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Diagram showing the series connection of nanowires in Aledia's FlexiNova Micro LED for 6V operation.

Aledia takes another major step forward in micro-LED technology

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Aledia has announced the commercial launch of FlexiNova, the first patented high-voltage micro-LED platform. According to the company’s announcement, this platform enables the implementation of high-performance displays using smaller chips. Supported by CEA-Leti and France’s 2030 program, FlexiNova signifies the transition from the technical feasibility stage of micro-LEDs to the industrial production stage.

The industry’s first 3D nanowire-based micro-LED operating at 6V has been manufactured on a 200mm silicon wafer, demonstrating the maturity of silicon micro-LED mass production technology. Felix Marschall, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer at Aledia, stated, “FlexiNova transforms micro-LEDs from a technological promise into a scalable industrial reality.” The company emphasized that its FlexiNova platform can resolve industrial bottlenecks by supporting all voltages and chip sizes while maintaining stable, high luminous efficiency. The 6V operating principle of this device, as illustrated in the figure, consists of a structure connecting two nanowire blocks in series. The initial demo device was showcased at CES 2026, and the company announced that initial sample deliveries to major industrial players in the field have already been completed.

Aledia's 6V FlexiNova Micro LEDs assembled and operating on a 400µm pitch backplane

Aledia’s 6V FlexiNova Micro LEDs assembled and operating on a 400µm pitch backplane. (Source: Aledia)

Technical structure of FlexiNova achieving industry-first 6V high-voltage operation by connecting two nanowire blocks in series

Technical structure of FlexiNova achieving industry-first 6V high-voltage operation by connecting two nanowire blocks in series. (Source: Aledia)

FlexiNova manufacturing process on 200mm wafers, demonstrating the maturity of silicon Micro LED mass production technology

FlexiNova manufacturing process on 200mm wafers, demonstrating the maturity of silicon Micro LED mass production technology. (Source: Aledia)

According to UBI Research, Aledia is a French company possessing 3D WireLEDTM technology, with its core focus being Gan-on-Silicon 3D Nanowire LED technology on 200-300 mm wafers. In collaboration with Belgium’s QustomDot, it has combined nanowire LED and quantum dot color conversion technology to develop a full-color Micro-LED display. Aledia’s technology could serve as an alternative solution to address the steep efficiency decline issue faced by existing AlInGaP (red) based devices in ultra-small (2-3µm) pixels for future AR/VR applications. At the Touch Taiwan 2024 exhibition, Aledia showcased a display device using QD color conversion on a 1.5µm blue Micro-LED. For the 1.5µm blue chip device, Aledia announced an external quantum efficiency (EQE) exceeding 32%. At CES, Aledia presented its single-chip integrated RGB micro-display technology developed for augmented reality glasses.

Namdeog Kim, Senior Analyst at UBI Research (ndkim@ubiresearch.com)

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CYVISION 3D AR-HUD augmented reality display projected onto a road, showing a bright red "NO ENTRY" warning sign and lane guidance.

As Level 3 Autonomous Driving Expands, AR-HUD and DMS Emerge as Core Pillars of “Safe Takeover”

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As the industry moves from Level 2 driver assistance to Level 3 (L3, conditional automation), the role of in-vehicle displays is rapidly shifting from convenience and infotainment toward safety-critical HMI (human–machine interface). In L3, the vehicle performs the driving task within a defined ODD (operational design domain), but the driver must retake control when the system requests a takeover. What the driver is told, when they are told it, and how clearly it is communicated during this takeover window directly affects safety. As a result, both the display systems that deliver these messages and DMS (driver monitoring systems) that verify driver readiness are becoming increasingly important.

Summary table of Level 3 autonomous driving deployment status and plans by major automakers

Roadmap for Level 3 autonomous driving deployment by Hyundai, Kia, and Sony Honda Mobility, accelerating from 2026. (Source: UBI Research)

L3 commercialization has already begun, but most deployments operate under strict constraints such as geofencing (limited to specific road sections), speed caps, and restrictions related to road type, weather, and traffic conditions. Consequently, the perceived quality of L3 depends not only on autonomous driving performance itself, but also on how clearly the system communicates when L3 is available, why it becomes unavailable, and when a takeover is required. L3 cannot be completed by driving algorithms alone; information architecture that enables drivers to instantly understand system status, limitations, and takeover requests is emerging as a core success factor.

From this perspective, AR-HUD (augmented reality head-up display) is one of the most intuitive ways to communicate takeover requests and hazard context. Because drivers may be disengaged from the driving task during L3 operation, relying only on a cluster or center display can delay attention recovery and situational awareness. AR-HUD can reinforce takeover requests by overlaying guidance directly in the driver’s forward field of view, while spatially aligning hazards such as construction zones, blocked lanes, or stopped vehicles to help the driver quickly understand not only that a takeover is needed, but also why. As L3 expands to broader and more complex scenarios, AR-HUD requirements become more stringent, including high luminance for daytime readability, low latency, stable registration to minimize drift, and consistent optical performance across different driver heights and seating positions. In effect, AR-HUD is moving beyond a convenience feature toward a safety-grade display interface.

CYVISION's 3D AR-HUD intuitively displaying driving paths and hazard warnings (NO ENTRY) on the road

AR-HUD technology demo intuitively conveying hazard situations to the driver during Level 3 control handover. (Source: CYVISION)

DMS functions as a safety layer that determines whether the driver is in a condition to execute a takeover request in L3. While the driver can delegate the driving task to the system in L3, they must still be able to take over within a defined time window when requested. This requires verification that the driver is awake and capable of perceiving the road environment. DMS assesses driver availability using signals such as gaze direction, eyelid behavior, head pose, and distraction indicators. If the driver is not attentive, takeover requests may be issued earlier and escalated more aggressively. If the driver fails to respond, an additional safety scenario is designed to transition toward a minimum risk maneuver (MRM). For these reasons, DMS is becoming a key component that completes the functional safety logic of L3 beyond mere regulatory compliance. Alert delivery is also being reinforced through multi-channel redundancy, combining the cluster, center display, and AR-HUD with audio, haptics, and ambient lighting.

At CES 2026, this trend was further illustrated through the convergence of DMS and display technology. LG Display showcased an Under-Display Camera (UDC) concept for DMS implementation, presenting a direction in which the camera is placed beneath the display to enable driver monitoring while maintaining a seamless cockpit design. In particular, applying UDC to an OLED cluster could integrate driver gaze and attention monitoring without visually exposing the camera module, offering a solution that supports both minimalist interior design trends and rising safety requirements.

LG Display's OLED Cluster with Under Display Camera (UDC) and DMS features unveiled at CES 2026

LG Display’s UDC technology secures both seamless design and Driver Monitoring System (DMS) by embedding the camera under the display. (Source: LG Display)

Changwook Han, Executive Vice President at UBI Research, emphasized that the transition to L3 elevates display performance into a part of system safety performance. He noted that cockpit displays must be engineered not as infotainment devices but as safety systems, encompassing safety-message prioritization, deterministic and predictable behavior, cybersecurity, and graceful degradation under failures. He also added that L3 competitiveness is not determined solely by how long a vehicle can drive itself, but by how accurately it guides the driver, prepares them, and enables a safe and reliable takeover when responsibility is handed back. In this context, if AR-HUD serves as the front-facing interface that delivers takeover messages most rapidly, DMS becomes the essential safety element that validates driver readiness to execute those messages, and the combination of UDC-based DMS with an OLED cluster presented at CES 2026 symbolically demonstrates the direction of L3 cockpit evolution.

