Samsung Display Promotes Acquisition of Micro OLED Manufacturer eMagin, Targeting the Military XR Market
According to the Electronic Times, Samsung Display (SDC) plans to acquire all shares of eMagin, a US Micro OLED manufacturer, by the end of 2023. If everything goes smoothly, this move will win Samsung Display a ticket to enter the military extended reality (XR) device market.
According to Asia in South Korea, Samsung plans to acquire eMagin and enter the military XR equipment market. EMagin has exclusive RGB OLEDoS technology in the United States, mainly used in its defense business. If Samsung can obtain this technology, it will provide a way for it to enter the defense field.
OLEDoS uses silicon wafers instead of glass substrates for OLED deposition, making it suitable for XR devices. Traditionally, this involves placing white light organic material components on silicon wafers and then covering them with RGB filters. EMagin has the technology of omitting color filters and directly projecting RGB color imaging.
At the end of 2022, Samsung Display established a new RGB OLEDoS panel research and development team. It is expected to complete the construction of the sample product line in 2023 and establish a mass production system in 2024. In May 2023, Samsung announced its decision to acquire struggling eMagin for $218 million. The company is currently awaiting approval and is expected to acquire eMagin by the end of 2023.
The acquisition of eMagin can accelerate the development progress of Samsung's OLEDoS display panel. Following Apple's release of the Vision Pro head display in June this year, Samsung Electronics is also accelerating the launch of its XR device. If Samsung Display can achieve stable production of OLEDoS panels, it can complete more customer orders.
Samsung recently stated that if XR devices can be widely popularized in the market, they can bring significant changes to our daily lives, even more significantly than smartphones. In addition, as eMrgin's main revenue comes from its defense business, the acquisition allows Samsung Display to enter this new field.
The panels produced through eMagin's RGB OLEDoS technology can withstand polar climate and vibration, displaying stable and accurate images in various environments. These panels have received high praise in military applications. According to eMagin's 2022 operational report, 74% of its revenue is related to the military sector, an increase from 66% in 2021. Other income sectors include industry and healthcare (13%), miscellaneous (12%), and consumption (1%).
EMagin's military products include flight helmets, weapon aiming systems, night vision goggles, head mounted displays (HMDs), simulation devices, and more. These products are lightweight and energy-efficient, showcasing high resolution in small-scale displays. However, due to the small scale and limited equipment of eMagin, large-scale production cannot be achieved in the short term. In the future, with Samsung's large-scale production technology, eMagin will be able to expand its business faster.
In addition to companies such as Apple, Meta, and Sony, the US defense department is also developing OLEDoS for mass production of military imaging devices. The US Army has promoted the procurement of head display devices using Microsoft HoloLens technology. In June 2023, Apple acquired Mira, a startup that sells AR equipment to the US Air Force and Navy, paving the way for its entry into the military market.
According to Asia in South Korea, Samsung plans to acquire eMagin and enter the military XR equipment market. EMagin has exclusive RGB OLEDoS technology in the United States, mainly used in its defense business. If Samsung can obtain this technology, it will provide a way for it to enter the defense field.
OLEDoS uses silicon wafers instead of glass substrates for OLED deposition, making it suitable for XR devices. Traditionally, this involves placing white light organic material components on silicon wafers and then covering them with RGB filters. EMagin has the technology of omitting color filters and directly projecting RGB color imaging.
At the end of 2022, Samsung Display established a new RGB OLEDoS panel research and development team. It is expected to complete the construction of the sample product line in 2023 and establish a mass production system in 2024. In May 2023, Samsung announced its decision to acquire struggling eMagin for $218 million. The company is currently awaiting approval and is expected to acquire eMagin by the end of 2023.
The acquisition of eMagin can accelerate the development progress of Samsung's OLEDoS display panel. Following Apple's release of the Vision Pro head display in June this year, Samsung Electronics is also accelerating the launch of its XR device. If Samsung Display can achieve stable production of OLEDoS panels, it can complete more customer orders.
Samsung recently stated that if XR devices can be widely popularized in the market, they can bring significant changes to our daily lives, even more significantly than smartphones. In addition, as eMrgin's main revenue comes from its defense business, the acquisition allows Samsung Display to enter this new field.
The panels produced through eMagin's RGB OLEDoS technology can withstand polar climate and vibration, displaying stable and accurate images in various environments. These panels have received high praise in military applications. According to eMagin's 2022 operational report, 74% of its revenue is related to the military sector, an increase from 66% in 2021. Other income sectors include industry and healthcare (13%), miscellaneous (12%), and consumption (1%).
EMagin's military products include flight helmets, weapon aiming systems, night vision goggles, head mounted displays (HMDs), simulation devices, and more. These products are lightweight and energy-efficient, showcasing high resolution in small-scale displays. However, due to the small scale and limited equipment of eMagin, large-scale production cannot be achieved in the short term. In the future, with Samsung's large-scale production technology, eMagin will be able to expand its business faster.
In addition to companies such as Apple, Meta, and Sony, the US defense department is also developing OLEDoS for mass production of military imaging devices. The US Army has promoted the procurement of head display devices using Microsoft HoloLens technology. In June 2023, Apple acquired Mira, a startup that sells AR equipment to the US Air Force and Navy, paving the way for its entry into the military market.