Micro-OLED VR Developed by TCL to be released
Next month TCL (000100.CH) will introduce a micro-OLED based VR headset that is paired to its TCL 10+ mid-range smartphone. The VR glasses, which by themselves sell for $1,200, will be part of the package that includes the TCL 10+ smartphone (~$360) and will sell for an expected $1,145. That said, there could be monthly charges for software needed to run the combinations and potentially for content.
The micro-OLED VR headset, which we believe is the first commercial application of micro-LEDs for VR, is based on a Sony (SNE) micro-LED display that is both light weight (said to be 1/5 the typical VR headset weight) and high resolution, with two 1080p displays, which according to the company, give the viewer the equivalent of watching a 100’ display from a distance of 4’. The smartphone acts as the user interface and a tough pad to control VR operation. The package will be released in Japan and Korea, with US release dependent on FCC certification timing.
As we have noted, others are working toward high resolution micro displays, both with OLED and with micro-LEDs. Most OLED display producers have shown at least prototypes of high-resolution OLED displays, and while OLED micro-displays can be produced at similar and even higher resolutions, they tend toward lower brightness and shorter lifetimes vs. LED based micro-LED technology, although dual stack and other processes have helped to bring OLED micro-display capabilities to a much higher level over the last few years. Much press has been devoted to micro-LEDs, that are both bright and have considerably longer lifetimes, with companies like Apple developing micro-LED technology at its ‘secret’ lab in Taiwan, Chinese panel producer BOE (200725.CH) working with OLiGHTTEK Opto (state) and Kopin (KOPN), and Samsung (005930.KS) workings with Sanan Opto (600703.CH). Vuzix (VUZI) and Foxconn (2354.TT) are also working toward the release of micro-LED VR/AR products expected later this year or early next year. That said, micro-LEDs are complicated to fabricate and are therefore expensive to produce, so the jury remains out as to which technology will be the ultimate winner in the micro-LED race, which has just been pushed forward with the upcoming TCL release..
Should the TCL VR headset get good reviews from consumers (not from ‘influencers’ who are looking to sell merch or garner ‘favor’ from CE companies), it could give higher resolution micro-OLED development projects a shot in the arm that will push them more quickly to commercial products. While we expect Apple to eventually release a micro-LED AR/VR product next year, we expect others, particularly Samsung, to push the limits of micro-OLED for ultra-small panel applications. While Samsung has already released micro-LED products, they are for large panel applications thus far.
The micro-OLED VR headset, which we believe is the first commercial application of micro-LEDs for VR, is based on a Sony (SNE) micro-LED display that is both light weight (said to be 1/5 the typical VR headset weight) and high resolution, with two 1080p displays, which according to the company, give the viewer the equivalent of watching a 100’ display from a distance of 4’. The smartphone acts as the user interface and a tough pad to control VR operation. The package will be released in Japan and Korea, with US release dependent on FCC certification timing.
As we have noted, others are working toward high resolution micro displays, both with OLED and with micro-LEDs. Most OLED display producers have shown at least prototypes of high-resolution OLED displays, and while OLED micro-displays can be produced at similar and even higher resolutions, they tend toward lower brightness and shorter lifetimes vs. LED based micro-LED technology, although dual stack and other processes have helped to bring OLED micro-display capabilities to a much higher level over the last few years. Much press has been devoted to micro-LEDs, that are both bright and have considerably longer lifetimes, with companies like Apple developing micro-LED technology at its ‘secret’ lab in Taiwan, Chinese panel producer BOE (200725.CH) working with OLiGHTTEK Opto (state) and Kopin (KOPN), and Samsung (005930.KS) workings with Sanan Opto (600703.CH). Vuzix (VUZI) and Foxconn (2354.TT) are also working toward the release of micro-LED VR/AR products expected later this year or early next year. That said, micro-LEDs are complicated to fabricate and are therefore expensive to produce, so the jury remains out as to which technology will be the ultimate winner in the micro-LED race, which has just been pushed forward with the upcoming TCL release..
Should the TCL VR headset get good reviews from consumers (not from ‘influencers’ who are looking to sell merch or garner ‘favor’ from CE companies), it could give higher resolution micro-OLED development projects a shot in the arm that will push them more quickly to commercial products. While we expect Apple to eventually release a micro-LED AR/VR product next year, we expect others, particularly Samsung, to push the limits of micro-OLED for ultra-small panel applications. While Samsung has already released micro-LED products, they are for large panel applications thus far.
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