Changwook Han, Executive Vice President/Analyst at UBI Research (cwhan@ubiresearch.com)

▶2025 Automotive Display Technology and Industry Trends Analysis Report

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Concept illustration of next-generation AR glasses featuring advanced waveguide and dimming lens technology.

The Evolution of Optical Technologies for AR Glasses at CES 2026… Next-Generation Displays, Emphasis on Stabilizing the Component Supply Chain and Optical Solutions

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At CES 2026, next-generation optics technologies capable of bringing significant change to the AR glasses industry were unveiled. Moving beyond the display competition that previously focused on image quality and brightness, optics technology—which determines wearability akin to actual eyeglasses and outdoor usability—is now emerging as the new battleground. The convergence of ‘Waveguide’ technology and ‘Smart Dimming’ technology to realize true daily AR glasses is drawing attention.

The AR optics market is led by ‘Birdbath’, which boasts high light efficiency (around 20%) and the best compatibility with OLEDoS, and ‘Waveguide’, which achieves the thinnest profile most similar to glasses when applied to LCoS/LEDoS. Until now, while waveguides could achieve a perfect form factor, their low light efficiency (around 1%) caused blurry outdoor displays, limiting their use primarily to text-focused smart glasses.

At CES 2026, LUMUS announced its new product ‘ZOE’, featuring proprietary geometric waveguide technology. ZOE expands the field of view (FOV) beyond the previous 30-degree limit to over 70 degrees. This enables immersion beyond simple text notifications, allowing for video viewing and multitasking. Notably, LUMUS improved upon the inherent issues of conventional diffractive waveguides—specifically ‘color uniformity degradation’ and ‘low efficiency’—through its geometric reflective structure design.

Manufacturing process of LUMUS's next-generation reflective waveguide lenses

Manufacturing process of LUMUS’s proprietary reflective (geometric) waveguide lenses, achieving over 70-degree FOV. (Source: LUMUS)

Of course, the drop in optical efficiency when implementing a 70-degree ultra-wide angle remains a challenge. To address this, the industry is adopting ‘Dimming Lenses’ as a solution. Instead of simply increasing the panel’s brightness, these lenses block external light to enhance the contrast ratio. At CES 2026, dimming lens technologies were showcased, including Optiple’s ultra-fast LC film with a 0.1-second response time and Povec’s electrochromic technology, which now offers a 1-second response time while maintaining natural color transitions. Even if the dimming lens blocks only half of the external light, it can save 20-40% of the energy the display needs to consume.

For the long-term development of smart AR glasses with high viewing angles and immersive visuals, the development of next-generation optical systems must proceed in parallel. These include Freeform Prism Combiner, Birdbath Slim, Pin Mirror, and Holographic methods, which offer high light efficiency, low loss, and lightweight capabilities.

According to UBI Research’s analysis, the solution to the display technology competition surrounding OLEDoS, LEDoS, and LCoS lies in convergence with optical technology, coupled with stabilizing the supporting material and component supply chain and enhancing core technological capabilities. This is because even innovative optical solutions like high-efficiency waveguides cannot fully realize their potential without high-performance materials and a robust component ecosystem. Market supremacy will now be determined not by mere panel specifications, but by who first secures the ultra-competitive technological edge achieved through the perfect trinity of ‘panel-optics-materials’.

Future concept image of next-generation AR glass optical technology presented at CES 2026

Future concept of next-generation AR glasses where panel, optics, and material technologies are perfectly fused. (Created by Gemini)

Changho Noh,  Senior Analyst at UBI Research (chnoh@ubiresearch.com)

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Tianma SLOD device showing 96% BT.2020 coverage at CES 2026.

Chinese panel companies increasingly adopting tandem structure/PSF-based OLED technology for smartphones

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The focus of smartphone OLED technology development is shifting from resolution and driving technology to attempts to simultaneously apply new light-emitting materials and tandem stack (layered) architectures. Recently, Chinese panel companies like Tianma, BOE, and Visionox have successively unveiled next-generation OLED technologies combining PSF (Phosphor-Sensitized Fluorescence) series emitting materials—a fourth-generation OLED technology—with tandem structures at major exhibition stages such as CES 2026 and Display Week 2025. These technologies collectively aim to achieve ultra-wide color gamut, high brightness, and improved power efficiency.

At CES 2026, Tianma demonstrated its NFT (New Fluorescence Technology) and SLOD (Stacked Layer OLED Device) concepts applying PSF principles. NFT enhances energy transfer efficiency while maintaining the color purity of fluorescence-based emitting materials. Combined with the SLOD structure, it emphasizes optimizing low-voltage CGL (Charge Generation Layer) and emitting unit designs. According to Tianma’s explanation, SLOD technology is closer to a direction of boosting efficiency by co-designing the light-emitting material–CGL–stack structure, rather than simply expanding the stacking of layers in a Tandem structure.

Tianma's SLOD and 96% BT.2020 Coverage Device displayed at CES 2026

Tianma showcases its SLOD (Stacked Layer OLED Device) achieving 96% BT.2020 color coverage at CES 2026. (Source: Tianma)

BOE exhibited a smartphone OLED solution at Display Week 2025 that combines a Tandem (2-stack) structure with COE (Color filter on Encapsulation) on PSF-based light-emitting materials. BOE demonstrated a direction to achieve a color gamut approaching BT.2020 through spectrum width reduction (FWHM reduction) and peak coordinate shift, while simultaneously improving efficiency and lifespan by lowering current density at the same luminance through the Tandem structure. This is evaluated as an example proposing the light-emitting material, structure, and optical elements as a single integrated package. Meanwhile, Huawei officially announced the Mate 80 RS, featuring BOE’s PSF-based light-emitting material combined with a Tandem (2-stack) structure, in late November 2025, with sequential launches beginning in late November. The industry notes that this timing marks the beginning of ‘Tandem OLED + BT.2020’ specifications being applied to actual flagship products. This is interpreted as a case where the commercialization of technology combining high-color-purity new light-emitting materials (PSF/TADF/pTSF series) with Tandem architecture is spreading in earnest.

Visionox also officially declared the mass production success of pTSF (Phosphor-assisted Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescence Sensitized Fluorescence), its fourth-generation OLED light-emitting technology, at a technology forum jointly held with Tsinghua University in December 2025.

According to UBI Research’s analysis, applying next-generation high-color-purity emitting materials and tandem structures in smartphones is evaluated as a powerful means to mitigate OLED’s physical limitations. However, expanding layered structures and introducing new materials may lead to increased costs, yield management challenges, and greater difficulty in driving and calibration. There is also the possibility that ultra-wide color gamut and ultra-high brightness could become excessive specifications relative to the average user’s perceived experience. The industry views the recent trend not as a complete shift, but rather as a phase where certain technologies are entering mass production and being selectively adopted.

Changho Noh,  Senior Analyst at UBI Research (chnoh@ubiresearch.com)

▶2025-2026 Beyond Mobile: IT OLED Technology and Industry Analysis Report

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LG Display's Dual View technology allowing different content for driver and passenger, symbolizing the shift to cockpit platforms.

