、今後、中国内のOLEDメーカーと追加供給の契約が締結されれば、月産1tまで生産設備を拡大する予定だ。月500㎏という生産能力は、第6世代OLEDの生産ライン6本（マザーガラス投入基準で月9万枚）に供給できる規模である。

 

UBI Researchが発行した『AMOLED Emitting Material Market Track_1Q18』によると、赤色プライム層材料市場は、2018年から2022年まで年平均成長率35%を記録し、2022年には2億4,800万米ドル規模になるとみられる。

LG Display의 대면적 OLED 사업 집중, 발광재료 업체들의 실적 개선 이끌까

/in /by

LG Display가 7월 25일에 진행한 2018년 2분기 실적발표에서 파주 10.5세대 공장(P10)에서 대면적 LCD가 아닌 대면적 OLED를 우선 생산키로 한 방침을 확정했다.

LG Display는 이날 대형 OLED 사업이 안정화를 띔에 따라 생산에 속도를 올려 실적 부진을 만회하겠다는 전략을 밝혔다. 김상돈 LG Display CFO는 “내년 400만대, 2020년 700만대, 2021년 1000만대 판매 목표를 가지고 있다”고 언급하며, 중국 광저우 8.5세대 공장이 내년 하반기 가동을 시작하고 LCD 공장까지 OLED 공장으로 전환하면 OLED TV 패널 생산량이 빠르게 증가할 것으로 기대했다.

대면적 LCD 대신 대면적 OLED로의 사업 집중에 따라, 대면적 OLED와 관련된 발광재료 업체들의 실적 개선도 기대된다. 현재 LG Display의 대면적 OLED용 재료를 공급하는 업체로는 Merck와 Noveled, LG Chemical, Heesung Material, Idemitsu Kosan 등이 있다.

이 중 LG Chemical은 인광 레드 호스트와 형광 블루 호스트, HIL, ETL, CPL을 공급하고 있으며 Heesung Material은 CGL과 CPL을 공급하고 있다.

한편, 유비리서치가 발간한 ‘2018 AMOLED Emitting Material Market Track 1Q18’에서는 대면적 OLED의 재료 사용 비용이 2018년에 US$ 279 million에서 연평균 25%씩 증가하여 2022년에는 US$ 692 million이 될 것으로 전망했다. LG Display의 대면적 OLED 사업 집중에 따라 재료 사용 비용은 더 늘어날 것으로 예상된다.

 

 

작성 : 윤대정 연구원(ydj7211@ubiresearch.com)

 

 

 

FlexiGO, developed the durability test equipment capable of accurate evaluation for foldable materials

/in , /by

With the recent announcement that Samsung Electronics and Huawei are aiming to launch smart phones with foldable OLED, folder-type smartphones are drawing attention.

 Display companies are converting glass materials used in the existing substrates and cover windows into plastic materials. Consequently, the durability of plastic materials is becoming an important issue.

There are various types of durability tests, but the most typical durability inspection is the folding test. The folding test is an experiment that repeatedly bends and unfolds the foldable materials including plastic. Typically, a mechanical device is used for pivoting the rotating plate after fixing some part of the foldable material to the fixed plate and fixing the other remaining part to the rotating plate. However, in the conventional devices, the axis of foldable material is different with that of the rotating plate, the foldable material moves along the rotation path of the rotating plate, not the original rotation path of the material. Thus, there is a possibility that a tensile force acts on the folder material. To solve this problem, FlexiGO recently developed Foldy series, new durability test equipment to test foldable materials.

<FlexiGO’s folding test equipment, Source: flexigo.co.kr>

In addition to the conventional fixed plate and rotating plate, the Foldy series adds a motion controller that supports the fixed plate to move forward and backward for the foldable to be moved only through the original rotation path, so that no other stress is applied to the material. As a sliding device is mounted on the motion controller, the fixed plate moves forward and backward, and the rotating plate performs a rotary motion so that the foldable material can slide on the rotating plate.

The Foldy series includes micro vision, surface profiling, and colorimeter. Foldy-10 and Foldy-100 products can be adopted for the durability test in different test environments. In addition, it is possible to mount an additional inspection system, so it is expected that the accurate durability test of various accurate foldable materials is to be possible.

8K OLED TV、下半期には見られるのか？

/in /by

 

プレミアムTV市場の競争がさらに激しくなる見込みだ。SonyのOLED TV市場参入とLG Electronicsの攻撃的な価格下げによって、プレミアムTV市場でOLED TVのシェアは拡大している。しかし、LCD陣営では8Kの高解像度戦略で対応しており、プレミアムTV市場に広がるOLEDの勢いを止めることができるのかに注目が集まっている。

 

Sharpは既に昨年から8K LCD TVを世界で初めて販売し、Samsung Electronicsも今年始めのCESで8K TVを展示したことに続き、下半期には8K QLED（QD-LCD）製品を発売する予定だ。OLED陣営では、LG DisplayがCESで88型8K OLED TVを展示したが、8K OLED TVを下半期に発売できるのかはまだ分からない。

 

現在、量産が進んでいるOLED TVは、背面発光（Bottom emission）構造で、TFTを通して採光するため、ピクセルでTFTを除いた部分から光が放出される方式だ。そのため、同じサイズのTVでも、解像度が高くなるほどピクセルサイズは小さくなるものの、TFTサイズの減少には制約があるため、光が放出される範囲がさらに狭くなる。同じサイズで高解像度を実現するためには、開口率を最大限に高めるか、または発光材料の性能を改善する必要がある。

 

開口率を向上させる方法には、前面発光（Top emission）構造の採用がある。前面発光構造は、光がTFT方向ではなく、封止方向に放出されるため、背面発光構造より高い開口率を確保することができる。しかし、現在、不透明なメタルシートの封止を、透明な材料に変えなければならないことや、カラーフィルターを封止の上側に形成するために、工程を変更しなけらばならないという問題が生じる。

 

発光材料に関しては、青色TADFや新しい青色材料の開発が積極的に行われている。LG Displayが公開した88型8K OLED TVには、背面発光構造が採用されているため、画面密度が約100 ppiとなり、現在販売されている55型4Kの80 ppiより20%高い。単純にディスプレイ全体のサイズとピクセルサイズを比較してみると、55型4Kのピクセルが88型8Kのピクセルより約40%ほど大きいという計算ができる。

 

つまり、55型4Kと同レベルの輝度と寿命を確保するためには、TFTの設計を最適化し、発光材料の性能を向上させ、40%小さくなるピクセルサイズをカバーしなければならない。

 

果たして8K OLED TVはこのような問題を全て解決し、今年の下半期に本格的な発売開始が予想される8K LCD TVに立ち向かい、無事に発売できるのか、業界の関心が寄せられている。

'>

8K OLED TV, Can we see it in the second half of the year?

/in , /by

 

Competition in the premium TV market is expected to be cutthroat.

The market share of OLED TV is on the rise in the premium TV market due to Sony’s entry into the OLED TV market and LG Electronics’ aggressive price cuts. However, LCD camp is responding with 8K high-resolution strategy, and attention is focused on whether it can prevent the rise of OLED in the premium TV market.

Sharp has already started selling 8K LCD TVs for the first time in the world since last year. Samsung Electronics showcased 8K TV at CES earlier this year, and will launch 8 K QLED (QD-LCD) products in the second half of the year. In the OLED camp, LG Display exhibited 88inch 8K OLED TV at CES, but the launch of 8K OLED TV in the second half is still unknown.

OLED TVs, which are currently in mass production, are based on bottom emission type. Thus, the light is emitted from the remaining portion of the pixel except the TFT region since the light is emitted through the TFT. Therefore, in the same size TV, as the resolution increases, the pixel size becomes smaller, but the area where the size of the TFT is reduced is limited, so that the area where the light is emitted becomes narrower. Consequently, in order to realize a high resolution at the same size, it is necessary to broaden the aperture ratio as much as possible or improve the performance of the emitting materials.

 

As a way of increasing the aperture ratio, there is a method of applying a top emission structure. Since the top emission structure emits light in the encapsulation direction, not the TFT direction, it can secure a wider aperture ratio than the bottom emission. However, there are pending problems that the encapsulation using opaque metal sheet should be changed to a transparent material and the color filter should be formed above the encapsulation with the change of the process.

The development of TADF blue and new blue materials is actively underway in the emitting material side.

The 88inch 8K OLED TV released by LG Display is made with a bottom emission structure and its ppi is about 100, which is about 20% higher than 80 ppi of the 55inch 4K currently being sold. When the pixel size is compared with the whole display size, the 55 inch 4K pixel is calculated to be about 40% wider than the 88inch 8k pixel.

In order to achieve the same level of brightness and lifetime as 55inch 4K, it is necessary to optimize the TFT design and improve the performance of the emitting materials to make up for the 40% decrease in pixel size. The industry is paying attention to whether the 8K OLED TV will be launched, with resolving above-mentioned issues, against the 8K LCD TV, which is expected to be released in the second half of the year.

FlexiGO, 폴더블 소재의 정확한 내구성 평가가 가능한 폴딩 장치 개발

/in /by

최근 Samsung Electronic와 Huawei가 폴더블 OLED가 탑재된 스마트폰 출시를 목표로 하고 있는 것이 알려지면서 폴더블 스마트폰이 주목받고 있다.

디스플레이 업체에서는 기존의 기판이나 커버 윈도우에 적용되었던 유리 소재를 플라스틱 소재로 전환하고 있으며, 이에 따라 플라스틱 소재의 내구성이 중요한 이슈로 떠오르고 있다.

내구성 시험에는 다양한 종류가 있지만 가장 대표적인 내구성 시험은 폴딩 시험이다. 폴딩 시험은 플라스틱을 포함한 폴더블 소재를 구부리고 펼치는 동작을 반복하는 시험으로서, 대표적으로 폴더블 소재의 일부를 고정판에 고정시키고 나머지는 회동판에 고정시킨 후 회동판을 기계적으로 회동운동 시키는 장치가 사용되고 있다.

그러나 기존의 장치들은 폴더블 소재와 회동판의 축이 서로 달라 회동 운동 시 폴더블 소재가 소재 본연의 회동 경로가 아닌 회동판의 회동 경로를 따라가기 때문에 폴더블 소재에 인장력이 작용할 가능성이 있었다. 이러한 문제를 해결하기 위해, 최근 FlexiGO에서는 폴더블 소재의 폴딩 시험을 위한 새로운 폴딩 장치인 Foldy series를 개발했다.

