OLED is a next-generation display technology that is replacing LCD displays in several markets, such as small displays for mobile applications, TVs and microdisplays. OLEDs are made from thin films of organic light emitting materials that emit light when electricity is applied. OLEDs have a much simpler structure compared to LCDs and have several advantages over the incumbent technology.
eMagin XGA096 OLED-XL
OLED microdisplays provide several advantages over the current technology used to make most microdisplays (LCoS) :
OLEDs do have some disadvantages, though:
There are several OLED microdisplay makers today. The two leading ones seem to be eMagin and Sony. Sony makes several microdisplays for the consumer market - which are mostly adopted as camera EVFs. For example Sony's a7S full-frame mirrorless digital camera uses an XGA OLED EVF.
eMagin's main markets are the defense, industry and medical markets. They are enter the consumer market - aiming to provide better user experience for VR and AR headsets.
Besides eMagin and Sony, there are a several other microdisplays makers - from Europe, China and Korea.
If you want more in-depth information on the OLED Microdisplay market, look no further! Our OLED Microdisplay Market Report explains:
The report package also provides a complete list of OLED microdisplay makers and their current (and future) products, and personal contact details into the leading microdisplay makers. Read more here!
Latest OLED Microdisplays news
OLED microdisplay maker eMagin reported its financial results for Q1 2018 - revenues reached $6.9 million (up 13% from Q1 2017) and the net loss was $2.1 million (up slightly from $2.1 million in Q1 20170. At the end of the quarter, eMagin had $9.8 million in cash and equivalents.
eMagin says that it experiences a "notable upswing" in its business with a 20% increase in its backlog to $11.8 million from the end of 2017.
Today we published new versions of our market reports - that cover the flexible, transparent, VR/AR, microdisplays, automotive and graphene OLED markets. OLED-Info provides comprehensive niche OLED market reports, and our reports cover everything you need to know about the niche market, and can be useful if you want to understand how the OLED industry works and what this technology can provide for your own industry. The reports are now updated to April 2018.
The OLED for VR/AR Market Report:
The report package provides a great introduction to the emerging VR and AR market, and details the role that OLED displays will have. Read more here!
OLED microdisplay maker eMagin reported its financial results for Q4 2017. Revenues increased 40% from Q4 2016 and reached $6.4 million. Operating loss was $1.6 million (down from $3.8 million in Q4 2016) and net loss decreased to $0.9 million.
For the full year 2017, eMagin reported revenues of $22 million (up 3% from 2016) and a net loss of $7.8 million. As of the end of the year, eMagin had $3.5 million in cash and equivalents, but the company raised $10.6 million since (not, it seems, from Apple, Valve and LG).
On January 2018 OLED microdisplay maker eMagin announced that it plans to raise $11.5 million in an underwritten public offering, and on the company's filing it mentioned five specific investors - Apple, LG Display, Valve Corporation, Stillwater Holdings and Immerex.
While we all assumed these companies invested in eMagin, the company released a statement yesterday saying that this is not the case - "As of today, to the Company’s knowledge, none of these consumer electronics companies have taken part in the offering.". eMagin's CFO says that "eMagin listed those companies in the filing because it had discussions with them at industry event".
Update: eMagin published a statement saying that these companies (Apple, LG, Valve, Stillwater and Immerex) in fact did not participate in the offering.
On January 2018 OLED microdisplay maker eMagin announced that it plans to raise $11.5 million in an underwritten public offering, which closed on January 29. It turns out that eMagin's SEC filing specifies five investors - Apple, LG Display, Valve Corporation, Stillwater Holdings and Immerex.
eMagin has been saying that it is working with large companies ("Tier-1") on its consumer VR technologies, and it is a very encouraging sign to see this impressive list of new investors. Apple's AR and VR plans are still unknown, but it has been assumed for a long time that Apple is looking into OLED microdisplays, and it's interest in eMagin is not a surprise. LG is also interested in VR and AR displays, and is reportedly collaborating with Google, and it's great to see it investing in eMagin as well.
During a wearable conference in Tokyo, Japan's ColorLink demonstrated its new VR and AR prototype devices, which both use OLED microdisplays. The company says that using OLED microdisplays it can produce more compact VR devices.
The ColorLink devices use 0.7" FHD OLED microdisplays, which are probably Sony's ECX335AF displays.
OLED microdisplay maker eMagin reported its preliminary financial results for Q4 2017. Revenues are expected to be between $6.2 million to $6.4 million - a 35% to 39% increase from Q4 2016 and up 44% to 49% from Q3 2017. The company's backlog for 2018 is $9.8 million - an increase of 53% compared to the backlog entering 2017.
eMagin says that the improvement in preliminary revenues reflects both the expected pickup in military demand as well as contributions from commercial projects. At the end of 2017 the company had $3.5 million in cash and equivalents and had a revolving credit loan balance of $4.0 million.
Today we published new versions of our market reports - that cover the flexible, VR/AR, microdisplays, automotive and graphene OLED markets. OLED-Info provides comprehensive niche OLED market reports, and our reports cover everything you need to know about the niche market, and can be useful if you want to understand how the OLED industry works and what this technology can provide for your own industry. The reports are now updated to January 2018.
The OLED for VR/AR Market Report:
The report package provides a great introduction to the emerging VR and AR market, and details the role that OLED displays will have. Read more here!
Kopin Corporation announced a new 0.49" 1280x720 lightning OLED microdisplay with a brightness of 1000 nits. The new display runs at 60Hz (which is rather low for VR, which usually requires 90Hz or higher) and consumers less than 40 mW.
Kopin 1" 2k x 2k OLED Lightning microdisplay
Kopin already announced a first device to use this new display, the Pico Interactive Eagle. This is Kopin's second OLED microdisplay, following the 1-inch 120 Hz 2k x 2k Lightning panel introduced in January 2017.
OLED microdisplay maker eMagin announced that it has signed an agreement with a U.S.-based chipmaker to support mass production of its OLED microdisplays for the consumer AR and VR markets. eMagin did not name its new partner, but it did say that this agreement will help it meet the cost requirements of the high volume consumer segment.
eMagin's new partner will provide backplane and interface design support required by eMagin's customers. eMagin is focused on its 2K direct-patterning OLED microdisplays for the VR and AR consumer markets. The company already signed up several customers, here is the latest agreement announced two months ago.