The COVID-19 pandemic has sped up digital transformation for global industries. People are increasingly dependent on human-machine interfaces for remote and contactless communication, which has led to a strong desire for high-end displays. For many years, AUO has been committed to the research and design of innovative display technology. This year, through participating in the online exhibition of SID Display Week 2021, AUO will showcase diversified applications of high-end display technologies including micro LED, cutting-edge sensing technology, and A.R.T. (Advan...

AU Optronics (L) Corp., a subsidiary of AUO, announced on the latter’s behalf on April 28th that a sum of RMB 3.995 billion will be used to buy out all shares of the joint venture partners for AU Optronics (Kunshan), and AUO Kunshan will be incorporated as a wholly-owned subsidiary, with an additional investment of US$384 million that combines to a total investment of roughly NT$28 billion (approx. RMB 6.5 billion). AUO commented that the acquisition of shares was done to enhance the control over AUO Kunshan, and the priority right now is to expand ...

The World IT Show 2021 hosted on April 21st to 23rd saw the debut of advanced products by both Samsung and LG. Regarding high-end TVs, Samsung has showcased its Micro LED TV and NEO QLED Mini LED backlight TV, whereas LG has presented the first rollable OLED TV in the world. Micro LED: planning for additional production lines As indicated by the coverage of South Korean media, Han Jong-hee, President of Samsung Visual Display Businesses, commented during an interview that the production line for the 146-inch Micro LED is curre...

AUO leads to debut TFT optical fingerprint sensor with world’s highest pixel density, and the largest ultra-thin LTPS TFT fingerprint sensor module(*) The technology of 5G and AIoT drives the development of various innovative field applications as well as more diverse and smarter human-machine interface. As a leading optoelectronic solutions provider, by leveraging the profound technologies developed over the years, AUO will present a series of cutting-edge sensing technologies deriving from TFT technology in Touch Taiwan this time. For fingerprint scannin...

On March 24th, panel maker AU Optronics announced that in order to strengthen business cooperation and long-term equity investment with its affiliate, Ennostar, AU Optronics has invested an additional 302 million NT dollars in the past month and will continue to increase this year. About 604 million NT dollars has been invested so far, and the controlling stake in Ennostar has risen to 7.87%.

Even without a physical presence, Display Week 2020 still functioned as a major arena for competing technology providers to showcase their offerings. Noteworthy participants that unveiled their latest Micro LED products included LGD, AUO, Tianma, and BOE. In demonstrating their cutting-edge solutions, exhibitors used videos, images, and other media resources to overcome the limitations of the virtual venue. The lack of physical exhibitions and conferences did not diminish the excitement over Micro LED displays during Display Week 2020. Many prominent developers ...

Mini LED backlight display technology is going to be adopted by Apple and Samsung for tablets and TVs launching next year. Meanwhile, we have seen several Micro LED technology breakthroughs recently with AUO, PlayNitride and ITRI showcasing their prototypes for innovative applications. To speed up Micro/Mini LED display technology, integration within the supply chain is a major strategy recognized by industry players. Epistar and Lextar, the two Taiwan-based LED chip manufacturers, are merging with the aim to leverage their expertise and avoid duplicated ...

The ultimate display technology Micro LED has improved significantly in wafer technology, full color performance and mass transferring recently. Taiwan-based industry players have shared their insights of the technology at an industry gathering last week. Jennifer Y-C Lin, Senior Associate Vice President of AUO, indicated that Micro LED will be a key technology to drive innovative applications in the era of 5G connection and IoT, especially as the world heavily impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. She explained that in addition to excellent display performance,...

2021 is expected to be the year that Mini LED will illuminate the display market. Apple is getting ready to launch the new iPad Pro featuring Mini LED backlight display and Samsung will probably debut new high end TV portfolio based on the technology. Recently a Korean media added that Samsung might produce about 2 million units of Mini LED backlit TV next year. With all the upcoming Mini LED display applications, the supply chain in Taiwan covering LED manufacturers and panel makers who have been dedicating to improving the display technology based on mini...

Despite the interruption of the COVID-19 pandemic, the development of novel display technologies have to go on. At the virtual Display Week held last week, there were still several new Micro LED display exhibits showcased by worldwide experts. LEDinside selects a few innovations that cannot be missed. AUO AUO exhibited an integrated full color TFT driven Micro LED automotive displays with two 9.4-inch flexible Micro LED panels. Its S-curve shape enables the display to be mounted into automotive interior design. It also demonstrated a 12.1-inch Micro...