CES 2026: The Evolution of Automotive Displays, Beyond Screens to Platforms

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On January 6, CES 2026 officially opened in Las Vegas, the United States. At this year’s exhibition, automotive displays clearly demonstrated their evolution beyond simple information panels into core interfaces that integrate and intelligently orchestrate the in-vehicle experience. Alongside advances in OLED, Micro LED, and Mini LED technologies, innovations in form factors, transparency, and AI-driven interaction converged to define the future direction of the smart cockpit.

Korean companies highlighted their technological competitiveness by focusing on ultra-large displays, form flexibility, and differentiated user experiences. LG Display redefined the vehicle interior as a continuous digital space by showcasing its pillar-to-pillar (P2P) OLED display extending from the driver’s side to the passenger side. The single-panel P2P OLED, reaching up to 51 inches, delivers high resolution and excellent touch sensitivity while addressing concerns over image quality degradation in large-format displays. LG Display also unveiled a sliding OLED concept that can retract into the dashboard, presenting a cockpit vision in which screen size and function adapt dynamically to driving conditions. In addition, automotive OLEDs incorporating under-display camera (UDC) technology and Dual View functionality emphasized a direction in which a single screen can provide different information simultaneously to the driver and the passenger.

LG Display's 12-inch UDC IR OLED Cluster and Dual View Display showing different content to driver and co-driver

LG Display’s Dual View technology providing different information to driver and co-driver, featured with UDC cluster. (Source: LGD)

LG Electronics showcased applications of transparent OLED based on LG Display’s panel technology, presenting the potential of “invisible interfaces” in automotive displays. Transparent OLED technology enables both open visibility and information display, demonstrating its potential expansion into future applications such as HUDs, panoramic displays, and in-vehicle and vehicle-to-outside communication.

LG Electronics' Transparent OLED Windscreen and Side-Window display concept for vehicles

LG Electronics’ Transparent OLED Windscreen and Side-Window solutions displaying info while maintaining openness. (Source: LGE)

Samsung Display also emphasized spatial efficiency and installation flexibility through layout-adaptive automotive OLED solutions. Its 18.1-inch “Flexible L” center information display can be bent into an L-shape to conform to dashboard structures, while the 13.8-inch passenger information display (PID) can be hidden beneath the dashboard when the seat is unoccupied, enhancing space utilization. Samsung Display further highlighted the integration of a robust OLED panel with a 500R curvature on a glass substrate, achieving both visual sophistication and ease of installation.

Chinese companies placed strong emphasis on ultra-large integrated displays and advanced HUD technologies, showcasing their system-level integration capabilities alongside aggressive performance specifications. BOE introduced its HERO 2.0 smart cockpit, emphasizing scenario-based in-vehicle experiences centered on displays. The Micro LED PHUD panoramic head-up display, delivering up to 50,000 nits of brightness, ensures high visibility even under strong ambient light and integrates AI-based voice and gesture recognition to further enhance cockpit intelligence. HERO 2.0, which also includes a 15.6-inch UB Cell central display, an AI audio system, and an integrated digital broadcasting function, clearly illustrates BOE’s strategy of transforming vehicles from transportation tools into living spaces. At the same time, BOE highlighted low-power IGZO oxide displays and carbon-reduction achievements, reinforcing its commitment to environmentally sustainable manufacturing.

Demo of BOE's HERO 2.0 Smart Cockpit featuring Micro LED Panoramic HUD

BOE demonstrating the HERO 2.0 Smart Cockpit with a 50,000-nit Micro LED Panoramic HUD. (Source: BOE)

TCL CSOT made a strong impression with its 28-inch inkjet-printed OLED applied to a sliding center console and curved armrest, demonstrating notable innovation in form factor design. At its booth, TCL CSOT also conducted live demonstrations of a projection-based HUD (P-HUD). The HVA Ultra P-HUD projects information onto the vehicle’s front windshield using a multi-LCD projection structure, positioning itself as either a replacement for or a complement to conventional dashboard displays. This demonstrated TCL’s strategy of pursuing cockpit integration not only through large OLED panels but also through HUD solutions.

HVA Ultra P-HUD (Panoramic HUD) projection demo displayed at TCL CSOT booth

TCL CSOT’s Panoramic HUD solution projecting info on the windshield to replace dashboards. (Source: TCL CSOT)

Tianma presented a next-generation cockpit centered on a 49.6-inch C-shaped panoramic display positioned as an information hub, integrating the instrument cluster, center display, passenger display, and side-mirror areas into a single visual architecture. By leveraging more than 210,000 independent dimming units to achieve a 100,000:1 contrast ratio and suppressing reflectance to below 0.55 percent, Tianma emphasized both readability and safety in ultra-large displays. The company’s multi-screen ecosystem, including a 43.7-inch IRIS PHUD panoramic display, a flexible pull-out display, and a small OLED integrated into the steering wheel, highlighted its strengthening capabilities in system-level cockpit design. Visionox also showcased a dynamic bending display using dual flexible AMOLED panels, presenting an approach that simultaneously improves the stowability and visibility of large screens.

Tianma's 43.7-inch IRIS Panoramic HUD and integrated cockpit display revealed at CES 2026

Tianma’s next-gen cockpit and Panoramic HUD system integrating instrument cluster and center display. (Source: Tianma)

Taiwanese companies pursued differentiation through transparent displays and system integration. AUO, through its subsidiary AUO Mobility Solutions, showcased transparent Micro LED displays, INVISY stealth displays, and an AI-based cockpit domain control platform, defining displays as core nodes connected to vehicle computing systems. The integration with a glass-substrate satellite antenna suggested a future in which automotive displays are directly linked to external networks. Innolux emphasized integrated cockpit solutions combining visual and audio technologies through collaboration with CARUX and Pioneer, and unveiled an ultra-high-brightness Micro LED HUD delivering 50,000 nits of direct brightness and 10,000 nits in reflected image brightness, highlighting stable HUD performance even under extreme conditions.

AUO's automotive Transparent Micro LED display showcased at CES 2026

AUO’s Transparent Micro LED display presented as a key node connecting vehicles with external networks. (Source: AUO)

From the automaker perspective, the direction of change was equally clear. BMW presented a panoramic HUD concept for its next-generation iX3, proposing a future HUD architecture that utilizes the entire windshield as an information interface and emphasizing tighter integration between display technology and vehicle design.

BMW iDrive Surround View System and Panoramic HUD concept demonstrated at the booth

BMW’s futuristic Panoramic HUD and iDrive system utilizing the entire windshield as an information interface. (Source: BMW)

Commenting on the automotive display trends observed at CES 2026, Changwook Han, Executive Vice President at UBI Research, stated, “Automotive displays have entered a phase of cockpit platform competition, where form factors, systems, AI, and content converge, rather than remaining a field of individual component competition.” He added, “The advancement toward ultra-large displays, transparency, and sophisticated HUDs will ultimately serve as key indicators of how deeply display makers can engage in shaping the user experience of automakers.”

Changwook Han, Executive Vice President/Analyst at UBI Research (cwhan@ubiresearch.com)

▶2025 Automotive Display Technology and Industry Trends Analysis Report

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Table comparing TCL's SQD-Mini LED technology with RGB Mini LED displays from Samsung and Hisense.

