Now that Apple has launched its first mixed reality (MR) headset, the Vision Pro, the MR/VR headset market is set to boom. Meta already sells millions of Quest headsets every year, and Samsung will likely become the next big brand to launch a mixed-reality headset sometime later this year.
Samsung Display developing both Micro OLED and OLEDoS panels for mixed-reality headsets
Two types of display panels can be used in AR/MR/VR headsets: Micro OLED and OLEDoS. The Vision Pro uses Micro OLED panels, while Samsung's next MR headset is expected to use OLEDoS panels. Samsung Display has already showcased its OLEDoS panel at MWC 2024 and is working on Micro OLED panels, but it will still be some time before its Micro OLED panels hit the market.
According to Choi Joo-sun, CEO of Samsung Display, the Micro OLED market will mature in 3-4 years. While speaking to reporters and students at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) in Daejeon, South Korea, on the 6th of March 2024, Choi said that the Micro OLED market will become mature before the Micro LED market does.
Choi said, “During the remaining 2 to 3 years, we will deploy manpower to ensure that Samsung Display does not fall behind in the micro OLED market and introduce solutions that are competitive compared to competitors. The acquisition of eMagin, an American display company, is also part of this effort. Samsung Display acquired eMagin in the US last year for $218 million (around KRW 290.9 billion).”
Samsung Display is trying to attract talent from local universities for the Micro OLED segment. This is the second time that Choi has personally given a lecture at the university. In November 2023, he gave a special lecture at Seoul National University, his alma mater, to attract talent.
