India's display fab debate: Micro-OLED vs LCD and OLED

Meity mulls using micro-OLED tech for 1st display fab plant

- SURAJEET DAS GUPTA

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (Meity) is considering state-of-the-art micro-organic light emitting diode (micro-OLED) technology (tech) as an option for the country's first display fabrication (fab) plant.

The new tech provides extremely high resolution, uses very small and thin panels, delivers greater brightness, and is more power-efficient than both OLED and liquid crystal display (LCD). It is already being deployed in the fast-growing augmented reality, virtual reality (VR), and extended reality handset market (such as Apple Vision Pro and Meta VR), as well as in military and aviation viewfinders, high-end cameras, and other specialized devices.

However, a raging debate has emerged among stakeholders (original equipment manufacturers and electronic manufacturing services/EMS companies), many of whom are pushing for LCD tech.

They argue it is widely available, affordable, and that demand in India will remain strong. An LCD-powered display fab could cost $2 billion to $3 billion.