Wearable device market pushes new display manufacturers to grab big orders

For some time, apart from LCD, almost all other display technologies have no chance of large-scale commercial development. For example, although PDP (plasma, called plasma in Taiwan) is suitable for large-size manufacturing and dark playback, the price of large-size LCD is too low, forcing most PDP factories to close, such as Hitachi and Pioneer, leaving only Samsung, Panasonic and other companies to support.

　　Smartwatch panels need to be visible even in sunlight, creating market demand for new displays (Photo: MetaWatch)

　　OLED is similar, it is not easy to scale up, Sony tried to promote OLED TV but failed due to the high price. Other technologies are similar, the low price of Netbook made the Pixel Qi panel used by OLPC unpopular (although ASUS Eee Note also used it), and the popularity of Pad products also made it impossible for EPD (E Paper Display) to expand further, so that the display technology has always been dominated by standard LCD.

　　In addition, micro-projection technology has been limited in its development. There have been attempts to launch handheld projectors, or to embed them in Netbooks and mobile phones, but none of them have been able to achieve incremental development. There have also been hopes of using them in automotive electronics, projecting them onto car windows, but the response has also been limited. Qualcomm's MEMS display technology Mirasol is also not suitable for large-size display technology. The technology has been demonstrated time and again, but its actual use in mass-produced products is almost non-existent.

　　OLED and Transflective LCD

　　However, with the rise of wearable electronics, the situation seems to have changed. Sony's first-generation smart watch, LiveView, used a color OLED display, but the second generation switched back to LCD. Although it was switched back to LCD, it was not a standard LCD, but a semi-reflective, semi-transmissive LCD similar to Pixel Qi. Another smart watch that failed to be mass-produced, WIMM One (its development team, WIMM Labs, has been acquired by Google), also used similar technology.

　　In addition, the Galaxy Gear smartwatch released by Samsung at IFA 2013 also uses color OLED. The smartwatches of MetaWatch and Martian also use monochrome OLED. The reason for using OLED is simple: self-luminous displays are more energy-efficient than passive LCDs, and have saturated colors and a wide viewing angle.

　　The special semi-reflective, semi-transmissive LCD display is suitable for viewing in sunlight. Smart watches are much more likely to be viewed outdoors than smartphones, so special designs are necessary.

　　Memory LCD and EPD

　　In addition, MetaWatch's new smartwatch and Pebble's smartwatch both use SHARP's Memory LCD, which is also a special type of LCD. The disadvantage is that it is only monochrome, but the advantage is that each display pixel is equipped with a one-bit memory to remember the displayed content. In this way, even if the display is displayed for a long time, it will not consume too much power. After all, the space in a watch is limited, and the battery capacity is about 100mAh~500mAh, which cannot be compared with mobile phones and laptops.

　　As for EPD, at COMPUTEX 2013, E Ink Technology also cooperated with North Star Technology to announce the joint development of smart watches using E Ink electronic paper displays. Since North Star Technology has previously developed electronic auxiliary devices for golf, such as GPS watches, it has expanded its products into smart watches.

　　Mirasol and micro-projection

　　Qualcomm's exclusive display technology Mirasol is also used in the Toq smartwatch released by Qualcomm. According to current industry observations, many system vendors are reluctant to adopt Mirasol because they are concerned about supply issues as Mirasol is Qualcomm's exclusive technology. It is estimated that Qualcomm will consider opening up technology licensing to allow multiple companies to produce and supply Mirasol.

　　In addition to smart watches, micro-projection technology has also found its place in Google Glass. Google Glass uses Himax's micro-projector, but the technology comes from 3M. Currently, the three major micro-projection technology companies are Microvision, TI, and 3M. Among them, 3M's LCoS technology has the lowest implementation cost. Google is optimistic about the subsequent development and has invested in Himax and obtained a board seat.

　　Shocking news from Taiwan's LCD factory

　　Finally, the emergence of these emerging display technologies is actually a warning to Taiwanese manufacturers. Facing technological competition from Japan and South Korea, Taiwan's LCD panels are mainly small and medium-sized. Small and medium-sized panels have many application types, including digital cameras, mobile phones, walkmans, car electronics, pocket TVs, etc., and large sizes are not just for TVs. If Taiwanese manufacturers believe that with the rise of smart watches, small and medium-sized LCDs can also enter the market, it may not be as expected. At most, low-priced, copycat, and local smart watch manufacturers will prefer standard LCDs.

　　Taiwan is obviously lacking in the layout of emerging displays. Himax Technologies is also in the hands of others. Although E Ink is its own technology, it is less used in smart watches than OLED, Memory LCD and other technologies. Pixel Qi technology is also a collaboration between Pixel Qi and Chi Mei (Innolux). Therefore, if the wearable electronics market takes off, Taiwanese manufacturers will still be mostly assembly and OEM, and it is doubtful whether they can get a big share of the pie.