Market and Technology Trends

MiniLED 2022: LCD Backlights and Direct View LED Displays

By Yole Intelligence — Jul 2022

MiniLEDs will thrive in direct view LED displays, but continuous OLED improvements are closing the window of opportunity for some LCD backlight applications.

Three-page summary

Executive summary

Context

MiniLED Backlight Units
- From FALD to miniLED Backlights
- Benefits of Increasing LED and Dimming Zone Numbers
- MiniLED Benefits
Direct-View LED Displays
- Toward Increased Added Value
- Pixel Pitch vs. Applications

Consumer Market Forecasts: MiniLED LCD Backlights

Televisions
- 2020-2022 Trends in the TV Industry
- 2020-2022 LCD and OLED TV Panel Price Evolution
- 2021-2027 TV Volume Forecast by Size
- TV Price Bands and New Technology Adoption
- TCL 85” 8K X12 and Samsung 65” 8k Neo QLED MiniLED Backlights
- MiniLED Backlight Performance: Samsung Neo QLED
- TCL vs. Samsung Backlight Unit Cost Structure
- MiniLED vs. OLED TV Cost: Present and Future
- 2021 TV Models: Number of Chips vs. Dimming Zones
- Comparison of OLED and MiniLED TV Prices vs. Size and Resolution
- Dynamics for MiniLED Adoption in TVs
- Dual-Cell LCD
- 2021-2027 OLED and MiniLED TV Volume Forecast by Size
- 2021-2027 TV Volume Forecast and Technology Breakdown
Tablets and Notebooks
- Trends in OLED Adoption in Tablets and Notebooks
- 2021-2027 Rigid OLED Capacity for Notebook and Tablet Panels
- The 12.9” miniLED iPad Pro MiniLED Backlight
- MiniLED for Tablets: Performance
- MiniLED for Tablets: Cost Aspects
- 2021-2027 Tablet Volume Forecast and Technology Breakdown
- Notebook Trends: OLED Adoption
- OLED vs. MiniLED in Notebooks: Cost and Performance
- List of MiniLED Notebook Models (as of May 2022)
- 2021-2027 Notebook Volume Forecast and Technology Breakdown
Desktop Monitors
- OLED Panel Supply and Technologies for Desktop Monitors
- List of MiniLED Monitors (as of May 2022)
- Samsung Odyssey MiniLED Backlight (Yole SystemPlus consulting)
- OLED and MiniLED: Size vs. Price
Automotive Applications
- Context
- Integration
- Display Performance
- 2021-2027 Automotive Display Forecast by Function
- Comparison of Display Technologies for Automotive (2022)
- MiniLED Automotive BLU and Displays and Key Players
- Automotive Categories and Price Bands
- 2021-2027 Automotive Display Forecast by Technology
Other MiniLED Backlight Applications
- 2021-2027 MiniLED VR Forecast
- Smartphones

Industrial Market Forecasts: Direct-View LED Displays

Recent and Macro Market Trends
Comparison of Competing Technologies for NPP Signage
Direct-View LED Display Cost Structure
Direct-View LED Displays vs. LCD
Direct-View LED Display Price vs. Pitch
Display Pitch and Size per Application. LCD vs. LED
Application Trends for Narrow-Pitch Direct-View LED Displays
From B2B to B2C: Direct-View LED Display TVs?
Cost Benchmark: LCD, OLED, Mini/MicroLED, Projection
2021-2027 DVLD Area Forecast by Pixel Pitch
2021-2027 DVLD Revenue Forecast

MiniLED Epiwafer Forecasts

2021-2027 Epiwafer Volume Forecast per Application for Backlights
2021-2027 Epiwafer Volume Forecast for Direct-View LED Displays
2021-2027 Epiwafer Forecast by Material (GaN/InGaAlP)

