Key push! Apple and SONY layout from the perspective of the development of Micro LED

Micro LED attracted market attention, Sony and Apple are the two key drivers.

The question is, why go to a large size, a small walk, but at the same time chose the Micro LED? Why Sony products have been unveiled, apple Luxvue after the merger has not been the next step?

In 2016, Apple has almost become a spokesperson for OLED, and Sony have not been idle, a second generation of Micro LED --Crystal CLEDISTM series of new works at the upper end of the Infocomm in June, Crystal LED Display in 2012, a full four years of silence, and on whether a OLED will replace LCD Micro LED sound of the hubbub, quietly return to the spotlight, once again attracted media attention.

The word Micro LED appeared very early, early in 2000 CREE application named "Micro-led arrays with enhanced light extraction" patent, then the relevant papers published a lot, but Micro LED is the only pure academic research.

The academic investment in Micro LED Illinois University, he continued, Strathclyde University, Texas Tech University, Hongkong, and Taiwan Jiaotong University, Tsinghua University, there has many research achievements, some energy is turned to the business after.

Master University of Illinois JohnA.Rogers is in this field, first to Semprius spin-out in 2006, in 2013 after the establishment of X-celeprint, and the exclusive authorized Micro-Transfer-Printing (TP); Strathclyde University in 2010 spin-off mLED company, specialized in near eye display applications MicroLED.

Micro LED accumulated so long academic energy, LED plant, panel factory is also a secret R & D for many years, but the key role of the commercialization, or non two consumer electronics hegemony must be - Sony and Apple".

Sony 55 inch FHDCrystal LED (2012)

Sony 8K2K CLEDIS (2016)

In 2012 Sony CES launched the "Crystal LED Display", Micro LED opened in consumer electronics applications precedent, this seems to general TV no two LED Display, at the time of collection is expensive works of cutting-edge technology, to seize the market attention after Sony has no sequel, waited for four years has been the next move, then bring the mosaic display, as used with the word Crystal, but the name of the product more fancy, called CLEDIS (Crystal LED Integrated Structure), this is no longer a far view of force performance, Sony announced in 2017 production CLEDIS, coming into the market.

Different from Sony in the big screen, apple is locked in a small size, the 2014 acquisition of LuxVue, a variety of rumors, iPhone, iPad and Applewatch have speculated whether Apple gourd sell what medicine, of course, no one said, however, the Micro LED Luxvue with the characteristics of the patent, and Apple's product strategy the first step, the advent of the will is wearable, than at first before the 2017, the likelihood time is 2018-2019 years, why not iPhone? IPhone will not be the first step, but apple is definitely the focus of the target.

Apple and Sony layout is a clue, in the search for business entrance, the two giants took a completely different look in the direction, the challenges behind it is the same - PPI and Pixel number of the subject. PPI link is LED size, and the number of Pixel directly affect the yield of finished products. After all, to do a little LED, but also precise transfer, drive, Size smaller, the transfer of more stars, the higher the degree of difficulty of natural.

Sony can realize the commercialization is so early, because the choice of the large screen size, low PPI, first choice TV, either 55 inch or 1080p resolution, is considered to the limitation of the time, a Crystal LED Display is about 40PPI, LED dimension theory up to hundreds of micron, not to mention the chip no problem, should be packaged as SMD can do, but the difficulty lies in a FHD (1920X1080) TV play on 6 million 220 thousand LED, with the same technology, time consuming and yield will be a big problem, regardless of the cost of doing a can, but to do it consumers buy, sell, this road temporarily blocked.

Sony then made a great revision in the second step, CLEDIS is the first indoor large screen display, PPI dropped to 15, and after four years of temper, the size of LED is not a problem, CLEDIS can easily achieve the light source panel area accounted for less than 1% of the level (single about 55 u m), the Sony is very practical, he chose the concept of "modular splicing", only 345600 of the LED chip, is a 6 million 220 thousand generation works less than 6%, can effectively improve the product throughput, help Sony faster in the Micro LED practical race flag.

Apple is directly aimed at the needs of the 200-300 PPI wearable device, with 55 m is not feasible, but the current trend towards the development of all walks of life below the trend of 20 m, the application is also not far fetched. There is an important advantage of wearing - "small screen".

The same PPI in the smaller screen, the pixel represents fewer requirements, taking Apple Watch 38mm as an example, although PPI is close to three hundred, but the total row in number 92480, converted into RGBLED number 277440, even lower than the single CLEDIS module Sony.

Sony lock with the Micro LED display specifications (apple Apple Watch to do the reference value) Apple

Micro LED to enter the consumer market as soon as possible, to be cautious in the selection of PPI and pixel limit, display and wearable have high brightness requirements, thereby saving more wearable properties of Micro LED, to solve the lack of endurance of pain, more important