As virtual Display Week goes on, Taiwan-based panel maker AUO announced its demonstration of advanced display technologies covering Micro LED automotive displays, Mini LED medical displays, a full range of gaming displays as well as display applications in smart retail and transportation. Pioneering the next generation display technology, AUO is showcasing a complete series of full color TFT driven Micro LED automotive displays. The 9.4-inch flexible Micro LED display developed jointly by AUO and PlayNitride is now integrated into a automotive display t...

Taiwanese panel manufacturer AUO held its investor conference yesterday and announced financial results of 2Q20. Driven by “Stay-at-home” economy, the company reported strong demand for display applications and expects the growth momentum to continue in the second half of the year. For 2Q20, AUO posted consolidated revenues of NTD 63.50 billion (US$ 2.16 million), up by 18.3% QoQ. Gross margin came to 2.7%. In the second quarter of 2020, large-sized panel shipments totaled around 30.71 million units, hiked by 37.0% QoQ. Shipments of small-and-medium-s...

New display technologies Mini LED and Micro LED are bringing new opportunities to the industry. Many companies are thus trying to develop new strategies and form alliances with the aim to occupy a leading position in the market. Recently, Taiwan-based LED companies Epistar and Lextar announced their integration for leveraging their expertise to accelerate technology development in Mini LED and Micro LED technologies, hoping to win more business opportunities. Apart from LED manufacturers, panel makers have also geared up to push commercialization of the new di...

Micro LED technology supplier PlayNitride said that it aims to reduce production cost of Micro LED chip by 95% in five years to meet the requirement of mass production and is continue to raise funding. Charles Li, CEO of PlayNitride, noted that the two major keys of Micro LEDs are to make them small and cheap, which is the current challenge for commercialization. In order to achieve the goal, it is critical to connect the supply chain from wafer manufacture, chip process, transfer technology, display module, backplane driver and system tuning. Most of the processes ...

Apple has begun construction of its new facility in Taiwan since last year and LEDinside covered the progress of the building in November 2019. Now the iPhone maker was said to develop innovative display technologies, Micro LED and Mini LED, with its partners in Taiwan, Epistar and AUO, according Taiwanese media, Economic Daily. (Apple's new facility in Taoyuan, Taiwan) The facility is said to be focus on Micro LED and Mini LED technology for iPhone or iPad display applications. As the facility is built within the Longtan Science Park under...

Taiwan-based panel maker AU Optronics (AUO) is going to demerge its General Display and Public Information Display businesses and set up a new wholly owned subsidiary Da Qing. By establishing the new company, AUO aims to accelerate the building of ecosystems with partners across diverse domains, extending the value chain for smart display applications, integrating AIoT and novel technologies to seize new market opportunities. (Image: AUO) Facing severe competition in the panel industry and the declining market demand resulted by the coronavirus outbreak, globa...

Taiwan-based display manufacturer AUO has partnered with PlayNitride to unveil their latest Micro LED technology development. The two companies leverage their expertise and developed a 9.4-inch flexible Micro LED display with the world's highest 228 PPI pixel density, achieving yet another industry milestone with pioneering technological breakthroughs. The 9.4-inch flexible Micro LED display is based on an LTPS TFT driven backplane which allows pixels to be lighted separately. With a high-speed mass transfer technology, more than 5.5 million Micro LED...

AU Optronics (AUO), the Taiwan-based panel manufacturer, held an annual press event displaying its new products and applications in 2020 including 8K TVs, Micro LED automotive displays, Mini LED backlit displays. (Image: LEDinside) The wide range of displays target diverse fields covering medical applications, gaming displays, public information displays, automotive displays and more. AUO noted that orders for medical and educational applications such as electronic whiteboards and digital X-ray panels have increased with rising needs in home education and med...

AUO announced its participation to CES to present its latest display technologies and applications that are transforming smart and connected vehicles, and facilitating ultimate user experience at home, at work and on the go. Exhibit highlights include technologies to realize a full digital cockpit: direct bonding lamination of multiple large-sized curved panels, Mini LED backlight with optimal HDR performance, in-cell touch solution with touch and display driver IC integration for thinner structure, plus through-hole design in the display active area to install knobs and b...

Apple is currently constructing a new facility in Taiwan, next to Apple’s Taoyuan plant opened in 2015, reported Taiwan’s Wealth Magazine. According to the report, Apple is building the third plant in Taiwan which is scheduled to be finished in December 2019. Many believe that the new facility, like the old ones, are for Micro LED. (Apple's Micro LED research center in Taiwan, image: Seeking Alpha) Taiwan has been a key place for Apple in developing Micro LED technology where the iPhone maker strategically collaborated with local supply ch...