Supply Chain and Competitive Landscape

Major MiniLED Projects, Investments: 2020
Major MiniLED Projects, Investments: 2021 and H1-2022
MiniLED Investment by Type, Country and Year
MiniLED Investment: Top 20 Spenders
Sanan’s Hubei Mini/microLED Investment Breakdown
MiniLED Chip Makers
MiniLED Packaging Companies
Backlight Unit Supply Chain
LCD Backlight Unit Supply Chain Overview
Transfer of Value with MiniLED
Company list: Components
Company List: Services and Assembly
Discussion: MiniLED chips for LCD Backlights
MiniLED BLU Module Makers
Backlight Unit Supply Chain Overview for Major TV OEMs/EDMs [1]
Apple - iPad Pro 12.9” and Notebook MiniLED Backlight Supply Chain
Samsung Neo QLED 2021
TCL 2021 X12/X925 Pro (Europe) and 2022 X11 Flagship TVs
BOE MiniLED on Glass Supply Chain
Backlight Unit Driver ICs: Key Players and Supply Chain
Direct-View LED Display Supply Chain
Direct-View LED Display Supply Chain Overview
Company List: Hardware and Components
Leading Narrow-Pixel-Pitch LED Display Makers per Region
Geographic Characteristics
Installers and System Integrators
Leyard/Planar and Leadstar
Unilumin
Ledman
Absen
AOTO, Daktronics, Liantronics

Chip Architecture, Substrates and Driving

Backlight and Direct-View LED Application Characteristics
Chip-On-Board: Wire Bonding vs. Flip-chip
Printed Circuit Boards vs. Glass Circuit Boards (GCB/PCB)
Thin-Film Transistor Glass
Signal Routing with Glass: Through-Vias and Edge Connection
Active vs. Passive Driving: Pros and Cons
Passive Matrix: Multi-Channel and Scanning
MiniLED Backlight Technology Trends
MiniLED Backlight Technological Challenges
Backlight Substrates, LED Size Types
Die Size, Number of Die and Optical distance
Package-on-Board vs. Chip-On-Board/-Glass
TV Price vs. Package Type and Number of Zones
Glass Substrates for Backlight Units
TCL Flagship MiniLED TV Backlight Timeline
MiniLED LCD Backlight Unit Architecture Evolution
Backlight Optical Stack
Key Elements: Substrate, Chips, Optical films, etc.
Example: Apple Pro Display XDR Monitor
Cost Reduction Example: Corning, BOE, Sharp
MiniLED Backlight Display Blooming (Halo)
Local Dimming and Blooming (Halo)
Native Panel Contrast
Number of Zones
Dimming Algorithms
MiniLED Backlight Driving
Implementation: Drivers, Minidrivers, TFT, Smart Pixels etc.
Active Matrix and AM/PM Hybrid Discrete Minidrivers
Examples: Apple iPad, Samsung Neo QLED, TCL Vidrian
Minidrivers: Samsung Neo QLED 8K Driving Architecture
DVLD: substrate. Driving and Architecture
Narrow and Ultra-Narrow Pixel-Pitch Image Quality
Time Division Multiplexing’s Impact on LED Size
Direct-View LED Display Architecture: Glass and PCB, AM or PM
Glass and TFT Substrates for Direct-View LED Displays
DVLD Architecture Evolution
LED Package and Assembly Types for Narrow Pixel Pitch
‘Smart Pixels’
Interconnects and Reliability
IMD/MIP vs. COB: Cost Distribution and Transfer of Value
P0.x Status at Various Companies
Color Conversion in DVLD
Narrow-Pixel-Pitch Direct-View LED Display Technology Roadmap

Equipment: MiniLED Die Transfer and Rework

MiniLED Module Assembly Process Flow
Comparison of MiniLED Assembly Technologies
Top Three Players and Major Customers
Key Players
Cost Of Ownership: Depreciation and Assembly Yield
Emerging: Mass Transfer
ASM Pacific Technology
Kulicke and Soffa
ASMADE
Stroke PAE
Hoson
Other players
Challenges for Die Attach
Rework Flow
Rework: Major Players

Outlook

Yole Group Related Products

Key features

Volume forecasts with breakdowns by technology for TV, notebooks, tablets, monitors, automotive and virtual reality headsets
Cost analysis against OLED for all major applications
Area and revenue forecast for narrow pixel pitch direct view LED displays
Epiwafer forecasts
Technology trends and challenges: modules, substrates, driving scheme and implementation with standard drivers, minidrivers and TFT
MiniLED equipment for assembly and repair processes

