TV panel manufacturers rush to develop active matrix technology
Details
Joseph O'Halloran
| 30 December 2019

As competitiveness of high-end TV with Mini LED backlighting rises, active matrix products are the key to increasing Mini LED presence in the high-end TV segment, according to research from WitsView.

The New Display Technology Cost Analysis quarterly report notes that the increase in die bonding efficiency, the decrease in Mini LED chip cost, and the historical low of open cell prices have contributed to what is said to be ‘significantly’ lowered costs of displays utilising Mini LED backlighting. Indeed, the analyst cites the use case of display modules used in 65-inch 4K TVs which are estimated to see approximately 5-10% cost reductions compared with 2018 costs. This is expected to accelerate the widespread adoption of the technology.

One of the drivers of the success of the technology cited in the report is that the two-year development period, from the H2 2017 emergence of Mini LED technology to its current commercialisation, has been much more efficient than the longer developmental periods of past display technologies. As Mini LED backlighting is based on the traditional structure of LCD panels, it pushes direct-lit backlighting to its technological limits and represents a significant upgrade for current backlight technology.

The analyst notes that with the fourth quarter 2019 North American release of TCL’s 65-inch and 75-inch TVs featuring Mini LED backlighting, consumers are offered a new choice in the high-end TV segment.

WitsView calculates that the total cost of high-end display modules with edge-lit backlights sits at about US$350, while passive matrix (PM) displays with Mini LED backlights, consisting of around 16,000 LED chips, costs between $650–690. The module cost of dual cell TV released by Hisense this year is estimated at $630.

Going forward, the New Display Technology Cost Analysis quarterly report said that although the processing cost of Mini LED TV is still slightly high, Mini LED TVs are starting to be cost-competitive in the market. It adds that AM displays with Mini LED backlighting are becoming superior to PM displays, as the number of backlighting zones increases, both in terms of cost competitiveness and in terms of specifications, which come close to rivalling OLED screens. As a result, panel manufacturers such as Innolux, AUO, BOE and CSOT are actively developing AM products, which WitsView sees as key to increasing the share of Mini LED backlighting in the high-end TV market segment.