<FlexiGO의 폴딩 장치, Source: flexigo.co.kr>

 

Foldy series는 기존의 고정판과 회동판 외에 고정판을 진퇴운동 하도록 지지하는 모션 컨트롤러를 추가하여 폴더블 소재가 본연의 회전 경로로만 이동하게끔 유도해 다른 응력이 소재에 가해지지 않도록 하였다. 모션 컨트롤러에 슬라이딩장치가 탑재 되어 고정판은 진퇴운동을 하고 회동판은 회동운동을 하여 폴더블 소재가 회동판에서 슬라이딩 운동을 할 수 있도록 하는 것이 특징이다.

Foldy series에는 micro vision과 surface profiling, colorimeter가 포함되어 있으며, Foldy-10과 Foldy-100 등 제품들에 따라 시험 환경을 달리하여 내구성 평가를 진행할 수 있다. 이 밖에 추가적인 검사 시스템 탑재도 가능하기 때문에 다양하고 정확한 폴더블 소재의 내구성 시험이 가능할 것으로 기대를 모으고 있다.

What is the investment cost for large-area OLED that will lead the premium TV market?

/in /by

■ Investment cost comparison and analysis for WRGB OLED, solution processed OLED and QD-OLED
■ Total OLED process equipment is expected to form a market of US$ 58.8 billion from 2018 to 2022, and inspection equipment market is estimated as US$ 8.4 billion

In the premium TV market, the market share of OLED TVs is steadily rising, and the number of OLED TV camps is gradually increasing. OLED TV adopts color filter to WRGB OLED, and currently LG Display only mass produces the OLED panels.

On the other hand, Samsung Display is developing QD-OLED (blue OLED + quantum dot color filter) to compete with WRGB OLED in the premium TV market. Blue OLED is a technology in which the blue light emitted from OLED passes through a quantum dot layer and a color filter to represent red and green colors.

<Expected structure of QD-OLED>

UBI Research analyzed the structure and investment amount of WRGB OLED and QD-OLED, which are the latest issues, in the‘AMOLED Manufacturing and Inspection Equipment Industry Report’ published on June 6. In addition, the investment amount of the solution process OLED, which has got the industry attention due to its possible implementation of real RGB in large-area OLED, is also analyzed and compared.

As a result of analyzing the equipment investment cost based on the 8th generation 26K, the QD-OLED investment cost is 3% higher than WRGB OLED and the investment cost of solution process OLED is 19% less than that of WRGB OLED.

In the QD-OLED investment cost, it is reflected that QD color filter is separately formed and its laminating process is added. For the analysis of solution processed OLED investment cost, color filter is excluded and ink-jet printer is applied instead of deposition equipment.

In addition, the report forecasts the overall OLED equipment market from 2018 to 2022. The total OLED overall equipment market is expected to reach US$ 106.7 billion from 2018 to 2022. The market for process equipment is projected as US$ 58.8 billion and inspection equipment market is to be US$ 8.4 billion.

8K OLED TV, 하반기에 볼 수 있을까?

/in /by

 

프리미엄 TV시장 경쟁이 더욱 치열해질 전망이다. Sony의 OLED TV 시장 진입과 LG전자의 공격적인 가격 인하로 프리미엄 TV 시장에서 OLED TV의 점유율이 상승곡선을 그리고 있다. 하지만 LCD진영에서는 8K 고해상도 전략으로 대응하고 있는 추세로 프리미엄 TV시장에서 OLED의 상승세를 저지할 수 있을지 관심이 집중되고 있다.

샤프는 이미 지난해부터 8K LCD TV를 세계 최초로 판매하기 시작하였고, 삼성전자도 올 초 CES에서 8K TV를 전시한데 이어 올 하반기 8K QLED(QD-LCD) 제품을 출시할 예정이다. OLED 진영에서는 LG Display가 CES에서 88inch 8K OLED TV를 전시했지만 8K OLED TV의 하반기 출시 여부는 아직 미지수이다.

현재 양산되고 있는 OLED TV는 bottom emission 방식으로 빛이 TFT를 통과해서 나오기 때문에 pixel에서 TFT영역을 제외한 나머지 부분에서 빛이 나오는 방식이다. 따라서 동일 크기의 TV에서 해상도가 높아질수록 pixel size는 작아지지만 TFT의 크기가 작아지는 부분은 제약이 있기 때문에 빛이 나가는 영역이 더 좁아지게 된다. 따라서 동일 사이즈에서 고해상도 구현을 위해서는 개구율을 최대한 넓히거나 발광재료의 성능을 개선해야 된다.

개구율을 넓히는 방법으로는 top emission 구조를 적용하는 방법이 있다. Top emission구조는 빛이 TFT 방향이 아닌 encapsulation 방향으로 나오기 때문에 bottom emission 대비 더 넓은 개구율을 확보할 수 있다. 하지만 현재 불투명한 metal sheet를 사용하는 encapsulation이 투명한 소재로 바뀌어야 되는 점과 color filter가 encapsulation 위쪽으로 형성되어야 하며 공정이 바뀌는 문제가 있다.

발광재료 쪽에서는 TADF blue나 새로운 blue 재료에 대한 개발이 적극적으로 진행되고 있는 중이다.

LG Display에서 공개한 88inch 8K OLED TV는 bottom emission 구조로 만들어 졌으며 약 100 ppi로 현재 판매되고 있는 55inch 4K의 ppi인 80ppi 보다 20% 높은 수치이다. 단순 전체 display size 대비 pixel size를 비교해보면 55 inch 4K의 pixel이 88inch 8k의 pixel보다 약 40% 넓은 것으로 계산된다.

즉 55inch 4K와 동일 수준의 휘도와 수명을 확보하기 위해서는 TFT 설계를 최적화하고 발광재료 성능을 향상시켜 pixel 크기가 40% 감소한 부분을 만회해야 한다.

이러한 문제를 해결하고 하반기에 출시 본격화가 예상되는 8K LCD TV에 맞서 8K OLED TV가 출시 될 수 있을지 업계의 관심이 주목되고 있다.

 

 

Premium TV 시장을 주도할 대면적 OLED의 투자 비용은?

/in /by

최근 premium TV 시장은 OLED TV의 점유율이 지속적으로 상승하고 있으며 OLED TV 진영도 꾸준히 증가하고 있는 추세다. OLED TV는 WRGB OLED에 color filter를 적용한 구조로써, 현재 LG Display만이 유일하게 OLED panel을 양산하고 있다.

이에 Samsung Display에서는 premium TV 시장에서 WRGB OLED에 대항하기 위해 blue OLED + quantum dot color filter(이하 QD-OLED)를 개발하고 있는 것으로 알려졌다. Blue OLED는 OLED에서 발광 된 청색광이 quantum dot층과 color filter를 통과해 red와 green 색을 나타내는 기술이다.

<QD-OLED 예상 구조>

유비리서치는 지난 6일 발간한 ‘AMOLED Manufacturing and Inspection Equipment Industry Report’에서 최근 이슈가 되고 있는 WRGB OLED와 QD-OLED의 구조와 투자 금액을 분석했다. 뿐만 아니라, 대면적 OLED에서 real RGB를 구현할 수 있어 주목받고 있는 solution process OLED의 투자 금액도 함께 분석하여 비교했다.

8세대 26K 기준으로 장비 신규 투자비를 분석한 결과, QD-OLED 투자비는 WRGB OLED에 비해 3%가 많고 solution process OLED는 WRGB OLED에 비해 19% 적은 것으로 조사되었다.

QD-OLED 투자비에서는 QD color filter가 따로 형성되고 이를 합착하는 공정이 추가된 내용이 반영되었으며, solution process OLED 투자비에서는 color filter가 제거되고 증착 장비 대신 ink-jet printer가 투입된 내용이 반영되었다.

이 밖에 본 보고서에서는 2018년부터 2022년까지 OLED 전체 장비 시장도 예상하였다. 2018년부터 2022년까지 OLED 전체 장비 시장은 US$ 106.7 billion을 형성할 것으로 전망되며, 공정 장비는 그 중 US$ 58.8 billion, 검사 장비는 US$ 8.4 billion의 시장을 형성할 것으로 예상된다.

<2018년~2022년 장비별 전체 시장 점유율 전망>

The second half of 2018 just started, Chinese OLED panel makers are chasing Korea. Where are they?

/in /by


작성자: 오하나 (Analyst, hanaoh@ubiresearch.com)
The display industry has been in a state of confusion by the recent leaking of OLED display panel production technology into China.

As of 2018, five companies (BOE, Everdisplay, Tianma, Truly, and Visionox) have OLED production lines in China, among which only BOE has a line that can produce OLED displays (“Plastic OLED”) using plastic substrates, applied to the premium smart phones such as Samsung Galaxy and Apple’s iPhone. Other panel makers are building lines to produce plastic OLED displays targeting mass production this year and next year.

Monthly production capacity planned by Chinese panel makers by the end of 2020 is about 250K, which is more than the monthly production capacity of Samsung Display (about 180K). If China produces a similar level of panels through mass production, it is clear that Korea cannot defeat China in terms of production costs. The main application of the 6G plastic OLED display is a smart phone; however, the global Smartphone market has slowed down since 2015, especially in the premium Smartphone market, there seem no new markets. If mass applications such as smartphones are not developed, panel makers that do not have cost competitiveness will be hard to survive due to a large oversupply in the near-term and falling panel prices.

Korea is evaluated to have a considerable technical advantage since the production of plastic OLED displays requires a high level of technology and process know-how for the time. However, the industry expects that Chinese government’s support for the panel makers with the background of capital as part of the “China Manufacturing 2025” strategy, will shorten the technology gap quickly.

Chinese panel makers ahead of their mass production by 2019 are also reported to be more aggressively scouting Korea’s major OLED engineers. There are about 100 Korean OLED engineers in Chengdu (B7) plant that produces plastic OLED display of BOE. GVO is also known to have recently hired some important OLED engineers with high salaries. CSOT, which has been known to suffer difficulties from the initial research stage, seems to be expediting the construction of mobile OLED production line, employing Korean OLED engineers at major processes from last year. In addition, HKC, which is not a panel maker, is reported to have hired OLED engineers. This is interpreted as a work for investing in the OLED production line of HKC which has only LCD line, and HKC has recently been named as the merger of TIANMA OLED division.
As of 2018, there are no panel makers in China that can produce OLED display panels at the level produced by Korean panel makers. Although the production capacity and sales structure of Chinese panel makers are different from those of Korea, it is difficult to define yields on the same basis. However, the yield of BOE’s Chengdu (B7) plant, known as the mass production line, is still investigated as a single digit. Other panel makers also expect the product quality and yield problems to be difficult to be resolved by the first half of 2019 even if the mass production lines are launched within the year.

In order for the display industry, which contributes significantly to the Korean economy, to maintain its dominant position in the global display industry, it must maintain its competitiveness through various product development, production and sales strategies. Meanwhile, the size of the display industry needs to grow for the growth of the worldwide OLED industry. In order for Chinese panel makers to supply OLED panels with diverse applications, securing the yield might be the key.