TCL defines SQD(Super Quantum Dot )-Mini LED as its flagship at CES 2026

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At CES 2026, while Samsung Electronics and Hisense positioned RGB Mini LED as the top tier of their existing QLED lineup, TCL presented a diametrically opposed strategy, placing Super Quantum Dot (SQD)—an evolution of QD technology—at the core of its flagship offerings. This signals a shift in the competition within the LCD-based ultra-large premium TV market, which is expected to expand around RGB backlighting. It also marks a stage where the role and status of QD are being redefined.

Specification comparison table of TCL SQD-Mini LED (X11L), Hisense RGB Mini LED (116UX), and Samsung Micro RGB TV (130")

Comparison of TCL’s SQD-Mini LED flagship strategy against RGB approaches from Samsung and Hisense at CES 2026. (Source: UBI Research)

TCL’s decision to showcase SQD-Mini LED as its flagship at CES 2026 reveals an intent to redefine the very concept of QD. Whereas QD was primarily perceived as a “material that expands color gamut,” TCL has repositioned Super Quantum Dot (SQD) as the core technology responsible for ‘color purity and control stability’ as QD evolves toward high brightness and ultra-high zone-count local dimming.

As Mini LED TVs evolve with ultra-high zone-count local dimming and ultra-high brightness, phenomena like color blooming/color crosstalk at high-brightness boundaries become more sensitive, not just simple brightness bleed (halo). TCL has prioritized addressing this issue in its flagship models, proposing a solution combining SQD (High-Purity QD) + filter + color purity algorithms.

TCL positioned SQD-Mini LED not as a new technology, but as an extension of the Halo Control System introduced at CES 2025. At CES 2025, TCL defined Halo not as a single backlight issue, but as a systemic challenge requiring a holistic solution encompassing optical distance (OD), drive timing, backlight control precision, local dimming algorithms, and panel characteristics. The key change at CES 2026 is that while maintaining this framework, the flagship’s problem definition has been expanded to a dual challenge of “brightness blooming + color blooming.”

Diagram of TCL's Halo Control System technology designed to manage light bleeding and color blooming

TCL’s Halo Control System addresses picture quality issues by integrating backlight control with advanced optical structures. (Source: TCL)

What’s interesting is that TCL didn’t deny the RGB trend itself. TCL positioned RGB Mini LED as a high-end lineup beneath its flagship SQD-Mini LED. This approach directly impacts consumer experience. High-end TV buyers care not only about the impact of ‘peak moments’ but are more dissatisfied when quality falters during specific content (subtitles, night scenes, high-contrast edges, fast-moving sports/gaming scenes). TCL’s decision to anchor SQD in its flagship models is interpreted as a strategic choice to align with premium buyers’ psychology—prioritizing “minimum dissatisfaction” over “peak perceived quality.”

At CES 2026, LG Display emphasized that OLED TVs offer more stable control over light and color compared to LCD-based premium TVs. This highlights the awareness that as competition intensifies in high brightness and ultra-high zone-count local dimming, ‘consistency of control’ could emerge as the core premium value, surpassing ‘highest specs’.

The premium TV market is expected to evolve into a multi-front competition for some time, with RGB-based (LCD) models offering perceived impact, QD/SQD models emphasizing color purity and control stability, and OLED maintaining its self-emissive control advantage. Ultimately, the decisive factor will not be competition over single metrics (brightness, number of dimming zones), but rather how stably light and color are maintained across diverse content environments as experienced by consumers, thereby minimizing dissatisfaction risks.

Changho Noh,  Senior Analyst at UBI Research (chnoh@ubiresearch.com)

▶2025-2026 Beyond Mobile: IT OLED Technology and Industry Analysis Report

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CES 2026: The Evolution of RGB Mini LEDs and Manufacturer Strategies

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At CES 2026, RGB Mini LED emerged not as a single technology trend, but as a symbolic technology demonstrating the maturation of the premium TV market and the different approaches being adopted by each manufacturer. Amidst the existing competitive landscape centered on QD Mini LED and OLED, RGB Mini LED emerged as an attempt to go beyond the competition of “brightness and number of zones” and redesign the color production method and control structure itself. However, the significance of RGB Mini LED revealed at CES 2026 differed significantly across companies.

 

Samsung Electronics: Micro RGB Reshaping Neo QLED’s Flagship Position

Samsung Electronics redefined the pinnacle of its LCD premium strategy at CES 2026, highlighting its 130-inch Micro RGB TV. Micro RGB utilizes micrometer-sized RGB LEDs as backlights and employs a structure that independently controls R, G, and B. This approach differs from blue LED-based QD Mini LED (Neo QLED) in its color production method. Samsung’s Micro RGB is positioned not as a technology intended to directly replace OLED, but rather as a strategic technology to reclaim the ultra-large premium segment, where Neo QLED struggled to expand. Specifically, in the ultra-large market (100 inches and above), the company aims to redefine LCD’s strengths, such as high brightness potential and durability (avoiding burn-in concerns), as “ultra-premium,” while prioritizing color reproduction and control precision to reset the standard for the upper end of the premium market. Samsung has announced plans to focus on 130-inch displays, but expand to 55-, 65-, 75-, 85-, 100-, and 115-inch lineups by 2026, demonstrating its strategy to gradually expand Micro RGB beyond its flagship lineup.

Samsung Electronics' 130-inch Micro RGB TV unveiled at CES 2026

Samsung’s 130-inch Micro RGB TV, redefining the ultra-large premium market and positioning itself at the top of the Neo QLED lineup. (Source: Samsung Electronics)

LG Electronics: OLED for Flagship, Micro RGB evo for Ultra-Premium LCD

LG Electronics unveiled its RGB Mini LED under the name Micro RGB evo at CES 2026, revealing its strategy to further layer its premium TV portfolio. LG’s key strategy is to maintain the status of OLED. In other words, OLED remains the absolute flagship in terms of picture quality and brand symbolism, and the company defines Micro RGB evo not as a replacement technology for OLED, but as an “ultra-premium LCD” positioned between OLED and QNED (QD Mini LED-based premium LCD).

Micro RGB evo features LG’s α AI processor integrated into an RGB backlight-based LCD structure, enhancing color accuracy and tone reproduction. LG has emphasized “Triple 100% Color Coverage,” which 100% covers BT.2020, DCI-P3, and Adobe RGB. Unlike QD Mini LED, which has primarily competed on the basis of “brightness, local dimming, and price-to-performance ratio,” Micro RGB evo is seen as an attempt to redefine the premium upper echelon by emphasizing “color accuracy and control precision.” At CES 2026, LG unveiled 100-, 86-, and 75-inch product lines. This strategy aims to capture ultra-large and premium demand from LCD while maintaining OLED’s top-tier position. This strategy reorganizes its premium lineup into a three-tier structure: OLED (top-tier), Micro RGB evo (ultra-premium LCD), and QNED (QD Mini LED).

