Samsung to reportedly launch micro LED TVs later this year

While Samsung makes some killer QLED TVs, there's not a lot of room for improvement in the underlying technology. The micro LED technology offers image quality similar to that of OLEDs, featuring perfect blacks, but with much higher brightness and no burn-in issues. A lot of TV brands, including Samsung, are expected to slowly shift to micro LED technology for their high-end models soon.

According to a new report, Samsung will launch its micro LED TVs in the second half of 2020. It is planning to partner with Taiwanese brand Epistar, which makes epitaxial wafers and chips, for the supply of micro LED chips. Epistar is a shareholder of PlayNitride, which is currently the exclusive micro LED chip supplier for Samsung. If the deal goes through, Epistar and PlayNitride will team up to supply micro LED chips to Samsung for its TVs.

PlayNitride started producing over 1,000 micro LED chips per month in the fourth quarter of 2019, after beginning the trial production in Q3 2019. This year, the company will pace up the production to make 10,000 wafers per month. China-based firm Sanan Optoelectronics had supplied modular micro LED panels to Samsung for The Wall TV, and it could become the second supplier for Samsung.

Samsung had launched its micro LED-based TV, The Wall, in 2018. Thanks to its modular panels, companies can make TV as big as they want. The South Korean TV maker had launched a 292-inch 8K version of The Wall earlier this year, with other models being available in 88-inch, 93-inch, 110-inch, and 150-inch sizes.