South Korean media: "dream display" iLED, China's patent quantity is twice that of South Korea! On May 19th, the South Korean newspaper "Munhwa Ilbo" published an article stating that China has shown a technical advantage in the "inorganic light-emitting display" (iLED) field, which is being highly anticipated as the next-generation display after organic light-emitting diode (OLED). The crisis awareness of South Korea's display industry is also increasing. iLED is called the "dream display" because it has a longer lifespan and higher brightness than OLED used in TVs and smartphones. The Korea Institute of Science and Technology Evaluation and Planning (KISTEP) recently analyzed key patents for iLED pixels, panels, and modules from 2000 to 2023 and found that South Korea had 234 patents, only 54.4% of China's (430). Taking the representative iLED technology "Micro LED" as an example, South Korea's patent count was 184, lagging behind the United States (375) and China (318). KISTEP analyzed that "the United States and China are leading in most technologies and patents, and to prepare for iLED commercialization, active investment in commercial R&D is needed." iLED is a display that uses micro/nano LEDs and quantum dots as inorganic material light sources. Compared to OLED, which is susceptible to oxygen and moisture, its advantages include a wide range of applications, including extended reality (XR) devices and smartwatches. According to market research company Omdia, the shipment volume of Micro LED display panels will grow significantly from 200,000 units this year to 24.9 million units in 2030, reaching 34.6 million units in 2031. China recognized the growth potential of iLED early on and invested in it, and it is now assessed to have entered the product commercialization stage. BOE, China's largest panel manufacturer, began production of 6-inch wafer-based Micro LED last December. TCL, a Chinese home appliance company, is expected to launch a car-mounted Micro LED this year through its subsidiary, China Star Optoelectronics Technology (CSOT). Samsung Display and LG Display, among other South Korean companies, have also demonstrated iLED prototypes but have yet to reach the commercialization stage. A relevant person in South Korea's display industry said, "Regarding domestic iLED, most core components and manufacturing processes depend on imports, so there is an urgent need to develop technology to ensure initial competitiveness, including building a self-sufficient supply chain." He added, "South Korea still holds an advantage in the OLED market, but if the dominance battle over iLED begins, it will be difficult to hold onto the market." Original source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1832538072721482/ Disclaimer: This article solely represents the views of the author.