LG Electronics' 100-inch Micro RGB evo TV displayed at CES 2026

LG’s 100-inch Micro RGB evo TV, positioned as a ‘Super Premium LCD’ between OLED and QNED lines. (Source: LG Electronics)

Hisense: RGB Mini LED Built on QD Mini LED

Hisense further evolved its RGB Mini LED strategy at CES 2026. While CES 2025 showcased its technological direction with the debut of its RGB Mini LED TV, CES 2026 emphasized its position as a premium product with its improved second-generation RGB Mini LED. At this exhibition, Hisense showcased its 116-inch RGB Mini LED flagship (116UXS), once again highlighting “RGB backlight-based color control” as a key differentiating factor in its ultra-large premium lineup. Of particular note is the 4-subpixel (RGB+Cyan) backlight structure, which adds cyan to RGB. Hisense has adopted this approach to not only expand the color gamut but also further enhance color resolution and color control precision. This is interpreted as an evolved design that mitigates color boundary and fringing issues that can arise with existing RGB structures and maintains color purity even in ultra-high brightness ranges. Strategically, for Hisense, RGB Mini LED is not a replacement for QD Mini LED. QD Mini LED (U8/U9 series) remains the core technology responsible for sales volume and price competitiveness, while RGB Mini LED (including RGB+Cyan) serves as a symbolic flagship, targeting ultra-large, ultra-premium models.

Hisense's 116-inch 4-subpixel RGB Mini LED TV revealed at CES 2026

Hisense’s 116-inch flagship RGB Mini LED TV featuring RGB+Cyan structure for enhanced color control precision. (Source: Hisense)

TCL: RGB Mini LED as an “Optional High-End”, SQD Mini LED as the Top-of-the-Line

TCL showcased RGB Mini LED TVs at CES 2026, but did not promote it as its core flagship technology. TCL has adopted a strategy of maintaining SQD Mini LED as its top technology, while positioning RGB Mini LED as an optional complement to its high-end lineup. This approach appears to reflect an intention to moderate the adoption rate of RGB backlighting while acknowledging its potential, taking into account structural complexity, cost, and tuning difficulty.

In terms of RGB Mini LED products, TCL presented its lineup with the RM9L, a product line focused on ultra-large screens extending to 85, 98, and 115 inches. Furthermore, TCL emphasized high brightness (up to 9,000 nits) and high-zone (local dimming) configurations through RGB Mini LED, demonstrating its commitment to securing a presence in the ultra-large premium LCD market. However, RGB Mini LED is not the sole top-tier technology within TCL’s overall portfolio; rather, it serves as a complement to TCL’s flagship strategy, which focuses on SQD Mini LED.

TCL's lineup of 115, 98, and 85-inch RGB Mini LED TVs showcased at CES 2026

TCL’s RGB Mini LED TV lineup offered as a high-end option, supporting up to 9,000 nits brightness. (Source: TCL)

Shenzhen MIC: Entering the Premium Market with a 65-inch True RGB Mini LED

SMIC officially announced its entry into the premium TV market at CES 2026, unveiling a 65-inch RGB Mini LED TV. This product features a True RGB backlight, where the R, G, and B elements directly emit light, emphasizing its exceptional color purity, 100% satisfying the BT.2020 color gamut without a filter. Specifically, the company boasted that it simultaneously achieves a brightness of over 4,000 nits and OLED-level black expression through precise control via thousands of local dimming zones. Furthermore, the company emphasized durability, eliminating burn-in concerns due to the absence of organic materials. Furthermore, SMIC explained that its proprietary RGB-dedicated AI chipset optimizes image quality. SMIC plans to launch this model in the second half of 2026, fully targeting the premium TV market.

Comparison demo of 65-inch standard Mini LED (left) vs. True RGB Mini LED (right) at SMIC booth

SMIC’s 65-inch True RGB Mini LED comparison demo, achieving 100% BT.2020 without filters, signaling entry into the premium market. (Source: SMIC)

UBI Research Executive Vice President Changwook Han explained, “RGB Mini LED at CES 2026 is closer to an indicator of how far the premium TV market has come rather than a ‘next-generation TV technology.’ Mini LED has reached its limit of numerical expansion, and OLED is also having difficulty covering all segments. RGB Mini LED is the clearest example of how each company is redefining its portfolio in the meantime. Ultimately, RGB Mini LED at CES 2026 is most appropriately interpreted as a technological signal confirming that the premium TV market has entered a multi-strategy phase rather than a single evolutionary path, rather than declaring a new standard.”

Changwook Han, Executive Vice President/Analyst at UBI Research (cwhan@ubiresearch.com)

▶2025-2026 Beyond Mobile: IT OLED Technology and Industry Analysis Report

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[CES 2026] LG Electronics, 136 inch Micro LED TV

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[CES 2026] LG Electronics, A massive art installation Wireless Wallpaper TVs, ‘LG OLED Evo’

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[CES 2026] SAMSUNG, Panel Comparison for Writing Sensation

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Samsung 130-inch Micro RGB TV showcasing (a) Timeless Frame and (b) Layered Wall design concepts.

At CES 2026 Samsung Electronics’ Next-Generation Display Strategy Revealed

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Focus on Product Completeness and Premium Design

The display lineup unveiled by Samsung Electronics at CES 2026 focused on form factor innovation that considers usability in actual home and commercial environments, alongside the stabilization of next-generation panel technology. It is analyzed that Samsung Electronics has secured a level of completeness suitable for commercialization by supplementing technical challenges with mechanical engineering and design through its 130-inch Micro RGB TV, 140-inch Micro LED TV, and transparent Micro LED displays.

Targeting the B2C Market with Diversified Design Options: 130-inch Micro RGB TV

With this 130-inch Micro RGB TV, Samsung Electronics has solidified design choices tailored to the installation environment, going beyond just technical specifications. The two design concepts revealed at the Unpacked event present how this product can be applied to actual residential spaces.

First, the Timeless Frame is characterized by emphasizing frame elements so that the display is perceived as an independent piece of furniture (Object). On the other hand, the Layered Wall design is designed to provide a sense of unity, like architectural interior materials, by reducing the visual gap between the wall and the display. This appears to be a strategy to optimize hardware configurations to match consumers’ interior tastes and installation environments in the ultra-high-end display market.

Exhibition view of the 130-inch Micro RGB TV featuring (a) Timeless Frame and (b) Layered Wall designs (Source: Samsung Electronics)

Exhibition view of the 130-inch Micro RGB TV featuring (a) Timeless Frame and (b) Layered Wall designs (Source: Samsung Electronics)

Converting Structural Limitations of Modular Construction into Features: 140-inch Micro LED TV

The 140-inch Micro LED TV functionally reinterprets the structural characteristics inherent in modular (tile) displays. Typically, the tiling method of connecting multiple panels has the disadvantage of increased side thickness due to driver components and thermal design.

Samsung Electronics introduced a design that utilizes this side area as an extended display zone rather than leaving it as dead space. By utilizing it as an information bar that displays ambient light synchronized with the main screen or provides simple information such as video descriptions, they have reduced the visual burden caused by the thickness and increased hardware utility. This is an engineering solution that goes beyond simply hiding a disadvantage to converting it into a new user experience (UX).

Operational view of the side extension display area on Samsung's 140-inch Micro LED TV

The 140-inch Micro LED TV reinterprets modular thickness as an information display area, enhancing hardware utility. (Source: Samsung Electronics)

Securing Transparency to Enhance Spatial Value: Transparent Micro LED

The Transparent Micro LED display focused on delivering information while maintaining the openness of the space based on high transmittance characteristics.