The second half of 2018 just started, Chinese OLED panel makers are chasing Korea. Where are they?

/in , /by


작성자: 오하나 (Analyst, hanaoh@ubiresearch.com)
The display industry has been in a state of confusion by the recent leaking of OLED display panel production technology into China.

As of 2018, five companies (BOE, Everdisplay, Tianma, Truly, and Visionox) have OLED production lines in China, among which only BOE has a line that can produce OLED displays (“Plastic OLED”) using plastic substrates, applied to the premium smart phones such as Samsung Galaxy and Apple’s iPhone. Other panel makers are building lines to produce plastic OLED displays targeting mass production this year and next year.

Monthly production capacity planned by Chinese panel makers by the end of 2020 is about 250K, which is more than the monthly production capacity of Samsung Display (about 180K). If China produces a similar level of panels through mass production, it is clear that Korea cannot defeat China in terms of production costs. The main application of the 6G plastic OLED display is a smart phone; however, the global Smartphone market has slowed down since 2015, especially in the premium Smartphone market, there seem no new markets. If mass applications such as smartphones are not developed, panel makers that do not have cost competitiveness will be hard to survive due to a large oversupply in the near-term and falling panel prices.

Korea is evaluated to have a considerable technical advantage since the production of plastic OLED displays requires a high level of technology and process know-how for the time. However, the industry expects that Chinese government’s support for the panel makers with the background of capital as part of the “China Manufacturing 2025” strategy, will shorten the technology gap quickly.

Chinese panel makers ahead of their mass production by 2019 are also reported to be more aggressively scouting Korea’s major OLED engineers. There are about 100 Korean OLED engineers in Chengdu (B7) plant that produces plastic OLED display of BOE. GVO is also known to have recently hired some important OLED engineers with high salaries. CSOT, which has been known to suffer difficulties from the initial research stage, seems to be expediting the construction of mobile OLED production line, employing Korean OLED engineers at major processes from last year. In addition, HKC, which is not a panel maker, is reported to have hired OLED engineers. This is interpreted as a work for investing in the OLED production line of HKC which has only LCD line, and HKC has recently been named as the merger of TIANMA OLED division.
As of 2018, there are no panel makers in China that can produce OLED display panels at the level produced by Korean panel makers. Although the production capacity and sales structure of Chinese panel makers are different from those of Korea, it is difficult to define yields on the same basis. However, the yield of BOE’s Chengdu (B7) plant, known as the mass production line, is still investigated as a single digit. Other panel makers also expect the product quality and yield problems to be difficult to be resolved by the first half of 2019 even if the mass production lines are launched within the year.

In order for the display industry, which contributes significantly to the Korean economy, to maintain its dominant position in the global display industry, it must maintain its competitiveness through various product development, production and sales strategies. Meanwhile, the size of the display industry needs to grow for the growth of the worldwide OLED industry. In order for Chinese panel makers to supply OLED panels with diverse applications, securing the yield might be the key.

2018년 2H 시작, 중국 OLED 패널 업체들의 추격어디까지?

/in /by

최근 중국으로의 OLED 디스플레이 패널 생산기술 유출 사건과 관련하여 디스플레이 산업이 시끌시끌하다.

2018년 현재, 중국내 OLED 생산라인을 보유하고 있는 업체는 총 5업체로 (BOE, Everdisplay, Tianma, Turly, Visionox) 이중 삼성전자의 Galaxy와 Apple의 iPhone등 프리미엄 스마트폰에 사용되는 플라스틱 기판을 사용하는 OLED 디스플레이(“Plastic OLED”)를 생산할 수 있는 라인을 가지고 있는 곳은 BOE 한 곳에 불과하다. 다른 패널 업체들은 올해와 내년 양산을 타겟으로 Plastic OLED 디스플레이를 생산할 수 있는 라인 건설을 진행하고 있다.

2020년 말까지 중국 패널 업체들이 양산을 계획하고 있는 월 생산 Capa는 약 250K로, 현재 삼성디스플레이의 월 생산 Capa(약 180K)를 넘어서는 수준이다. 중국이 본격적인 양산을 통해 비슷한 수준의 패널을 생산하게 될 경우 생산 원가 측면에서 한국은 중국을 이길 수 없는 구조임은 분명해 보인다. 6세대 Plastic OLED 디스플레이의 주 사용 어플리케이션이 스마트폰인데 전세계 스마트폰 시장은 2015년 이후 성장이 둔화되었으며 특히 프리미엄 스마트폰 시장은 신규시장이 거의 없는 상황이다. 스마트폰과 같은 매스 어플리케이션이 개발되지 않을 경우, 머지 않아 매우 큰 과잉공급과 이는 패널 가격의 하락으로 이어져 원가 경쟁력이 없는 패널 업체는 살아남기 힘들게 될 것이다.

일단은 Plastic OLED 디스플레이 생산은 높은 기술수준과 공정 노하우 등이 필요해 한국이 상당한 기술 우위에 있는 것으로 평가한다. 하지만 산업에서는 “중국제조 2025” 전략의 일환으로 자본을 앞세운 중국 정부의 패널업체 지원이 기술 격차를 빠른 시간안에 단축시킬 것으로 예상하고 있다.

2019년까지 양산을 앞두고 있는 중국 패널 업체들 역시 최근 더욱 적극적으로 한국의 주요 OLED 엔지니어 모셔가기를 하고 있는 것으로 알려지고 있다. BOE의 Plastic OLED 디스플레이를 생산하는 청두(B7) 공장에는 약 100여명에 가까운 한국 OLED 엔지니어가 있는 것으로 알려져 있으며 GVO도 최근 고액 연봉의 중요한 OLED 엔지니어들을 수명 고용한 것으로 파악되고 있다.  초기 연구개발 단계에서부터 어려움을 겪는 것으로 알려져 왔던 CSOT 역시 작년부터 주요 공정의 한국 OLED 엔지니어들을 고용 모바일 OLED 생산 라인 구축에 박차를 가하고 있는 것으로 보여진다. 이밖에 패널업체가 아닌 HKC 역시 OLED 엔지니어들 영입하고 있다고 조사되고 있으며 이는 LCD 라인 밖에 없는 HKC의 OLED 생산 라인 투자를 위한 밑 작업으로 해석되고 있으며 HKC는 최근 티안마 OLED 사업부 합병설에 이름을 올리기도 하였다.

2018년 현재를 기준으로 아직까지는 한국 패널 업체들이 생산하는 수준의 OLED 디스플레이 패널 양산이 가능한 중국의 패널 업체는 없다. 중국 패널 업체들의 생산능력 기준과 판매 구조는 대한민국과 달라 같은 기준으로 수율을 정의 하기는 어렵지만 양산라인이라고 알려져 있는 BOE의 청두(B7)공장의 수율은 여전히 1자리 숫자인 것으로 조사되고 있다. 다른 패널 업체들 역시 올해 안에 양산라인 가동을 한다고 해도 제품 품질과 수율문제는 2019년 상반기까지도 해결이 힘들것으로 예상하고 있다.

한국 경제에 상당부분 일조하는 디스플레이 산업이 지속적으로 전세계 디스플레이 산업에서 우위를 지키기 위해서는 다양한 제품 개발, 생산과 판매 전략을 통해 경쟁력을 유지해야 할 것이다. 또한 전세계 OLED 산업의 성장을 위해 디스플레이 산업의 규모가 커지고 많은 플레이어들이 다양한 어플리케이션에 OLED 패널을 공급하기 위해서는 중국 패널 업체들의 수율 확보가 관건일 것이다.

OLED equipment market is expected to reach US$ 31.5 billion in 2019

/in /by

■ The total OLED equipment market is projected as US$ 106.7 billion in 2018-2022.

■ From 2018 to 2022, China is expected to account for 64% of the total investment while Korea will account for 29%.

The total OLED equipment market is projected as US$ 106.7 billion from 2018 to 2022.

According to the ‘1H18 AMOLED Equipment Market Track’ published by UBI Research, the total OLED equipment market is expected to reach US$ 106.7 billion in 2018-2022. The equipment market of 2018 is estimated to be a total of US $ 21.1 billion in, and the largest investment of US$ 31.5 billion is expected in 2019.

<2018~2022 OLED equipment market forecast>

Dae-Jeong Yoon, Researcher of UBI research said “In 2019 and 2020 of the next five years, Korea and China panel makers are key drivers for the investment. By 2019, Korean panel makers are likely to focus on large-area OLED investment and Chinese panel makers will focus on small and medium-sized flexible OLED Investment.”

According to the market track, China will account for 64% of the total equipment market from 2018 to 2022 while Korea will account for 29%. Thus, the two countries will lead the OLED equipment investment. In 2018 and 2019, global panel makers are expected to invest the total amount of US$ 52.7 billion, which might be the largest scale.

<Overall equipment market share by country in 2018~2022>

In this market track, the overall equipment market analysis is categorized by equipment, process, company, generation, and substrate. The investment cost including logistic equipment and inspection equipment for each process was calculated, and the cost for touch related equipment was excluded for the market analysis.

In addition, ASP and quarterly sale revenue of each equipment are also described from 2016 to the second quarter of 2018, which will help the related companies to develop future direction, business strategy, and technology and market trend analysis.

LCD Smartphone is 4K era, what about OLED Smartphone?

/in /by

In the past MWC 2017, Sony unveiled the world’s first Smartphone with 4K LCD and it is scheduled to release the Xperia XZ2 Premium with 4K LCD on July 4. Attention is growing whether 4K resolution market is to be launched in earnest in smartphones.

<Xperia XZ2 Premium of Sony, Source: theverge.com>

TV market is already moving beyond the 4K to the 8K. Samsung Electronics and Sharp released new TVs with 8K resolution in the first half and Sony plans to release 8K TVs in the second half. LG Display also exhibited 88inch 8K OLED TV at CES 2018. As such, 8K TV is entering the premium TV market, and smart phones are expected to increase the number of products with 4K resolution in response to the higher resolution of TVs.

In the Smartphone, 4K has been implemented in LCD; however, in the case of OLED, QHD resolution is still dominant for the 4 consecutive years.

<Resolution change of Samsung Galaxy series, Source: UBI Research DB>

This is because there are many restrictions on the fine metal mask (FMM) technology that is being applied to OLED manufacturing. The thickness of FMM applied to the current production is about 20 ~ 30um. For 4K fabrication, the thickness should be as thin as 10um, but it is difficult for existing FMM manufacturing method.

As a result, FMM replacement technologies are being developed for high resolution implementation. Typical technologies under developing, include laser FMM patterning with laser, electroforming manufactured by electroplating method, a fine hybrid mask that is used to form a frame by electroplating on a film and pattern the film with a laser, and a surface source that realizes a high resolution by vertically setting the deposition incident angle.

