China’s BOE challenges Samsung in OLED sector

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China’s BOE challenges Samsung in OLED sector

PUBLISHED :March 13, 2019 - 16:08

UPDATED :March 13, 2019 - 16:28

[ET NEWS] Chinese display firm BOE is building manufacturing lines to roll out flexible touch screen-integrated OLED displays, named Y-Octa, in a serious challenge to Samsung Display which has a monopoly in the technology, according to industry sources on March 13.

The subsidiary of tech giant Samsung Electronics, and the world’s largest mobile OLED maker, has been spearheading the mobile OLED realm with the product.

The Chinese display maker will refurbish some of the lines at its B11 plant in Mianyang, Sichuan province. The B11 is the second sixth-generation OLED plant the firm operates in the region.

Samsung is currently the only display manufacturer of the touch-integrated display. Before the development of the technology, a separate TSP film was placed on top of the panels layers and plates including a polarizer, glass plates, and a panel attached with the self-luminous diodes.

It is not known how advanced BOE’s technology for the display is, but it is thought its technical capability has reached a level to begin mass production.

“Having seen Samsung create a highly profitable market with the product incorporating the touch sensor, BOE has decided to follow suit,” said an industry source. “The lines are now being built in Mianyang as far as I know.”

BOE’s latest attempt to enter the segment is said to be aimed at supplying OLED displays to Apple.

The US smartphone maker plans to adopt Samsung’s touch-integrated OLED displays into its high-end iPhones. The company has stuck to a display installed with a separate TSP on top since the first iPhone in 2007. In recent months, however, the iPhone maker has been mulling to deploy Samsung’s OLED display featuring the TSP inside, which can make a mobile device thinner and lighter.

It is highly likely for Apple to receive touch-integrated panels from BOE since working with multiple parts suppliers is a norm for the company.

BOE, which ran what is called a L6 project to become a supplier for Apple last year, is now proceeding with its L7 project to provide displays for the US firm.

“Based on the L6 project, BOE was able to clinch a deal with Huawei to supply OLED panels for flagship phones,” an industry source said,

By Yoon Kun-il (benyun@etnews.com)

http://www.theinvestor.co.kr/view.php?ud=20190313000625

 

[cirr]

京东方在建触控一体化OLED生产线，有望打破三星垄断

陈兴华 chenxinghua@guancha.cn

2019-03-13 15:14:12字号：A- A A+来源：观察者网

关键字:京东方 三星 触控一体化OLEDY-Octa

导读

ET News称，京东方在OLED方面追逐韩国的速度正在加快，公司计划将B11的一部分作为触控一体化OLED生产线，并从明年开始批量生产。为了降低对三星Display面板的依赖，苹果可能将京东方触控一体化OLED纳入其供应链中。
（观察者网讯 文/陈兴华）

京京东方有望打破三星触控一体化柔性OLED的垄断。

3月12日，韩媒ET News官网头版刊登报道称，中国京东方将开始生产触控一体化柔性有机发光二极管（OLED），这是三星电子在全球唯一生产的高端产品。继在大型LCD市场占据主导地位后，京东方在OLED方面追逐韩国的速度正在加快。

“追击三星”，京东方打造触控一体化柔性OLED生产线 ET News头版报道截图

报道援引业内人士称，12月12日，京东方正在中国绵阳建设一条触控一体化柔性OLED生产线。

四川绵阳的这条6代柔性OLED生产线(B11)是京东方第二条柔性OLED生产线。京东方计划将B11的一部分作为触控一体化生产线，并从明年开始批量生产。

报道称，京东方触控一体化柔性OLED与三星Display的Y-Octa类似。触控一体化柔性OLED将过去附着在外部的TSP放在OLED内部实现，使得面板比现有OLED更薄、更轻。特别是由于该技术简化了工艺，被业界认为节约成本效果显著。

三星之前独家获得了该技术，并称之为Y-Octa。Y-Octa屏除了将TSP以薄膜形式内置外，还在OLED制程中RGB薄膜封装（TFE）时增加触控功能。该技术商业化的代表性产品是双曲屏手机。

IHS 科技表示，在类似三星触控提一体化OLED面板中，从上到下，包括覆盖窗、装饰膜、OCA / OCR、偏光片、TSP传感器、薄膜封装、OLED发光层和塑料基板背板。采用这种结构，内嵌式触摸显示出更好的灵敏度和响应。

图源：ET News

据悉，Y-Octa屏被三星视为战略产品，主要在韩国汤井工厂生产，初期仅供三星智能手机使用。基于此，三星电子的智能手机竞争力得到提升。资料显示，三星2月20日在旧金山发布的折叠屏手机Galaxy Fold上采用的即是Y-Octa屏。

根据业界资讯，三星显示计划今年将Y-Octa屏从独家供应三星电子扩展至苹果和华为、小米、OPPO、vivo等中国品牌客户。

ET News的报道称，目前尚不清楚京东方是否具备了高水平的触控一体化柔性OLED技术。然而，制造专用生产线并且可以批量生产，可以解释为已经确保了一定技术水平。

值得一提的是，LGD在去年底也被证实在开发触控一体OLED面板技术，类似于三星显示Y—Octa。但韩国业界显示部件供应商彼时表示：三星Display的产品良率还在20-30%徘徊，LGD属于起步阶段，无法进行量产。

接近京东方的业内人士称：“看到三星电子以触控一体化OLED开拓高附加值市场，京东方也在朝该方向迈进”。该公司正在绵阳建设专用生产线。

苹果正准备将三星的触控集成柔性OLED用于新款iPhone中，预计2020年采用。从首次推出iPhone的10年前开始，苹果一直坚持使用外置型TSP。不过，最近其正在推进转换成内置型触控一体化柔性OLED的方案。

京东方柔性屏展示 图自科技日报

ET News分析认为，如果京东方批量生产该产品，为了降低对三星Display面板的依赖，苹果可能将京东方触控一体化OLED纳入其供应链中。

据了解，京东方去年以向苹果公司提供OLED为目的，进行了“L6”项目。今年正在推进其“L7”计划。有评价认为，京东方正在通过参与苹果公司的项目积累实力。

另一位业内人士表示：“今年下半年京东方将批量生产以L6为基础的OLED面板。据我所知，该产品在华为等公司获得好评，被多款战略手机采用。”据悉，华为近期发布的5G折叠屏手机Mate X，其OLED折叠屏即由京东方独家提供，且较Galaxy Fold更薄。

 

[oprih]

Good, China is close to being the most technologically advanced eastern asian country which also means the most advanced in the world.

 

[TaiShang]

BOE’s latest attempt to enter the segment is said to be aimed at supplying OLED displays to Apple.

How about Huawei? And then Xiaomi and Oppo, which will join the fray of foldable phones?

BOE should consider them, too.

 

[cirr]

How about Huawei? And then Xiaomi and Oppo, which will join the fray of foldable phones?

BOE should consider them, too.

Each of them has its own supplier(s), all Chinese.

BOE for example is at the moment the sole supplier to Huawei for folding screens.

Xiaomi uses a fodable display panel from Visionox.