The demand for Mini LED will open up, is the industry layout okay?

Recently, according to foreign media BusinessKorea, global TV manufacturers including Samsung and LG are expected to launch Mini LED TVs next year. In the small and medium-sized segment, Apple will launch Mini LED tablets and laptops next year. The adoption of Mini LED by major terminal companies will drive the maturity of the supply chain and boost the demand for Mini LED in the market. So, what is the current progress of various companies in their Mini LED layouts? Who has the opportunity to take the lead and seize the market share when Mini LED explodes?

Chip Segment

San'an Optoelectronics: Bulk supply to Samsung

San'an Optoelectronics' 2020 semi-annual report disclosed that Mini LED and Micro LED chips have achieved bulk supply to Samsung, becoming its primary supplier and signing a supply agreement.

HC Semitek: Jointly launched Mini flexible screen with Innolux

HC Semitek launched Mini LED RGB display chips, which have been shipped in large quantities, and the Mini LED backlight products have completed product development. Currently, HC Semitek's Mini LED chips have characteristics of high brightness, high reliability, and high consistency. They perform excellently in terms of color consistency under low gray working environments, and the products are widely used in major projects and key products of domestic and foreign customers. This time, Innolux launched the AM Mini LED flexible display using HC Semitek's Mini RGB LED solution.

Silicon Motion: Mini LED chips shipped in bulk

Silicon Motion Technology Co., Ltd. was established in 2004, focusing on the manufacturing of LED display chips. In 2019, Silicon Motion ranked 8th in the domestic production and sales scale, occupying about 20% to 30% of the market share in the color display chip field. Silicon Motion's Mini LED chips have been shipped in bulk.

Packaging Segment

Zhaochi Co., Ltd.: Small batch trial production of Mini chips, continuous supply of Mini packaging

Zhaochi's Secretary of the Board, Fang Zhenyu, revealed that Zhaochi is currently actively engaging with Korean and domestic manufacturers to jointly promote the implementation of Mini LED backlight TV products.

In terms of Mini LED chips, it has entered the small batch trial production stage, while steadily advancing the red and yellow light projects, laying out the niche market for monochrome LED, striving to enhance product added value, and supporting the high-end products of the company's LED packaging while further strengthening the competitive advantage of LED epitaxial wafers and chips.

In terms of Mini LED packaging, Zhaochi's subsidiary Zhaochi Guangyuan leverages its years of accumulated technical advantages to develop multiple Mini LED backlight products and Mini RGB display products, continuously supplying domestic and foreign brand manufacturers. The first phase of the 1000 LED packaging production line expansion project of Zhaochi Guangyuan has been completed, and the second phase of the 1200 LED packaging production line expansion project is steadily advancing. At the same time, Zhaochi Guangyuan plans to sign an investment agreement with the Nanchang Municipal Government to expand 2000 LED packaging production lines, aiming to further expand scale advantages and continuously increase the proportion of high value-added products, laying a solid foundation for the rapid development of the company's entire LED industry chain.

Longda Electronics: Launches new generation I-Mini LED backlight products

Longda Electronics has launched a full range of new generation I-Mini LED backlight products, which adopt three major technologies: COB, DOB, and micro-lens arrays. The products are applied in TVs, desktop monitors, laptops, automotive panels, and marine displays, and are currently being mass-produced and delivered.

For Mini LED TVs, Longda has launched a 65-inch I-Mini Blue TV backlight product, using about 20,000 Mini LED chips, exceeding 1,000 zones and achieving a high dynamic contrast of 1600.

For automotive panels, a 12.3-inch automotive backlight product has been released, with a maximum brightness of 1600 nits, which can still clearly read information under strong outdoor light, and the area control of more than 360 zones can significantly improve the contrast between light and dark. It also uses special adhesive materials with high optical durability, with a lifespan of up to 50,000 hours. The advantages and specifications of the product can be extended to dedicated displays for land, sea, and air.

For the 17.3-inch laptop and 34-inch desktop monitor, the I-Mini backlight has reduced the number of Mini LED chips by more than 20% through unique optical design, while still achieving fine area control and maintaining an ultra-thin appearance.

Nationstar Optoelectronics: Mini display enters mass production, Mini backlight receives bulk orders

Nationstar Optoelectronics has launched multiple products including IMD-M05, IMD-M07, IMD-M09, IMD-F12, and IMD-F15, entering the mass production stage for Mini displays. Corresponding patents have been laid out in advance, with some already authorized; Mini backlight has received bulk orders and shipments, and has laid out three major technical routes: Mini SMD, Mini COB, and Mini COG, flexibly providing professional customized product solutions.

Among them, Nationstar Optoelectronics' backlight Mini COB solution was showcased at UDE 2020, including OD1, Pitch5, OD2, Pitch4.0, and Pitch3.0. Additionally, there are packaging solutions suitable for curved surfaces, achieving a curvature radius of over R1000, meeting the needs of curved screens. Currently, the solution is mainly used for gaming laptops/monitors and large-size TVs.