Deposition technologies for high-resolution manufacturing at various exhibitions and conferences are being introduced. Depending on the availability for securing mass production, it is expected to see not only 4K OLED Smartphone, but also high-resolution AR and VR devices of RGB method.

LCD Smartphone is 4K era, what about OLED Smartphone?

/in /by

In the past MWC 2017, Sony unveiled the world’s first Smartphone with 4K LCD and it is scheduled to release the Xperia XZ2 Premium with 4K LCD on July 4. Attention is growing whether 4K resolution market is to be launched in earnest in smartphones.

<Xperia XZ2 Premium of Sony, Source: theverge.com>

TV market is already moving beyond the 4K to the 8K. Samsung Electronics and Sharp released new TVs with 8K resolution in the first half and Sony plans to release 8K TVs in the second half. LG Display also exhibited 88inch 8K OLED TV at CES 2018. As such, 8K TV is entering the premium TV market, and smart phones are expected to increase the number of products with 4K resolution in response to the higher resolution of TVs.

In the Smartphone, 4K has been implemented in LCD; however, in the case of OLED, QHD resolution is still dominant for the 4 consecutive years.

<Resolution change of Samsung Galaxy series, Source: UBI Research DB>

This is because there are many restrictions on the fine metal mask (FMM) technology that is being applied to OLED manufacturing. The thickness of FMM applied to the current production is about 20 ~ 30um. For 4K fabrication, the thickness should be as thin as 10um, but it is difficult for existing FMM manufacturing method.

As a result, FMM replacement technologies are being developed for high resolution implementation. Typical technologies under developing, include laser FMM patterning with laser, electroforming manufactured by electroplating method, a fine hybrid mask that is used to form a frame by electroplating on a film and pattern the film with a laser, and a surface source that realizes a high resolution by vertically setting the deposition incident angle.

Deposition technologies for high-resolution manufacturing at various exhibitions and conferences are being introduced. Depending on the availability for securing mass production, it is expected to see not only 4K OLED Smartphone, but also high-resolution AR and VR devices of RGB method.

2019년 OLED 전체 장비시장 315억 달러 규모 기대

/in /by

■ 2018년부터 2022년까지 전체 OLED 장비 시장 1067억 규모 형성 예상

■ 2018년부터 2022년까지 중국이 64%, 한국이 29%의 점유율로 투자 주도 예상

OLED용 장비시장이 2018년부터 2022년까지 1067억 달러가 형성 될 전망이다.

유비리서치가 발간한 ‘1H18 AMOLED Equipment Market Track’에 따르면, OLED용 전체 장비 시장은 2018년부터 2022년까지 1067억 달러 규모가 될 전망이다. 2018년 장비 시장은 총 211억 달러 규모를 형성할 것으로 예상되며, 2019년에는 315억 달러 규모의 가장 많은 투자가 진행 될 전망이다.

<2018~2022년 OLED 전체 장비 시장 전망>

유비리서치 윤대정 연구원은 “향후 5년 중 2019년과 2020년에 한국과 중국 panel 업체들의 가장 투자가 예상된다”며 “2019년까지 한국 panel 업체들은 대면적 OLED 위주로, 중국 panel 업체들은 중소형 flexible OLED 위주로 투자가 진행 될 것으로 전망된다”고 밝혔다.

본 마켓트랙에서 국가별 OLED 장비 시장은 2018년부터 2022년까지 중국이 64%, 한국이 29%의 점유율을 보이며 두 국가가 OLED 장비 투자를 주도 할 전망이다. 2018년과 2019년에 글로벌 panel 업체들은 527억 달러 규모로 가장 많은 투자 할 전망이다.

<2018~2022년 국가별 전체 장비 시장 점유율 전망>

본 마켓트랙에서는 OLED 장비 시장 분석을 위해 장비별과 공정별, 업체별, 세대별, 기판별 등으로 상세히 분류하였다. 각 공정별 물류 장비와 검사 장비를 포함한 투자 비용을 산출하였으며, touch관련 장비는 시장 분석에서 제외하였다.

이 밖에도 장비별 ASP와 2016년부터 2018년 2분기까지 분기별 장비 판매 실적도 다루어 관련 업체들의 향후 개발 방향과 사업 전략 수립, 기술과 시장 트렌드 분석에 도움이 될 것으로 예상된다.

2019년 OLED 전체 장비시장 315억 달러 규모 기대

/in /by

■ 2018년부터 2022년까지 전체 OLED 장비 시장 1067억 규모 형성 예상

■ 2018년부터 2022년까지 중국이 64%, 한국이 29%의 점유율로 투자 주도 예상

OLED용 장비시장이 2018년부터 2022년까지 1067억 달러가 형성 될 전망이다.

유비리서치가 발간한 ‘1H18 AMOLED Equipment Market Track’에 따르면, OLED용 전체 장비 시장은 2018년부터 2022년까지 1067억 달러 규모가 될 전망이다. 2018년 장비 시장은 총 211억 달러 규모를 형성할 것으로 예상되며, 2019년에는 315억 달러 규모의 가장 많은 투자가 진행 될 전망이다.

<2018~2022년 OLED 전체 장비 시장 전망>

유비리서치 윤대정 연구원은 “향후 5년 중 2019년과 2020년에 한국과 중국 panel 업체들의 가장 투자가 예상된다”며 “2019년까지 한국 panel 업체들은 대면적 OLED 위주로, 중국 panel 업체들은 중소형 flexible OLED 위주로 투자가 진행 될 것으로 전망된다”고 밝혔다.

본 마켓트랙에서 국가별 OLED 장비 시장은 2018년부터 2022년까지 중국이 64%, 한국이 29%의 점유율을 보이며 두 국가가 OLED 장비 투자를 주도 할 전망이다. 2018년과 2019년에 글로벌 panel 업체들은 527억 달러 규모로 가장 많은 투자 할 전망이다.

<2018~2022년 국가별 전체 장비 시장 점유율 전망>

본 마켓트랙에서는 OLED 장비 시장 분석을 위해 장비별과 공정별, 업체별, 세대별, 기판별 등으로 상세히 분류하였다. 각 공정별 물류 장비와 검사 장비를 포함한 투자 비용을 산출하였으며, touch관련 장비는 시장 분석에서 제외하였다.

이 밖에도 장비별 ASP와 2016년부터 2018년 2분기까지 분기별 장비 판매 실적도 다루어 관련 업체들의 향후 개발 방향과 사업 전략 수립, 기술과 시장 트렌드 분석에 도움이 될 것으로 예상된다.

LCD 스마트폰은 4K시대, OLED 스마트폰은?

/in /by

지난 MWC 2017에서 소니가 세계 최초로 4K LCD를 탑재한 스마트폰을 공개한데 이어 오는 7월 4K LCD가 탑재된 Xperia XZ2 Premium을 출시할 예정으로 스마트폰에서도 4K 해상도 시장이 본격적으로 열릴 것으로 기대되고 있다.

<Sony의 Xperia XZ2 Premium, Source : theverge.com>

이미 TV시장에서는 4K를 넘어서 8K 시장으로 옮겨가고 있는 중이다. 삼성전자와 샤프는 상반기 8K 해상도의 TV 신제품을 공개하였으며, 소니도 8K TV를 하반기 출시 예정이다. LG Display에서도 88inch 8K OLED TV를 CES 2018에서 전시를 하였다. 이처럼 8K TV가 프리미엄 TV 시장에 진입을 하면서 스마트폰도 TV의 고해상도화에 대응하여 4K 해상도를 가진 제품 출시가 증가할 것으로 예상된다.

하지만 스마트폰에서 LCD는 4K를 구현했지만 아직 OLED는 4년째 QHD 해상도에 머물러있는 상황이다.

<삼성전자 갤럭시 시리즈의 해상도 변화, Source : UBI Research DB>

OLED제조에 적용되고 있는 FMM(fine metal mask) 기술에 제약이 많이 있기 때문이다. 현재 양산에 적용되고 있는 FMM의 두께는 약 20~30um 수준이며, 4K 제조를 위해서는 두께가 10um 수준으로 얇아져야 하지만 기존 FMM 제조방식으로는 어려움을 겪고 있는 상황이다.

이에 따라 고해상도 구현을 위한 FMM 대체기술들이 개발되고 있다. 대표적인 기술로는 레이져로 패터닝을 하는 laser FMM과 전주도금방식으로 제조하는 electroforming, 필름에 전주도금으로 프레임을 형성하고 레이져로 film을 패터닝하는 fine hybrid mask, 증착 입사각을 수직으로 하여 고해상도를 구현하는 면소스 등이 개발 중에 있다.

 

각종 전시회와 학회에서 고해상도 제조를 위한 증착기술들이 공개되고 있는 추세이며, 양산성 확보여부에 따라 앞으로 4K OLED 스마트폰, 더 나아가 RGB 방식의 고해상도 AR, VR 기기를 볼 수 있을 전망이다.

How will Samsung Electronics secure its premium TV market share?

/in /by

Choog Hoon Yi, president of UBI Research, presented about the issues and predictions for 2018 premium TV market at the seminar on the OLED market review in the first half of the year, held by UBI Research on June 28.

He said “The TV demand for 60 inches or more will be expanded from 12 million units in 2016 to 33 million units in 2021 as the investment for Gen10.5 will be increased and therefore the cost for panels will be decreased.

TV prices are expected to decline in 2018 as panel prices fall. In case of Samsung Electronics, TV shipments in the first quarter of 2018 declined 4% YoY to 9.7million units, which led to an operating profit of 4% in its VD division. This is 10% lower than the operating profit of LG Electronics’ HE division.

Lee mentioned ” Samsung Electronics is expected to focus on securing operating profits even if its sales are down. Therefore, they will concentrate on promoting mega-sized products over 65 inches.”

Currently, Samsung plans to use QD-OLED as a TV panel to increase its market share in the premium TV market. QD-OLED is a technology that uses blue OLED as a light source and the light passes through a quantum dot color filter (QDCF) to realize red and green colors.

Lee added that “The success factor of QD-OLED is to be the production of 8K OLED panel of 65 inch or above, but the saturation of premium TV market due to the early investment of LG Display’s 10.5 generation OLED will be a threat.

According to the ‘2018 OLED Emitting Material Industry Report’ published by UBI Research in April, since the QD-OLED is top emission type, the aperture ratio is increased by about 70% compared to the bottom emission, which emits light in the TFT direction. Thus, it is more advantageous to implement 8K resolution and high luminance than the existing WRGB OLED. In addition, it is expected that it will be possible to reach BT.2020, UHD color standard, by using QD material with high color recall rate as color filter.

