Samsung Display Progresses Toward Mass Production of 8.6 Generation OLED with Yields Reaching 80 Percent for Apple MacBook Pro Supply
Samsung Display appears to be moving into a strong position for the upcoming shift in the laptop market. Reports from the industry on the 22nd suggest that the company has reached a yield of over 70 percent at its 8.6 generation OLED site in Asan. This suggests that the preparations for mass production in the summer months are moving along without major hits to the schedule.
A source who knows the situation mentioned that the trial runs actually moved closer to 80 percent recently. This is a positive sign for the company. Lee Chung who is the President of Samsung Display also shared at a recent industry meeting that things are progressing well. He seems to believe that production will start normally as planned.
People in the display world use the term generation to describe the size of the glass sheets used to make panels. The 8.6 generation glass is quite a bit larger than the 6th generation glass that the industry uses today. In fact the surface area is more than double the size of the older standards.
This size difference is a big deal for productivity. While an older sheet could produce about 450 panels for a 14 inch laptop a single 8.6 generation sheet can produce 1000 panels. This jump in volume is likely to lower the cost of high end OLED screens significantly. It acts as a game changer by allowing more products to be made at a faster pace for a lower price.
The primary customer for these new screens appears to be Apple. Samsung is preparing to build 14 inch and 16 inch panels for the MacBook Pro as that line moves away from LCD technology. Experts believe that the initial order might be between 2 and 3 million units and Samsung is expected to handle the entire supply.
These panels are not standard mobile screens. They utilize a two stack tandem structure which helps with brightness and how long the screen lasts. They also use a hybrid substrate which combines glass and thin film layers alongside oxide thin film transistors. These features are likely chosen to meet the high standards Apple sets for its pro laptops.
On the other hand the Chinese manufacturer BOE seems to be facing some hurdles. Even though they wanted to be the first to start mass production it appears their schedule is slipping. There are reports that the panels have not reached the right standards for things like response speed yet.
Because of these technical issues it is likely that their original May target will not be met. While BOE has secured partners like Acer and Asus for 14 inch laptop screens they might have to wait a bit longer to start shipping in high volumes. This gives Samsung a clear lead in the market for the next generation of laptop displays.