Unlike conventional displays that block the view with a black screen when the power is turned off, the Transparent Micro LED sought harmony with the surrounding interior through a bezel-less design and high transparency. Samsung emphasized that this is a solution that can minimize visual obstruction and create a luxurious atmosphere in luxury residential spaces or high-end retail stores. This demonstrates that the display can function as an architectural and interior element beyond a simple output device.

Samsung Transparent Micro LED display demo at CES 2026 showing high transparency and information overlay

Transparent Micro LED display delivering information while maintaining spatial openness with high transparency and bezel-less design. (Source: Samsung Electronics)

Regarding this, UBI Research Analyst, Joohan Kim evaluated, “Samsung Electronics is focusing on securing a level of product completeness suitable for actual mass production rather than simply showing off Micro LED and Micro RGB technologies”.

He specifically assessed that “they have presented a concrete product roadmap capable of appealing to the premium consumer market by complementing physical hardware limitations, such as thickness or installation constraints, with design and mechanical engineering”.

Joohan Kim, Senior Analyst at UBI Research (joohanus@ubiresearch.com)

▶2025 Micro-LED Display Industry and Technology Trends Report

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[CES 2026] LG Electronics, 100-inch Micro RGB evo

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[CES 2026] LG Electronics, 77 inch Transparent OLED

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[CES 2026] LG Electronics, Hyper Radiant Color Tech_The Next OLED TV

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[CES 2026] SAMSUNG, 130-inch Micro RGB (Layered Wall Type)

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LG Display showing off its "Advanced New META" OLED technology with 4,500 nits brightness at CES 2026.

LG Display’s Two-Track Strategy for OLED TVs Presented at CES 2026, Simultaneous targeting of the premium market with leading-edge technology and the mass market with ‘Special Edition’ OLEDs

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At CES 2026, LG Display presented a so-called “two-track” approach for its OLED TV panel strategy. One track focuses on a premium strategy emphasizing top-tier image quality, while the other targets the mass market with Special Edition OLEDs that improve cost and power efficiency. Through comparative demonstrations at its invitation-only exhibition booth, LG Display emphasized that these two strategies are designed to address different market demands.

At the heart of the premium strategy is a next-generation OLED TV panel utilizing a 4-stack tandem WOLED structure with MLA (Micro Lens Array). LG Display achieved a peak brightness level of 4,500 nits with this structure and conducted a direct image quality comparison demonstration with an RGB Mini LED TV featuring approximately 3,000 dimming zones. The company explained that this comparison was not simply a competition of brightness figures, but rather intended to showcase the fundamental differences in color reproduction methods and dimming structures.

LG Display's world's first 4,500-nit Tandem WOLED TV panel unveiled at CES 2026

LG Display’s next-gen OLED TV achieves a world-first peak brightness of 4,500 nits, delivering superior premium picture quality. (Source: LG Display)

The demonstration highlighted that while RGB Mini LED offers improved color reproduction compared to conventional LCDs, its structural characteristics, particularly the local dimming method, can lead to color accuracy issues under certain conditions. When bright objects or white elements are present, limitations in backlight control in adjacent areas can cause color shifts and a decrease in color reproduction accuracy. In contrast, OLED uses pixel dimming, which directly controls light emission at the pixel level, ensuring that the content maintains its intended colors regardless of changes in screen conditions.

The differences were also clearly demonstrated in terms of interference from surrounding colors. With RGB Mini LED, a moving white object showed subtle color changes influenced by the background color, while the OLED EX panel maintained the object’s original color stably, regardless of the background. In terms of skin tone representation, RGB Mini LED showed subtle variations depending on the background color, while OLED reproduced the colors exactly as intended by the content creator. The characteristic halo effect of RGB Mini LED, where light spills around bright areas against a dark background, was also mentioned as a remaining limitation.

Through these comparisons, LG Display conveyed its position that while RGB Mini LED attempts to achieve the black levels and color reproduction of OLED, fundamental differences in image quality still exist due to structural differences. Premium OLED offers perfect black levels and high brightness simultaneously, possessing image quality characteristics that are on a different level from local dimming-based LCDs.

Meanwhile, the Special Edition OLED, presented as a strategy for the mass market, was introduced through another comparative demonstration with Mini LED. The Special Edition OLED is a product with reduced costs achieved by adjusting some specifications, such as removing the polarizer, aiming to maintain the core image quality values ​​of OLED while securing price competitiveness. In a video demonstration of fast-moving images, the Mini LED display showed trailing effects and blurring in numbers and detailed outlines, while the special edition OLED maintained relatively clear and sharp image quality. The presentation also highlighted that the new model consumes approximately 20% less power compared to previous models.

CES 2026 Comparison: LG Display Special Edition OLED TV (Left) vs. Mini LED TV (Right)

Picture quality comparison demo between the ‘Special Edition OLED’ (Left), designed for mass market expansion, and a Mini LED TV (Right). (Source: LG Display)

Through CES 2026, LG Display clearly demonstrated its strategy of positioning OLED TVs not as a single premium technology, but as an expandable platform encompassing both premium and mainstream segments. Their strategy is to cater to the market demanding the highest image quality with ultra-high brightness OLEDs based on MLA technology, while addressing price-sensitive markets with special edition OLEDs, maintaining a differentiated image quality advantage over Mini LED.

Regarding this, Changwook Han, Executive Vice President of UBI Research, commented, “LG Display’s OLED TV strategy clearly distinguishes between premium and mass-market segments, and it’s evident that they intend to lead the picture quality competition against Mini LED in both areas.  Specifically, in the premium segment, they aim to maintain technological leadership by emphasizing structural differences, and in the mass-market segment, their strategy involves expanding the reach of the OLED market by improving cost and power efficiency through special edition OLEDs.”

Changwook Han, Executive Vice President/Analyst at UBI Research (cwhan@ubiresearch.com)

▶2025-2026 Beyond Mobile: IT OLED Technology and Industry Analysis Report

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[CES 2026] SAMSUNG, Trasparent Micro-LED

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[CES 2026] SAMSUNG, 140-inch Micro-LED TV (12.7-inch x 121ea, Edge Screen Expansion)

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[CES 2026] SAMSUNG, 130 inch Micro RGB Timeless Frame Type

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LG will unveil its AI strategy and product direction at its world premiere event at CES 2026.

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On January 5, 2026, the day before the opening of CES 2026, LG Electronics held a World Premiere event in Las Vegas, USA, and announced its AI-centric technology strategy and key product directions. The World Premiere was introduced as LG’s annual event held the day before the opening of CES, and this year’s event also included presentations and demonstrations related to robots, displays, home appliances, and mobility.

LG presented “Innovation in Tune With You” as the core message of this announcement. The presentation focused on explaining how technology connects with users’ living environments and the structure in which artificial intelligence is involved in product operation and service experience.

Official image featuring the core slogan 'Innovation in tune with you' for LG Electronics' CES 2026 World Premiere (Source: LG Electronics)

Official image featuring the core slogan ‘Innovation in tune with you’ for LG Electronics’ CES 2026 World Premiere (Source: LG Electronics)

AI in Action Concept and Affectionate Intelligence Direction Presented

LG explained its vision for artificial intelligence through the concept of “AI in Action,” describing how AI is expanding beyond conversational capabilities to include situational awareness and execution. They also introduced the term “Affectionate Intelligence,” indicating their goal of developing AI that considers the user’s situation and context.