<The structure of Original WRGB OLED (left) and QD-OLED (right). Source: UBI Research>

Meanwhile, UBI Research predicted that OLED TV sales would grow by about 30% annually to about US$ 5.7 billion in 2022.

삼성전자가 프리미엄 TV 시장 점유율을 확보하기 위해서는?

/in /by

지난 28일 유비리서치가 개최한 ‘상반기 OLED 시장 결산 세미나’에서 이충훈 대표는 2018 프리미엄 TV 시장 이슈와 전망을 발표하였다.

이충훈 대표는 60 inch 이상의 TV수요에 대해 ’2016년 1200만대에서 2021년 3300만대까지 확대될 것’이며, ‘이는 Gen10.5의 투자가 증가함에 따라 패널의 가격이 하락하기 때문이다’고 설명했다.

2018년은 패널 가격이 하락하면서 TV가격도 하락할 전망이다. 삼성전자의 경우 2018년 1사분기 TV 출하량은 970만대로 전년 동기 대비 4% 감소하여 삼성전자의 VD 사업부 영업이익은 4% 수준에 머물렀다. LG전자의 HE 사업부 영업이익 대비 10%나 낮다.

이 대표는 ‘삼성전자는 매출이 줄어도 영업이익 확보를 우선시 할 것으로 예상됨에 따라, 65 inch 이상의 초대형 크기 제품 프로모션에 집중할 것’이라 언급했다.

현재 삼성전자는 프리미엄 TV시장에서의 점유율을 높이고자 QD-OLED를 TV panel로 이용할 계획이다. QD-OLED는 blue OLED를 광원으로 사용하고 그 빛이 QDCF(quantum dot color filter)를 통과하여 red와 green 색을 구현하는 기술이다.

이 대표는 QD-OLED의 성공 요소로는 65 inch 이상 8K OLED panel 생산 등이라 말한 반면, LG디스플레이의 10.5세대 OLED 조기 투자로 인한 프리미엄 TV시장 포화가 위협 요소로 작용될 것이라 언급했다.

유비리서치가 4월 발간한 ‘2018 OLED 발광재료 산업 보고서’에 따르면, QD-OLED는 top emission 방식이기 때문에 TFT 방향으로 빛이 방출되는 bottom emission 대비 개구율이 약 70% 증가되어 8K 해상도와 고휘도 구현이 기존 WRGB OLED보다 유리하다. 또한, 색재현율이 높은 QD 재료를 color filter로 사용하여 UHD 색 규격인 BT. 2020에 도달이 가능할 것으로 예상된다.

<기존 WRGB OLED(좌)와 QD-OLED(우) 구조, 출처: 유비리서치>

한편, 유비리서치는 OLED TV의 매출액은 연평균 약 30% 증가하여 2022년 약 57억 달러 규모가 될 것이라 전망하였다.

How will Samsung Electronics secure its premium TV market share?

/in /by

Choog Hoon Yi, president of UBI Research, presented about the issues and predictions for 2018 premium TV market at the seminar on the OLED market review in the first half of the year, held by UBI Research on June 28.

He said “The TV demand for 60 inches or more will be expanded from 12 million units in 2016 to 33 million units in 2021 as the investment for Gen10.5 will be increased and therefore the cost for panels will be decreased.

TV prices are expected to decline in 2018 as panel prices fall. In case of Samsung Electronics, TV shipments in the first quarter of 2018 declined 4% YoY to 9.7million units, which led to an operating profit of 4% in its VD division. This is 10% lower than the operating profit of LG Electronics’ HE division.

Lee mentioned ” Samsung Electronics is expected to focus on securing operating profits even if its sales are down. Therefore, they will concentrate on promoting mega-sized products over 65 inches.”

Currently, Samsung plans to use QD-OLED as a TV panel to increase its market share in the premium TV market. QD-OLED is a technology that uses blue OLED as a light source and the light passes through a quantum dot color filter (QDCF) to realize red and green colors.

Lee added that “The success factor of QD-OLED is to be the production of 8K OLED panel of 65 inch or above, but the saturation of premium TV market due to the early investment of LG Display’s 10.5 generation OLED will be a threat.

According to the ‘2018 OLED Emitting Material Industry Report’ published by UBI Research in April, since the QD-OLED is top emission type, the aperture ratio is increased by about 70% compared to the bottom emission, which emits light in the TFT direction. Thus, it is more advantageous to implement 8K resolution and high luminance than the existing WRGB OLED. In addition, it is expected that it will be possible to reach BT.2020, UHD color standard, by using QD material with high color recall rate as color filter.

<The structure of Original WRGB OLED (left) and QD-OLED (right). Source: UBI Research>

Meanwhile, UBI Research predicted that OLED TV sales would grow by about 30% annually to about US$ 5.7 billion in 2022.

JOLED, Production of medium sized solution process OLED in 2020

/in /by

JOLED announced that it will mass-produce mid-size solution processed OLED applicable to automobiles and monitors in 2020.

On June 26, JOLED, a subsidiary of Japan Display, said that it will open a ‘JOLED Nomi Office’ in Nomi City, Ishikawa prefecture on July 1 with the operation target in 2020.

<JOLED Nomi Office, Source: j-oled.com>

The flagship product is expected to be a medium sized (10 ~ 32 inch) solution process OLED for automobiles and high-end monitors.  At the 2018 OLED Korea conference held by UBI Research in last March, Toshiaki Arai, chief technologist of JOLED said that it would target the middle-sized OLED market with solution process OLED.

<JOLED development roadmap, announced at the 2018 OLED Korea conference>

JOLED, Production of medium sized solution process OLED in 2020

/in /by

JOLED announced that it will mass-produce mid-size solution processed OLED applicable to automobiles and monitors in 2020.

On June 26, JOLED, a subsidiary of Japan Display, said that it will open a ‘JOLED Nomi Office’ in Nomi City, Ishikawa prefecture on July 1 with the operation target in 2020.

<JOLED Nomi Office, Source: j-oled.com>

The flagship product is expected to be a medium sized (10 ~ 32 inch) solution process OLED for automobiles and high-end monitors.  At the 2018 OLED Korea conference held by UBI Research in last March, Toshiaki Arai, chief technologist of JOLED said that it would target the middle-sized OLED market with solution process OLED.

<JOLED development roadmap, announced at the 2018 OLED Korea conference>

JOLED, 2020년 중형 solution process OLED 양산

/in /by

JOLED가 2020년 자동차나 모니터용에 적용 가능한 중형 크기의 solution process OLED를 양산한다고 밝혔다.

6월 26일 Japan Display의 자회사 JOLED는 7월 1일 이시카와현 노미시에 ‘JOLED 노미 사업소’를 개설하고 2020년 가동을 목표로 하고 있다고 밝혔다.

JOLED 노미 사업장은 Japan Display의 기존 노미 공장 위치에 설립되어 기존 설비를 이용하는 것 외에도, solution process OLED 양산을 위한 추가 설비 등의 새로운 건물이 지어질 예정이다. 규모는 지상 5층에 부지 면적은 약 10 만 평방 미터로, 5.5세대 (1300mm × 1500mm) 유리 기판 기준으로 월 생산 약 2 만장의 생산 능력을 갖출 예정이다.

<JOLED 노미 사업소, Source: j-oled.com>

주력 생산 제품은 자동차나 하이 엔드 모니터용 중형 (10~32 인치) solution process OLED로 예상 된다. 지난 3월에 유비리서치가 개최 한 2018 OLED Korea conference에서 Toshiaki Arai chief technologist는 solution process OLED로 중형 OLED 시장을 공략할 것을 밝히기도 했다.

<2018 OLED Korea conference에서 밝힌 JOLED의 개발 로드맵>

OLED material makers, why are they going to China?

/in /by

Recently, OLED material makers are seeking to establish their R & D centers in China.

According to the industry sources, LG Chemical is considering to establish OLED material technology center in Chengdu, China. Merck also announced on June 20 that it will establish its OLED Technology Center in Shanghai, China.

An official from Merck said, “By establishing OLED Technology Center in China, we expect to shorten the product launch period since close cooperation with Chinese companies is possible.In addition, the center will be used as a joint workplace for creating ideal solutions with Chinese companies since it is located in Shanghai.”

This trend of OLED material makers is interpreted as aiming at the growing Chinese market.

If they build their base in China, it will be easy to use the localization strategy specialized in the Chinese market and to secure their suppliers.

According to UBI research, the OLED market in China will grow at a CAGR of 75%, four times faster than Korea, which is currently the largest market.

In the ‘2018 OLED Emitting Material Industry Report’ issued in June, UBI predicts “ While Korean OLED emitting material market will grow at a CAGR of 21%, China’s OLED material market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 69%, to about US$ 1.16 billion in 2022. This will account for about 38% of the total OLED material market.”

<Emitting material market forecast by country, source: UBI Research>

OLED material makers, why are they going to China?

/in /by

Recently, OLED material makers are seeking to establish their R & D centers in China.

According to the industry sources, LG Chemical is considering to establish OLED material technology center in Chengdu, China. Merck also announced on June 20 that it will establish its OLED Technology Center in Shanghai, China.

An official from Merck said, “By establishing OLED Technology Center in China, we expect to shorten the product launch period since close cooperation with Chinese companies is possible.In addition, the center will be used as a joint workplace for creating ideal solutions with Chinese companies since it is located in Shanghai.”

This trend of OLED material makers is interpreted as aiming at the growing Chinese market.

If they build their base in China, it will be easy to use the localization strategy specialized in the Chinese market and to secure their suppliers.

According to UBI research, the OLED market in China will grow at a CAGR of 75%, four times faster than Korea, which is currently the largest market.

In the ‘2018 OLED Emitting Material Industry Report’ issued in June, UBI predicts “ While Korean OLED emitting material market will grow at a CAGR of 21%, China’s OLED material market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 69%, to about US$ 1.16 billion in 2022. This will account for about 38% of the total OLED material market.”

<Emitting material market forecast by country, source: UBI Research>

What’s the change for full screen implementation?

/in /by

After Apple launched iPhoneX, applied with notch OLED to implement a wider full screen in 2017, many smartphone makers such as Huawei, Vivo and Oppo started to introduce similar types of smartphones.

 

The total number of notch-type OLED smartphones, which have been revealed since 2017, is 36, accounting for 10% of total OLED smartphones.

The reason why smartphone makers apply notch-type display is to provide consumers with the large screen size in a limited phone size. However, in the notch type, there is a limitation in expanding the display area (DA), which is the ratio of the display to the smart phone, due to the camera and the front speaker. Thus, the smartphone makers seem to implement the camera function with adopting a popup method.

On June 12, Vivo introduced the smartphone NEX with DA 91.2%.The camera is embedded in the device in the form of a pop-up, and the display itself serves as a speaker and fingerprint sensor. By minimizing the bezel, Vivo achieved a full screen.