Micro LED technology is on its way to take off with various applications launched by leading companies across the world. Small size displays for wearable products, middle size display for automotive applications and extra-large TVs are the three major areas targeted by current Micro LED players according to their strategies of Micro LED technology. LEDinside observed several roadmaps of Micro LED technology developments of different leading companies in the field. Luxury Micro LED TVs Since Micro LED technology still faces the challenge of high pro...

Until the third quarter of 2019, we have seen Micro LED products presented at several international events, marking the progressing maturity of the technology after years of development. Recently, companies of the Micro LED supply chain revealed that they are getting ready for mass production. Taiwan’s RiTdisplay and PlayNitride jointly developed two Micro LED displays for wearable applications. One is a 1.25-inch display and the other is a 0.94-inch flexible display. Both panels are featured with a resolution of 228 ppi. According to RiTdisplay, it has been ...

Several exhibitors attending Touch Taiwan 2019 showcased their latest Micro LED displays and applications at the show including Taiwan-based panel manufacturer AU Optronics (AUO) presenting a 12.1-inch Micro LED automotive display. Paul Peng, chairman of AUO, indicated that commercialized Micro LED products will hit the market in one to two years. The panel market showed decline in 2019 due to soft global economy and the U.S.-China trade dispute. Despite that AUO has also been impacted by the slow growth, the company is pushing high value products deve...

Touch Taiwan closed on August 30. Visitors at the show could find a wide range of display applications from wearables panel below 1 inch to large TVs up to 120-inch based on Mini LED and Micro LED technologies. One of the eye-catching products showcased by panel manufacturer AUO is the 12.1-inch Micro LED automotive panel that delivered vivid colors, high contrast and smooth display performance. At the same time, an AM Mini LED display flaunted an astonishing screen quality. According to AUO, since automotive verification takes long time, the company see...

The annual Display International Touch Taiwan is taking place this week with exhibitors from all over the world showcasing their latest developments in display technology. Taiwan-based panel makers AUO and Innolux are both showing their innovative display products at the show including Mini LED backlight display, Micro LED displays and more. (Image: AUO) AUO announced that it will unveil several new display technologies covering Mini LED backlit 8K TVs as well as gaming monitors, notebook panels and VR wearable displays adopting Mini LED backlig...

With the feature of local dimming, display adopting Mini LED backlights give a contrast effect similar to that of OLED displays. Many panel manufacturers see Mini LED backlight a strong competitor to OLED technology. Taiwan-based panel maker AUO has begun mass production of a 32-inch professional panel in 4Q18 and is currently working with its clients on 4K Mini LED notebook panels. The company plans to ship the new products by the end of 2019. AUO noted that Mini LED technology has been a core development of the company. Starting with niche applica...

Mini LED backlight solution seems to be a “must have” technology for all the panel exhibitors at this year’s Display Week. Despite that adopting Mini LED backlight to consumer electronic products is rather difficult due to high production cost; panel makers still proactively demonstrated related products. Therefore, Mini LED backlight might not be a flash in the pan. LEDinside noticed that almost every display maker participated in Display Week disclosed the focus on automotive display incorporating LCD panel and Mini LED backlight. The solut...

2018 has been a tough year for panel producers due to the dropping panel price caused by oversupply. Chinese panel makers are still expanding their production capacities for LCD and OLED displays, putting pressures on other industry players. Samsung is closing its 8.5 generation production line in 2019 and shifting the focus to QD-OLED panels in response to the price competition. LG Display also plans to expand its OLED production capacities in China and Korea targeting large sized TV displays. It is estimated that by 2020, the OLED investment of LG Displ...

For the LED and panel industry, the year of 2018 had a dramatic start with Samsung’s revealing of its Micro LED TV “The Wall” at the CES show. Since then, players in the industry have been releasing their achievements related to the next generation display technology. Several innovative solutions and applications have been disclosed in the past year including large size displays and wearable devices. As LEDinside has continued to track the progress of Micro LED development, we would like to list the significant breakthroughs and industry updates...

According to WitsView, a division of TrendForce, the glut ratio of panels is expected to increase to 4.3 percent in the fourth quarter of 2018, leading to a drop in panel price. Facing the difficulties of the oversupply and decreased price, panel producers have shifted their focus to niche applications in order to break through the low price competition. Innolux has developed a high resolution sickness-free VR headset which won an innovative product award. The company aims to expand its presence in the growing gaming market with its VR headset and expects to mass produce the pr...