The keynote address showcased how AI is moving beyond operating within a single device to being utilized in an environment where multiple devices and services are connected within the home. The presentation included details on inter-device connectivity, user environment awareness features, and directions for service expansion.

Demonstration of a Home AI Robot and Introduction of Household Task Support Scenarios

A home AI robot was presented as a key demonstration case at the event. LG showcased scenarios of tasks the robot can perform in a home environment, demonstrating basic physical capabilities such as recognizing, picking up, and moving objects. The robot operates based on voice commands while simultaneously recognizing its surroundings to perform tasks.

The presentation mentioned the concept of a “Zero Labor Home,” introducing the idea of ​​AI assisting with repetitive household chores. This concept was described as a scenario that combines robot technology and a smart home environment to provide life support functions.

Introduction of AI Cabin Platform and SDV Response Direction in the Mobility Sector

LG also introduced its direction for applying artificial intelligence in the mobility sector. According to the information released, LG will exhibit its AI Cabin Platform, which operates based on a high-performance computing system for vehicles, at CES 2026, presenting scenarios for an AI-centric in-car experience. The AI ​​Cabin Platform was described as utilizing generative AI and is implemented based on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Cockpit Elite.

The exhibition will be held from January 6th to January 9th, 2026, at booth 15004 in the Central Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center. LG also introduced an in-cabin experience under the keyword “Ride in Tune,” presenting a personalized passenger experience in a software-defined vehicle environment, with functions extended to each seating area.

Introduction of Ultra-Slim OLED TV and Wireless Connectivity Structure

In the display sector, the ultra-slim OLED TV was a major announcement. The unveiled product prominently featured a wallpaper-type OLED concept, emphasizing its thinness of approximately 9 millimeters. A separate device responsible for video signal processing and external input was also introduced.

Furthermore, the use of wireless connectivity technology to reduce installation constraints was explained. A wireless transmission distance of approximately 30 feet between the screen and the separate device was mentioned, and sizes of 77 inches and 83 inches were introduced.

Smart Home Concept through Home Appliance and Platform Connectivity

In the home appliance sector, LG presented AI-based functions and inter-product connectivity as key directions. The presentation showcased a structure where home appliances recognize usage patterns and adjust their operation, and how TVs, home appliances, and mobile devices are interconnected. This explained a service delivery method that focuses on a connected environment of multiple devices rather than individual products.

This presentation went beyond individual product announcements for AI, robotics, mobility, displays, and home appliances, instead presenting them together within a connected service structure. The event highlighted how artificial intelligence is incorporated into the functional elements of each product, and how its application scope is expanding to encompass all living spaces, including smart homes and vehicle interiors.

Changwook Han, Executive Vice President/Analyst at UBI Research (cwhan@ubiresearch.com)

▶2025-2026 Beyond Mobile: IT OLED Technology and Industry Analysis Report

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Sony Honda Mobility presentation slide showing Afeela's interior features like Rich Cluster and Dynamic Wallpapers.

Sony Honda Mobility’s vision unveiled at CES 2026 Media Day: The future of mobility as envisioned by Afeela

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At CES 2026 Media Day press conference in Las Vegas on January 5th, Sony Honda Mobility reiterated its long-term vision of transforming mobility from a simple means of transportation into a “Creative Entertainment Space.” Sony Honda Mobility, a joint venture between Sony Group and Honda, shared updates on the development of its first mass-produced model, the “AFEELA 1,” and its future roadmap.The company announced that the vehicle is currently in the pre-production phase, with customer deliveries scheduled to begin in California in 2026, followed by expansion to Arizona and other regions in 2027.  They also unveiled the “AFEELA Prototype 2026” as a world premiere, showcasing the design and technological direction for a potential mass-produced model in the US around 2028.  Sony Honda Mobility reaffirmed its plan to adopt a next-generation automotive architecture based on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Digital Chassis and introduced the “AFEELA Co-Creation Program,” which opens development documentation to external creators to expand the in-car entertainment content ecosystem. They also mentioned plans for an on-chain mobility service platform utilizing token-based incentives, suggesting the possibility of a new service economy model centered around automobiles. At the CES exhibition, various color options of the AFEELA 1 pre-production vehicle and concept models were displayed, emphasizing Sony Honda Mobility’s identity with key keywords such as autonomous driving, augmentation, and human-centered design (Affinity).

Presentation of Afeela's digital cockpit and key features at the CES 2026 Media Day press conference

Sony Honda Mobility presents the Afeela infotainment system and digital cockpit vision at CES 2026 Media Day. (Source: SHM)

A particularly noteworthy aspect of this announcement was the in-car display and infotainment system, presented as a key differentiating factor of the Afeela platform. While the official CES 2026 press release did not disclose specific display specifications in detail, the Afeela interior is designed with multiple digital displays tailored to the location and purpose of each driver and passenger, providing an environment where various applications and video content can be freely utilized. According to industry and media reports, the Afeela vehicle aims for an interior “swimming in displays,” focusing on personalized UI and diverse entertainment experiences. In particular, LG Display has officially stated that the mass-produced Afeela vehicle will feature an approximately 40-inch pillar-to-pillar (P2P) display spanning the entire dashboard, symbolically demonstrating the evolution of in-car displays from simple information displays to immersive interfaces. This large, integrated display integrates the driver’s instrument panel, navigation, and passenger entertainment area into a single continuous screen, representing an attempt to redefine the car interior as a single digital space. Furthermore, Afeela directly incorporates Sony’s strengths by supporting PlayStation Remote Play, allowing users to stream PS4 and PS5 games within the vehicle. This is a clear example of Sony Honda Mobility’s strategy to expand the vehicle into a mobile entertainment platform.

In summary, the message conveyed by Sony Honda Mobility and the Afeela project at CES 2026 clearly demonstrates that the automotive industry is moving away from hardware-centric competition and towards a “software-defined mobility” era where software, displays, and content are integrated. According to Changwook Han, Executive Vice President of UBI Research, “The Afeela electric vehicle is the result of an attempt to redesign the user experience, going beyond driving performance and traditional vehicle specifications, focusing instead on large displays and an entertainment ecosystem. This is a symbolic example of the combination of Sony’s content and digital capabilities with Honda’s automotive manufacturing expertise.” He continued, “Afeela is less of a single electric vehicle and more of a platform that transforms the vehicle’s interior into a digital experience space.” He predicted that this direction would shift the axis of differentiation in the premium electric vehicle market from driving performance to the digital cockpit experience, and that it would also likely bring about a certain level of impact and change to the overall automotive display industry in the medium to long term.

Changwook Han, Executive Vice President/Analyst at UBI Research (cwhan@ubiresearch.com)

▶2025 Automotive Display Technology and Industry Trends Analysis Report

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Samsung presenting the 130-inch Micro RGB TV at the CES 2026 First Look event.

CES 2026 ‘The First Look’… Samsung strengthens its ultra-premium TV strategy with 130-inch Micro RGB and AI.

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At Samsung Electronics’ “The First Look” event held ahead of CES 2026, SW Yong, head of the Visual Display Business Division, redefined the role of TVs and displays, moving beyond simply “devices that display images” to becoming “entertainment companions” that understand the user’s daily context and suggest actions. He emphasized that expanding AI experiences based on “visual intelligence,” rather than simply competing on hardware specifications, is at the heart of Samsung’s display strategy.