Oppo showcased Find X in Paris, France on June 19. Oppo also adopts the camera function as a pop-up method, similar to Vivo, to implement a full screen. It has a 3D face recognition sensor. DA of Oppo’s Find X is 93.8%, which is about 2.7% larger than that of Vivo. This is about 10% larger than Samsung Electronics’ Galaxy S8 +, which had the biggest DA in 2017, and 11% larger than iPhone X.

<Vivo NEX and Oppo Find X, source: netmag.pk, GSMArena>

Analysis of the average DA from 4Q 2017 to 2Q 2018 after the launch of the Notch model, shows that the notch type DA is about 9% and the camera pop type DA is about 17 % wider than that of the conventional smartphones (excluding notch type). By switching the front camera into a pop-up form, more than 90% DA can be realized.

As such, smartphone makers are making various changes to realize full screen. There is a growing interest in how to minimize the bezel for the launching a smartphone with a wider DA.

What’s the change for full screen implementation?

/in /by

After Apple launched iPhoneX, applied with notch OLED to implement a wider full screen in 2017, many smartphone makers such as Huawei, Vivo and Oppo started to introduce similar types of smartphones.

 

The total number of notch-type OLED smartphones, which have been revealed since 2017, is 36, accounting for 10% of total OLED smartphones.

The reason why smartphone makers apply notch-type display is to provide consumers with the large screen size in a limited phone size. However, in the notch type, there is a limitation in expanding the display area (DA), which is the ratio of the display to the smart phone, due to the camera and the front speaker. Thus, the smartphone makers seem to implement the camera function with adopting a popup method.

On June 12, Vivo introduced the smartphone NEX with DA 91.2%.The camera is embedded in the device in the form of a pop-up, and the display itself serves as a speaker and fingerprint sensor. By minimizing the bezel, Vivo achieved a full screen.

Oppo showcased Find X in Paris, France on June 19. Oppo also adopts the camera function as a pop-up method, similar to Vivo, to implement a full screen. It has a 3D face recognition sensor. DA of Oppo’s Find X is 93.8%, which is about 2.7% larger than that of Vivo. This is about 10% larger than Samsung Electronics’ Galaxy S8 +, which had the biggest DA in 2017, and 11% larger than iPhone X.

<Vivo NEX and Oppo Find X, source: netmag.pk, GSMArena>

Analysis of the average DA from 4Q 2017 to 2Q 2018 after the launch of the Notch model, shows that the notch type DA is about 9% and the camera pop type DA is about 17 % wider than that of the conventional smartphones (excluding notch type). By switching the front camera into a pop-up form, more than 90% DA can be realized.

As such, smartphone makers are making various changes to realize full screen. There is a growing interest in how to minimize the bezel for the launching a smartphone with a wider DA.

OLED 재료업체, 중국으로 가는 까닭은

/in /by

최근 OLED 재료업체가 중국에 R&D센터를 설립하는 방안을 모색하고 있다.

업계에 따르면, LG화학은 중국 청두에 OLED 재료 테크 센터를 설립하는 것을 검토중인 것으로 알려졌다. Merck 또한 지난 20일 상하이에 OLED Technology Center China를 설립한다고 발표했다.

Merck의 관계자는 ‘OLED Technology Center China 설립을 통해 중국 업체들과의 긴밀한 협력이 가능하기 때문에 제품 출시 기간을 단축시킬 수 있을 것으로 기대된다’고 밝혔다. 또한, ‘해당 센터는 상하이에 위치함으로써 중국 업체들과 이상적인 솔루션을 창출할 수 있는 공동 작업 공간으로 활용될 것’이라 말했다.

OLED 재료업체들의 이러한 행보는 점차 커져가는 중국 시장을 공략하기 위한 것으로 해석된다. 중국에 거점을 구축할 경우, 중국 시장에 특화된 현지화 전략을 구사가 용이하고 공급업체를 확보하는데 유리하기 때문이다.

유비리서치에 따르면, 중국의 OLED 시장은 매출액 기준 연평균 75% 성장하고 이는 현재 가장 큰 시장인 한국 대비 4배 이상 빠르다.

또한, 6월 발간한 ‘2018 OLED 발광재료 산업 보고서’에서 유비리서치는 ‘한국의 OLED 발광재료 시장이 연평균 21%씩 성장하는데 반해, 중국의 OLED 발광재료 시장은 연평균 69%씩 성장하여 2022년 약 16.1억달러에 이를 전망이다’고 설명했다. 이는 전체 OLED 발광재료 시장의 약 38% 수준이다.

<국가별 발광재료 시장 전망, 출처:유비리서치>

full screen 구현을 위한 변화, 어디까지?

/in /by

2017년 Apple이 더 넓은 full screen을 구현하기 위해 노치형태의 OLED를 적용한 iPhoneX를 출시한 이후, Huawei와 Vivo, Oppo 등 다수의 스마트폰 업체들이 유사한 형태의 스마트폰을 잇따라 출시하기 시작하였다.

2017년부터 지금까지 공개된 노치형태의 OLED 스마트폰은 총 36종으로 전체 OLED 스마트폰의 10%를 차지한 것으로 분석된다.

스마트폰 업체가 노치형태의 디스플레이를 적용한데에는 제한된 스마트폰 크기에서 최대한 큰 화면을 소비자에게 제공하기 위한 것으로 풀이된다.

그러나 노치형태는 카메라와 전면 스피커로 인해 스마트폰에서 디스플레이가 차지하는 비율인 DA(display area)를 확장시키는 데에 한계가 있어, 스마트폰 업체는 카메라를 팝업 형태로 구현하는 방식을 채택하고 있는 것으로 보인다.

지난 12일 Vivo는 DA가 91.2%인 스마트폰 NEX를 공개하였다. Vivo는 카메라는 팝업 형태로 기기에 내장하고, 디스플레이 자체가 스피커와 지문 인식 센서 역할을 하는 것으로써 베젤을 최소화하여 full screen을 구현하였다.

Oppo는 19일(현지시간) 프랑스 파리에서 Find X를 공개했다. Oppo 또한 full screen을 구현하기 위해 Vivo와 마찬가지로 전면 카메라를 팝업형태로 적용하였으며, 3D 얼굴인식센서를 갖췄다. Oppo의 Find X의 DA는 93.8%로 Vivo대비 약 2.7%가 커졌다. 이는 2017년 가장 큰 DA를 가졌던 스마트폰인 Samsung Electronics의 Galaxy S8+ 대비 약 10%, iPhone X 대비 11% 가량 넓어진 것이다.

<Vivo NEX와 Oppo Find X, 출처: netmag.pk, GSMArena>

노치형태가 출시 된 2017년 4분기부터 2018년 2분기까지의 형태별 평균 DA를 분석해보면, 기존 스마트폰(노치형태 제외) 대비 노치형태의 DA는 약 9%, 카메라 팝업형태의 DA는 17% 가량 더 넓어진 것으로 나타났다. 전면 카메라를 팝업 형태로 전환함으로써 90%이상의 DA구현이 가능해진 것이다.

이처럼 스마트폰 업체들은 full screen 구현을 위한 다양한 변화를 시도하고 있다. 어떠한 방식을 통해 베젤을 최소화하고 보다 넓은 DA를 가진 스마트폰을 출시할지 관심이 집중된다.

곧 출시 될 OLED 스마트폰의 디스플레이 크기 더 커진다

/in /by

최근 스마트폰 시장에서는 홈버튼이 제거 되고 대형 크기의 full screen OLED가 적용 된 스마트폰이 다수 출시되고 있다.

관련 업계에 따르면, 올 8월에 출시 예상되는 Samsung Electronics의 Galaxy Note 9은 6.4 inch 급의 OLED가 적용 될 것으로 예상된다. Galaxy Note series 중 최초로 홈버튼이 제거 된 Galaxy Note 8에 비해 0.1 inch가 증가한 것이다.

또한, Apple도 하반기에 출시 되는 iPhone series에 6.5 inch 급의 OLED가 적용 된 스마트폰을 출시 할 것으로 예상된다. 2015년 iPhone 6+ 모델 이후로 지속적으로 디스플레이 크기를 증가시킨 Apple은 올 하반기에 iPhone plus 모델에 6.5 inch 급의 OLED를 적용할 것으로 예상된다.

이 밖에도 Huawei가 하반기에 출시 할 예정인 Mate 20에 6.9 inch OLED를 적용할 것으로 예상된다. 중국 시장에서의 주도권 확보를 위해 디스플레이가 더 큰 스마트폰을 선택하는 경향이 있는 중국 사용자들을 겨냥한 결정이라는 분석이 주를 이룬다.

OLED 스마트폰의 평균 디스플레이 크기는 2016년 5.45 inch와 2017년 5.58 inch로 5.5 inch 수준에 머물렀으나, 2018년에는 5.8 inch 이상의 OLED 스마트폰이 다수 출시되면서 평균 크기는 5.98 inch 대폭 증가하였다.

앞서 언급한 OLED 스마트폰 외에도 Samsung Electronics의 Galaxy A6 Star, Xiaomi의 Mi 8 Explorer, Asus의 Asus ROG Phone 등 6 inch 이상의 OLED가 적용 된 다수의 스마트폰이 출시를 앞두고 있다.

최근 스마트폰을 통해 컨텐츠를 이용하는 다수의 사용자와 함께 상향평준화 된 스마트폰 시장에서 디스플레이 크기를 통해 차별화를 시도하는 set 업체들의 전략과 맞물려 OLED 스마트폰의 평균 디스플레이 크기는 6.0 inch 이상으로 증가할 것으로 전망된다.

Automobile OLED is going to lead automotive display market.

/in /by

Last May, Audi announced that it implemented a camera function in the side mirrors of the electric vehicle SUV e-tron quattro and built an OLED display inside to realize an air resistance coefficient of 0.28 cd. Audi noted that this not only improves fuel efficiency, but also eliminates a blind spot to help drivers drive.

<Interior concept photo of Audi e-Tron released in 2015, Source: insideevs.com>

In addition, all the interior displays are applied with OLED in e-tron quattro. OLED is considered to be suitable for automotive displays because it can achieve higher contrast ratio, faster response speed, and higher visibility due to wide viewing angle, compared to LCD.

Continental corporation, a supplier of automotive parts, also introduced several advantages of mirrorless cars with two OLEDs on its homepage and stated that it is possible to provide better visibility even in dark or rainy conditions.

Meanwhile, not only Samsung Display and LG Display but also Chinese panel makers are introducing various OLED products to market.

Samsung Display exhibited its rollable CID (center information display) and curved 12.4- inch CID, which can be used to adjust the screen size using OLEDs, in SID 2018 held in May.