What's new

Updated forecast for miniLED LCD backlights and narrow pixel pitch direct view LED displays
Extensive discussion on miniLED assembly technologies and equipment makers
Detailed supply chain with more than 100 companies listed, major investments, recent news, partnerships etc.
Thorough technology analysis: chip architecture, glass and PCB substrates, AM and PM driving implementations, optical stack, halo effect in backlights, packaging type for direct view LED displays

Product objectives

Detailed analysis of miniLED technologies in LCD backlights and direct view LED displays
Which applications can miniLED address and when? How disruptive are they for incumbent technologies?
Understand the competitive landscape: identify the key players and how value is transferred along the supply chain?
Understand miniLED display technologies: benefits and drawbacks vs other display technologies, drivers and challenges for adoption
Understand cost structures and all key technology bricks: LED chip size, architecture, active or passive matrix driving, module substrates including glass, PCB and TFT

Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) Backlights: Shrinking Window of Opportunity

With a 27% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR), Mini-Light Emitting Diode (LED) backlights help LCD makers fend off Organic LEDs (OLEDs) in consumer device displays. Good miniLED performance does not come cheap though. Meanwhile, OLED cost and performance keep improving. The construction of multiple Generation 8.5 Red/Green/Blue (RGB) OLED fabs by Samsung, LG, BOE and others to address the notebook and tablet markets will accelerate OLED penetration in those segments from 2024. This will also shrink the space in which miniLED LCDs can operate. For TVs, miniLEDs must be priced below OLED or focus on specifications that OLED struggles with, such as large sizes above 75”.

Reduction in LED counts, better equipment, multi-functional optical films, economies of scale and intensifying competition amongst component makers will reduce MiniLED cost and drive them into higher volume, mid-range TV products at price points below what OLED can achieve. With this, however, comes the risk of subpar products damaging the high-end reputation of miniLEDs.

MiniLEDs Enable fast Growth in Narrow Pixel Pitch Direct View LED Displays (DVLDs)

With low entry barriers and hundreds of players, DVLD makers must differentiate themselves by offering displays with better resolution, picture quality, homogeneity, and serviceability. They must evolve into full system and solution developers spanning hardware, software and services. They must also develop sales and support channels.

Broader availability of miniLED chips, packages and equipment have increased supply and are enabling area growth of the narrow pixel pitch market at a 24.3% CAGR. Prices for 1.2-1.9 mm pixel pitches have entered LCD territory and P0.9 mm is next. Pushing toward P0.6 mm will increase adoption in retail, conferencing and command centers. It will also unlock further markets dominated by LCDs such as transportation hubs or quick service restaurants.

Manufacturers are eying home theatre consumer markets. We are skeptical of this endeavor as the required pixel pitches at or below P0.4 imply high costs. Off-state appearance, tile-to-tile consistency are other concerns. The high-end TV market will require convergence of miniLED and microLED technologies, with the adoption of much smaller die and mass transfer processes. Collaborations between DVLD makers eying consumer applications and TFT makers eager to enter the direct view display market are on the rise.

China dominates investments. Technology transitions still uncertain.

The miniLED opportunity has triggered more than $14B of investment through the 2019-2021 period, with 90% of it in China. MiniLED transfers value away from the LCD panel toward the backlight. Since the backlights require less expertise and capital than the panels, many are eager to capture this value.

Direct view displays are driving chip size reduction, but small sizes bring challenges in chip manufacturing. Improved assembly tools are needed, and costly High-Density Integration Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) required for die size below 3*5 mil (75*125 µm) and very narrow pixel pitches. With high dimensional stability and potentially lower long-term cost, glass is emerging as an alternative but remains hard to justify above P0.5 mm. Thin Film Transistor (TFT) makers are the most active in this path with BOE already commercializing glass-based backlights and displays, but companies like WG Tech or Corning are also developing glass substrates.

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