Samsung Electronics is experiencing major delays and setbacks in the production of its MicroLED TVs, which were showcased at CES earlier this year ahead of its scheduled launch in the second half of 2020.
However, it is now unlikely the TVs will be available at all this year with reports saying that the company has not yet started production of components, despite plans to complete the production process of components before the middle of the year.
It is not just production that is standing in Samsung’s way; the company is also said to be experiencing issues with the transfer process as well as pricing.
MicroLEDs undergo a transfer process that places them onto a flexible circuit board from their temporary substrate. To be classed as a MicroLED, it must be smaller than 100 micrometers. Although Samsung claims that its MicroLED uses LEDs that are micrometer-sized, it is actually between 100 and 200 micrometers in size, technically qualifying it as a MiniLED, but they use a similar transfer process.
The other big issue is that the yield rate for Samsung’s MicroLED is very low, which in turn impacts production costs and then product pricing. According to a
Korean report, the current costing to produce the MicroLED TVs range from around £6,000 to £66,000.
Although the TVs are still slated for release later this year, the thoughts of the industry are that it will now be released next year.
Samsung Electronics exhibited four new MicroLED TVs at CES back in January. Designed for the home, it showed a 75-in, 88-in, 93-in and 110-in models, as well as two commercial sizes – 150-in and 292-in.