<Samsung Display’s 12.4 inch curved CID applied with OLED>

Also, a variety of automotive products using OLEDs such as 6.22-inch unbreakable steering wheel OLED and 4.94-inch transparent OLED head up display HUD (head up display) were introduced.

BOE exhibited 12.3-inch automotive flexible OLEDs in SID 2018, and Tianma and Truly introduced automotive rigid OLEDs in Lighting Japan 2018 held in January 2018.

<12.3-inch flexible automotive OLED of BOE>

Since the automotive display field requires more customization than mobile devices and TVs, it is attracting attention as an industry that is expected to generate high added value.

Samsung Electronics emphasized the automotive OLED panel business as a future business at the Investors Forum held in Singapore in early June, and estimated that “OLED panels for electric field will grow from 100,000 sheets this year, to 1 million sheets in 2020 and 3 million sheets in 2022.”

Display size of OLED smartphone to be launched soon becomes bigger.

/in /by

Many smartphones have been released, with large-sized full screen OLED while removing the home button.

Samsung Electronics’ Galaxy Note 9, scheduled to be launched this August, is expected to be applied with 6.4-inch OLED, according to the industry sources. It is 0.1 inches larger than the Galaxy Note 8 with the removed home button, for the first time in the Galaxy Note series.

In addition, Apple is expected to release a smartphone applied with 6.5-inch OLED, as the iPhone series, in the second half of this year. Apple, which has steadily increased its display size since the iPhone 6+ model in 2015, is anticipated to apply 6.5-inch OLED to iPhone plus models later this year.

Huawei is also expected to introduce 6.9-inch OLED for the Mate 20, which is scheduled to be launched in the second half of this year. Most of analyses say that the decision has targeted Chinese users who tend to opt for a larger smartphone, in order to secure the leadership in the Chinese market.

The average display size of OLED smartphones stood at 5.45 inches in 2016 and 5.5 inches in 2017. In 2018, however, the average size has increased to 5.98 inches with the launch of 5.8 inches and larger OLED smartphones.

In addition to the above-mentioned OLED smartphones, Samsung Electronics’ Galaxy A6 Star, Xiaomi’s Mi 8 Explorer, Asus’s Asus ROG Phone, and many other smartphones with 6 inches or bigger sized OLED are to be released.

Recently, the smartphone market has been leveling up with many users who utilize various contents through smartphones. In line with the strategy of set makers trying to differentiate their products with the display sizes in the smartphone market, the average display size of OLED smartphones is likely to be more than 6.0 inches soon.

Display size of OLED smartphone to be launched soon becomes bigger.

/in /by

Many smartphones have been released, with large-sized full screen OLED while removing the home button.

Samsung Electronics’ Galaxy Note 9, scheduled to be launched this August, is expected to be applied with 6.4-inch OLED, according to the industry sources. It is 0.1 inches larger than the Galaxy Note 8 with the removed home button, for the first time in the Galaxy Note series.

In addition, Apple is expected to release a smartphone applied with 6.5-inch OLED, as the iPhone series, in the second half of this year. Apple, which has steadily increased its display size since the iPhone 6+ model in 2015, is anticipated to apply 6.5-inch OLED to iPhone plus models later this year.

Huawei is also expected to introduce 6.9-inch OLED for the Mate 20, which is scheduled to be launched in the second half of this year. Most of analyses say that the decision has targeted Chinese users who tend to opt for a larger smartphone, in order to secure the leadership in the Chinese market.

The average display size of OLED smartphones stood at 5.45 inches in 2016 and 5.5 inches in 2017. In 2018, however, the average size has increased to 5.98 inches with the launch of 5.8 inches and larger OLED smartphones.

In addition to the above-mentioned OLED smartphones, Samsung Electronics’ Galaxy A6 Star, Xiaomi’s Mi 8 Explorer, Asus’s Asus ROG Phone, and many other smartphones with 6 inches or bigger sized OLED are to be released.

Recently, the smartphone market has been leveling up with many users who utilize various contents through smartphones. In line with the strategy of set makers trying to differentiate their products with the display sizes in the smartphone market, the average display size of OLED smartphones is likely to be more than 6.0 inches soon.

Vivo released OLED smart phone with more than 90% display area.

/in /by

Vivo, a Chinese Smartphone maker, announced on June 12 that it will launch a new full-screen OLED Smartphone ‘NEX’ as its flagship line.

NEX is the mass production model of ‘APEX’ which Vivo showed in MWC 2018 held in February. By hiding the camera at the top of the Smartphone and embedding fingerprint recognition in the display, Vivo accomplished D.A (display area) up to 91.2%.

The camera is provided in a pop-up form only when the picture is taken with the interfaced application. The speaker is built into the OLED display, and the display carries sound.

<Vivo’s new flagship model ‘NEX’, Source: netmag.pk>

Meanwhile, NEX is to be the first OLED Smartphone with over 90% D.A. Galaxy S8, the first full-screen OLED Smartphone with removing a home button, is 83.6% of D.A. D.A of the Vivo X20 Plus UD, the Smartphone that had the largest D.A to date, is 85.8%. According to GSMARENA, the NEX S, the high-end model of NEX, is equipped with a Snapdragon 845 processor, 8GB RAM, 128/256GB storage and 4000mAh battery in a 6.59 inch FHD OLED. The entry-level model NEX A is applied with Snapdragon 710 Processor, 6GB RAM and 128GB of storage on the same OLED display.

Vivo released OLED smart phone with more than 90% display area.

/in /by

Vivo, a Chinese Smartphone maker, announced on June 12 that it will launch a new full-screen OLED Smartphone ‘NEX’ as its flagship line.

NEX is the mass production model of ‘APEX’ which Vivo showed in MWC 2018 held in February. By hiding the camera at the top of the Smartphone and embedding fingerprint recognition in the display, Vivo accomplished D.A (display area) up to 91.2%.

The camera is provided in a pop-up form only when the picture is taken with the interfaced application. The speaker is built into the OLED display, and the display carries sound.

<Vivo’s new flagship model ‘NEX’, Source: netmag.pk>

Meanwhile, NEX is to be the first OLED Smartphone with over 90% D.A. Galaxy S8, the first full-screen OLED Smartphone with removing a home button, is 83.6% of D.A. D.A of the Vivo X20 Plus UD, the Smartphone that had the largest D.A to date, is 85.8%. According to GSMARENA, the NEX S, the high-end model of NEX, is equipped with a Snapdragon 845 processor, 8GB RAM, 128/256GB storage and 4000mAh battery in a 6.59 inch FHD OLED. The entry-level model NEX A is applied with Snapdragon 710 Processor, 6GB RAM and 128GB of storage on the same OLED display.

Vivo released OLED smart phone with more than 90% display area.

/in /by

Vivo, a Chinese Smartphone maker, announced on June 12 that it will launch a new full-screen OLED Smartphone ‘NEX’ as its flagship line.

NEX is the mass production model of ‘APEX’ which Vivo showed in MWC 2018 held in February. By hiding the camera at the top of the Smartphone and embedding fingerprint recognition in the display, Vivo accomplished D.A (display area) up to 91.2%.

The camera is provided in a pop-up form only when the picture is taken with the interfaced application. The speaker is built into the OLED display, and the display carries sound.

<Vivo’s new flagship model ‘NEX’, Source: netmag.pk>

Meanwhile, NEX is to be the first OLED Smartphone with over 90% D.A. Galaxy S8, the first full-screen OLED Smartphone with removing a home button, is 83.6% of D.A. D.A of the Vivo X20 Plus UD, the Smartphone that had the largest D.A to date, is 85.8%. According to GSMARENA, the NEX S, the high-end model of NEX, is equipped with a Snapdragon 845 processor, 8GB RAM, 128/256GB storage and 4000mAh battery in a 6.59 inch FHD OLED. The entry-level model NEX A is applied with Snapdragon 710 Processor, 6GB RAM and 128GB of storage on the same OLED display.

자동차용 OLED, 자동차 디스플레이 시장 주도한다

/in /by

Audi는 지난 5월 전기 자동차 SUV e-tron quattro의 사이드 미러를 카메라화 하고 내부에 OLED display를 탑재하여 공기 저항 계수를 0.28 cd까지 실현했다고 발표했다. Audi는 이를 통해 연료 효율 개선뿐만 아니라 사각 지대를 없애 운전자의 운전까지 도모할 수 있다고 언급했다.

<2015년에 공개 되었던 Audi e-tron의 인테리어 컨셉 사진, Source: insideevs.com>

뿐만 아니라 e-tron quattro에는 인테리어용 디스플레이에 모두 OLED가 적용됐다. OLED는 LCD에 비해 높은 명암비와 빠른 반응 속도, 넓은 시야각으로 높은 시인성을 구현할 수 있어 자동차 디스플레이에 적합하다고 평가 받고 있다.

자동차 부품 공급업체인 Continental corporation도 자사 홈페이지에서 2장의 OLED가 적용 된 미러리스 자동차의 여러 장점들을 소개하며 어두운 상황이나 우천 시에도 더 나은 시야 제공이 가능하다고 밝힌 바 있다.

한편, Samsung Display나 LG Display 뿐만 아니라 중국 panel 업체들도 시장 공략을 위해 다양한 OLED 제품을 선보이고 있다.

Samsung Display는 지난 5월에 열린 SID 2018에서 OLED를 활용하여 화면 크기를 다양하게 조절할 수 있는 rollable CID(center information display)와 12.4 inch 크기의 curved CID를 전시하였다.

<OLED가 적용 된 Samsung Display의 12.4 inch curved CID>

뿐만 아니라, 6.22 inch 크기의 unbreakable steering wheel OLED와 4.94 inch 크기의 transparent OLED가 적용 된 HUD(head up display) 등 OLED를 활용한 다양한 자동차용 제품들을 선보였다.

BOE도 SID 2018에서 12.3 inch 크기의 자동차용 flexible OLED를 전시하였으며, Tianma와 Truly는 2018년 1월에 열린 Lighting Japan 2018에서 자동차용 rigid OLED를 선보이기도 했다.

<BOE의 12.3 inch flexible automotive OLED>

자동차용 디스플레이 분야는 모바일 기기나 TV에 비해 더 많은 customization이 필요하여 고부가가치 창출이 기대되는 산업으로 주목받고 있다.

Samsung Electronics는 지난 6월 초 싱가포르에서 투자자 포럼에서 자동차용 OLED 패널 사업을 미래 사업으로 강조하였으며, “올해 10만장 수준의 전장용 OLED 패널은 2020년 100만장, 2022년 300만장 수준으로 크게 늘어날 것”이라고 전망한 바 있다.

Vivo, display area가 90% 넘는 OLED 스마트폰 출시

/in /by

현지시간으로 6월 12일, 중국 스마트폰 업체인 Vivo는 전면 대부분이 디스플레이로 구성되어 있는 풀스크린 OLED 스마트폰인 ‘NEX’를 플래그쉽 라인으로 새롭게 출시할 예정이라 밝혔다.

NEX는 지난 2월에 열린 MWC 2018에서 Vivo가 선보였던 ‘APEX’의 양산모델로써, Vivo는 카메라를 스마트폰 상단에 숨기고 지문인식 기능을 디스플레이에 내장시키는 방식으로 스마트폰 전면에서 디스플레이가 차지하는 비율인 D.A(display area)를 91.2%까지 구현했다.

카메라는 application과 연동되어 사진을 촬영 할 경우에만 팝업 형태로 제공되며, 스피커는 OLED 디스플레이에 내장 되어 디스플레이가 음향을 전달한다.

<Vivo의 새로운 flagship 모델인 ‘NEX’, Source: netmag.pk>

한편, D.A가 90%가 넘는 OLED 스마트폰은 NEX가 최초다. 홈버튼을 없앤 최초의 풀스크린 OLED 스마트폰인 Galaxy S8의 D.A는 83.6%이며, 기존의 최고 D.A를 가지고 있던 스마트폰인 Vivo X20 Plus UD의 D.A는 85.8%다.

한편 GSMARENA에 따르면, NEX의 하이엔드 모델인 NEX S에는 6.59 inch FHD OLED에 스냅드래곤 845 프로세서, 8GB 램, 128/256GB 스토리지, 4000mAh 배터리가 장착됐으며, 보급형 모델인 NEX A에는 동일 디스플레이에 스냅드래곤 710 프로세서, 6GB 램, 128GB 스토리지가 탑재됐다.

In Premium TV market, OLED portion is growing.

/in /by

Following Bang & Olufsen and SONY, Philips’ OLED TV was launched in Korea on June 11, 2018.

Philips’ OLED TV, applied with LG Display’s OLED panel, is available in two models; 55 – inch and 65 – inch. It features a quad – core CPU, HDR 10, Dolby Vision and DTS surround.

<Philips OLED TV, Source: Philips>

In coming September, Germany’s Loewe plans to launch three (bild5, bild7, bild7 edition) 65-inch OLED TVs using LG Display’s panel, and also Hisense is scheduled to release OLED TV this month.

Especially, when Hisense, which is the leader in the Chinese TV market, releases OLED TVs, it is expected to enhance the awareness about OLED TV in China as well as increase the portion of OLED in the premium TV market.

In April, Kim Sang-don, CFO of LG Display, said in the conference call “The number of existing OLED camps was expanded to 15 from 13, adding two. LG Display will actively respond to increasing market demand by expanding productivity through the reduction of tack time and by converting Chinese fab and, if necessary, domestic LCD fab to OLED fab.”

In the ‘OLED/Display comprehensive seminar’ held by UBI Research, So Hyun-chul, director of Shinhan Financial Investment, said that Sony ranked the first in the premium TV market in 12 years and Sony’s share price rose 445% with its main driving force of OLED TV.

In addition, LG Electronics’ HE division achieved an operating margin of 8.1% last year. In the major set makers, OLED seems to be the Key factor that increases the company’s sales and improves the market share in the premium TV market. As such, OLED portion is anticipated to expand further in the premium TV market.

Meanwhile, UBI Research predicts that OLED TV sales will be increased by about 30% annually and the revenue is projected as about US$ 5.7 billion in 2022 through the ‘2018 OLED Panel Industry Report’, which was published in February.

In Premium TV market, OLED portion is growing.

/in /by

Following Bang & Olufsen and SONY, Philips’ OLED TV was launched in Korea on June 11, 2018.

Philips’ OLED TV, applied with LG Display’s OLED panel, is available in two models; 55 – inch and 65 – inch. It features a quad – core CPU, HDR 10, Dolby Vision and DTS surround.

<Philips OLED TV, Source: Philips>

In coming September, Germany’s Loewe plans to launch three (bild5, bild7, bild7 edition) 65-inch OLED TVs using LG Display’s panel, and also Hisense is scheduled to release OLED TV this month.

Especially, when Hisense, which is the leader in the Chinese TV market, releases OLED TVs, it is expected to enhance the awareness about OLED TV in China as well as increase the portion of OLED in the premium TV market.

In April, Kim Sang-don, CFO of LG Display, said in the conference call “The number of existing OLED camps was expanded to 15 from 13, adding two. LG Display will actively respond to increasing market demand by expanding productivity through the reduction of tack time and by converting Chinese fab and, if necessary, domestic LCD fab to OLED fab.”

In the ‘OLED/Display comprehensive seminar’ held by UBI Research, So Hyun-chul, director of Shinhan Financial Investment, said that Sony ranked the first in the premium TV market in 12 years and Sony’s share price rose 445% with its main driving force of OLED TV.

In addition, LG Electronics’ HE division achieved an operating margin of 8.1% last year. In the major set makers, OLED seems to be the Key factor that increases the company’s sales and improves the market share in the premium TV market. As such, OLED portion is anticipated to expand further in the premium TV market.

Meanwhile, UBI Research predicts that OLED TV sales will be increased by about 30% annually and the revenue is projected as about US$ 5.7 billion in 2022 through the ‘2018 OLED Panel Industry Report’, which was published in February.

프리미엄 TV 시장, OLED 비중 확대

/in /by

Bang&Olufsen과 SONY에 이어 지난 11일 필립스의 OLED TV가 국내에 출시됐다.

LG Display의 OLED 패널이 적용된 필립스의 OLED TV는 55 inch와 65 inch 2가지 모델로 출시되었으며, 쿼드코어 CPU와 HDR 10, Dolby Vision, DTS 서라운드 등의 기능을 갖췄다.

<필립스 OLED TV, 출처: 필립스>

오는 9월 독일의 Loewe도 LG Display의 패널을 이용한 65 inch OLED TV 3종(bild5, bild7, bild7 edition)을 국내에 출시할 예정이며, 하이센스도 이르면 이번 달부터 OLED TV를 출시할 것으로 보인다.

특히 중국의 TV 시장에서 선두를 달리고 있는 하이센스가 OLED TV를 출시할 경우, 중국 내 OLED TV 인지도 향상뿐 아니라 프리미엄 TV 시장에서의 OLED 비중을 확대시키는 요소가 될 것으로 예상된다.

지난 4월 LG Display의 김상돈 CFO는 컨퍼런스 콜을 통해 기존 OLED 진영은 13곳이었으나, 2곳이 추가되어 15곳으로 확대되었다고 설명하면서, ‘tack time 축소를 통해 생산성 확대와 중국 fab, 필요 시 국내 LCD fab을 OLED fab으로 전환하여 증가하고 있는 시장 수요에 대해 적극적으로 대응할 것’이라 밝혔다.

앞서 유비리서치가 개최한 ‘OLED/디스플레이 결산세미나’에서 신한금융투자의 소현철 이사는 Sony가 12년 만에 premium TV 시장에서 1위를 기록하였다고 언급하며 Sony의 주가가 2013년 대비 445% 상승한 원동력 중 하나로 OLED TV였다고 설명하였다.

또한, 지난해 LG전자의 HE사업본부는 영업이익률이 8.1%로 역대 최고치에 달성하였다. 주요 set 업체에서는 OLED가 기업의 매출 상승과 프리미엄 TV 시장에서의 점유율을 높이는 요소라 판단한 것으로 보인다. 이에 따라 향후 프리미엄 TV 시장에서의 OLED 비중은 더욱 확대될 것으로 예상된다.

한편, 유비리서치는 2월 발간한 ‘2018 OLED Panel Industry Report’를 통해 OLED TV의 매출액은 연평균 약 30% 증가하여 2022년 약 57억 달러 규모가 될 것으로 전망했다.

Samsung Display’s 1Q 2018 shipment declined, but it is expected to recover in 2Q.

/in /by

According to UBI Research’s first quarter display market track, Samsung Display’s OLED shipments for smart phones dropped to 88 million units, down 26.0% from the previous quarter, and 4.7% year-on-year decrease.

On the other hand, the sales revenue was US$ 5.37 billion, down 32.4% from the previous quarter and 30.4% year-on- year increase.

<Samsung Display’s sales performance of OLED for Smartphone, 1Q, 2018>

For rigid OLED, the utilization rate of rigid OLED mass production lines dropped in 1Q due to the keeping adoption of LCD in Samsung Electronics’ entry-level model and the decline in demand from Chinese set makers. For flexible OLED, its capacity utilization rate also declined due to falling demand from Apple and sluggish sales of Galaxy S series .

UBI Research mentioned, “In the first quarter of 2018, the sales were sluggish due to falling demand of set makers; however, the full-screen rigid OLED demand began to increase in April, and accordingly the utilization rate of rigid OLED production lines began to rise gradually. From June, the utilization rate is expected to recover to the previous year level. Also, the flexible OLED mass production lines will be likely to be in full operation since Samsung Electronics will start mass production of the next model and Apple will start mass production of new models.”

The overall OLED market was totaled as US $ 6.12 billion in the first quarter of 2018, of which the OLED market for smart phones was 91.1% and the market of OLED for TV was 5.7%.

The OLED market for smartphones is projected to reach 4.4 billion units in 2018, and Samsung Display is expected to hold a market share of 93.4%.

<2018 OLED market forecast>

Market for OLED materials and components is forecast to grow to US$37 billion in 2022.

/in /by

In the 2018 OLED material and component report and Market Track published by UBI Research, the entire market for OLED materials and components market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 29% by 2022, forming a market of US$ 37 billion in 2022.

<Market forecast for OLED materials and components>

The overall OLED material and component market forecasted in this report is calculated based on the panel makers’ available capacity and includes all the materials and components for OLED production.

The total OLED material and component market is counted as US$ 9,794 million in 2017 and is expected to grow by 35% to US$ 13,264 million in 2018.

Major growth drivers are mentioned as capacity expansion of Samsung Display and LG Display inclusive of Gen6 flexible OLED mass production lines of Chinese panel makers.

UBI Research commented “Utilization of Samsung Display in the first quarter of 2018 was poor, but it is turning to normal from the second quarter, and LG Display and Chinese panel makers are also aiming to mass-produce this year. In particular, it will have a major impact on the growth of the materials and components market in 2018 whether Samsung Display’s A4, LG Display’s E5, E6 and BOE’s B7 lines will be in full operation.”

In the 2018 OLED material and component report, the market is forecast for 20 kinds of major materials and components used in OLED for mobile devices and large-area OLED, including substrate glass, carrier glass, PI and organic materials for TFT. In addition, the report covers industry trends and key issues related to the core materials, while Market Track forecasts the expected purchase volume and purchase amount by panel makers.