Samsung Electronics 'The First Look' stage at CES 2026 unveiling the 130-inch Micro RGB TV

Samsung unveils the 130-inch ultra-premium Micro RGB TV and its AI vision strategy at CES 2026 ‘The First Look’. (Source: Samsung Electronics)

A product that symbolically embodies this message is the 130-inch ‘Micro RGB’ display. Following the world’s first launch of a 115-inch Micro RGB TV last August, Samsung Electronics unveiled a 130-inch model at CES 2026, raising the bar for the ultra-large premium display market. The key feature of this new product is not simply its large size, but rather the combination of a 130-inch LCD panel with an RGB micro-LED backlight (=RGB color backlight), establishing a new category called “Ultra-Premium Micro RGB.”  While the panel is LCD, the strategy is to overcome the limitations of the existing premium LCD structure—which primarily uses a “blue/white backlight + QD (or color filter) + local dimming”—by precisely controlling color and contrast through the separation of R, G, and B light sources at the backlight stage.

The Micro RGB TV uses a fine array of micro-sized RGB LEDs on the back of the screen, precisely controlling red, green, and blue independently.  In particular, by applying Micro RGB technology that reduces the size of the RGB LED chips to less than 100㎛, the control units are made even more precise, maximizing the local dimming effect that finely adjusts dark and bright areas.  The smaller the elements, the more subtly deep blacks and strong highlights can be expressed, providing the foundation for a significant improvement in contrast, color, and detail on a super-large screen.

The design also extends the concept of “super-large” into a spatial experience. The 130-inch Micro RGB TV features a “Timeless Frame” inspired by architectural window frames, giving the impression that the super-large screen is floating in mid-air.  With its ultra-slim frame and enhanced audio performance, the TV appears not as a home appliance, but as a work of art that adorns the center of a space, emphasizing an immersive viewing experience that expands the sense of space like a giant “window.”

At the heart of the image and sound optimization is the latest AI engine, the “Micro RGB AI Engine Pro.”  “Micro RGB Color Booster Pro” and “Micro RGB HDR Pro” use AI technology to optimize each scene. The display is designed with precise color and contrast adjustments to deliver vivid colors and detail in scenes of any brightness. It also achieves 100% BT.2020 color gamut coverage, earning the “Micro RGB Precision Color 100” certification from VDE in Germany.  Glare-free technology minimizes reflections, maintaining consistent color and contrast ratios in various lighting environments. Support for HDR10+ Advanced and Eclipsa Audio, co-developed with Google, further enhances the immersive experience, which is especially crucial for extra-large displays.

Samsung goes a step further by placing AI at the forefront of the user experience. The 130-inch Micro RGB TV features a “Vision AI Companion (VAC)” that understands user needs, interacts with them, and provides services.  It also supports major AI services such as Microsoft Copilot and Perplexity. For example, during viewing, users can give voice commands like, “Summarize the plot of the movie I’m watching,” or “What movies have surpassed 10 million viewers?”, and the AI ​​will provide context-based answers. Samsung also positions the TV not as a standalone device, but as an ecosystem hub, demonstrating multi-device connectivity by allowing users to explore and recommend recipes from content and then transfer them to other devices (such as the portable display “The Movingstyle”). The announcement of a 7-year Tizen OS upgrade support plan further demonstrates Samsung’s commitment to updating the platform experience throughout the entire product lifecycle.
“Micro RGB represents the peak of our picture quality innovation, and the new 130-inch model takes that vision even further,” said Hun Lee, Executive Vice President of the Visual Display (VD) Business at Samsung Electronics. “We’re reviving the spirit of our original design philosophy introduced more than a decade ago to deliver an unmistakably premium display, engineered with technology for a new generation.”

Changwook Han, Executive Vice President/Analyst at UBI Research (cwhan@ubiresearch.com)

▶2025-2026 Beyond Mobile: IT OLED Technology and Industry Analysis Report

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RGB Mini-LED, Beyond Demos and into the Marketplace: A Key Inflection Point at CES 2026

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CES 2026 (January 6–9, Las Vegas) is an event where AI takes center stage, but it’s also likely to be a turning point where the premium picture quality competition in TVs, monitors, and electronics shifts to RGB Mini-LED. With image quality demos expected to be first showcased during Media Day (January 4–5) followed by comparative experiences at the main exhibition, this year’s RGB Mini-LED market is likely to be influenced by “how much of a difference can be felt on-site,” rather than by the specifications presented in the presentation.

CES 2026 official logo (Source: CES)

CES 2026 official logo (Source: CES)

RGB Mini-LED is attracting attention not because it’s simply an extension of increasing the number of dimming zones, but because it separates the R/G/B light sources at the backlight stage to create color and expand control freedom. While existing premium Mini-LEDs optimized “blue/white light source + QD (or color filter) + local dimming,” RGB Mini-LED reorders priorities across evaluation criteria, including color accuracy, color volume, low-level stability, and power/heat management, by altering the light source structure itself. Even when using the same LCD panel, a different combination of light source and algorithm results in a different product. At this point, RGB Mini-LED is not simply a “brighter LCD,” but rather an attempt to shift the definition of premium picture quality from “panel” to “light source + algorithm.” Exhibition trends support this, with TV brands clearly positioning their RGB offerings as a “live experience.” LG is showcasing its “Micro RGB evo” at the forefront of its 75/86/100-inch models, demonstrating a strategy that directly links its RGB strategy to “large living room” displays. Samsung is expanding its 2026 Micro RGB lineup to 55-115 inches, demonstrating a strong approach to RGB across all sizes, rather than focusing solely on ultra-large demos. Hisense is also emphasizing RGB MiniLED for core living room sizes (e.g., 55-100 inches), reinforcing its premium appeal by integrating viewing convenience and efficiency beyond simple image quality. Ultimately, the RGB competition at CES 2026 is likely to unfold not simply as a product launch, but as a battle over how each company defines its “standard of premium” within a given size range and convinces audiences with its compelling experience. Furthermore, the messages from Sony and TCL are also attracting market attention. Sony has consistently been hinting at the possibility of presenting its perspective on the “standard of color reproduction” at CES, with terms like “True RGB” related to RGB backlighting being discussed in the industry. TCL has been pushing the advancement of Mini-LED technology, particularly through TCL CSOT, so it will be interesting to see how the company will articulate its premium LCD strategy at CES 2026. In other words, whether RGB Mini-LED remains the exclusive domain of a select few leading brands or expands into a standard competitive premium LCD market will depend on whether these players can communicate their message at CES with a “market message” (lineup/price/channel) rather than a “technology demo.”

The impact of RGB Mini-LED may not be limited to TVs. In the monitor market, RGB backlighting is also emerging as a strategy to capture premium demand by integrating messages like high-brightness HDR, color expression, and burn-in risk avoidance. From a market perspective, the key question is whether RGB Mini-LED will remain a “flagship-only technology” or become a standardized platform where components, modules, drives, and algorithms all work together. If manufacturers at CES begin to talk about RGB not as a single model but as a portfolio, linking it to regional distribution (North America/Europe/Asia) and price positioning, it will signal that RGB has transitioned from a “demo” to a “market.”

Ubi Research Executive Vice President Changwook Han summarizes this perspective in a single sentence: “The most important signal at CES is not the flashiness of the demo, but the concreteness of the lineup and launch plan.” He emphasized, “For RGB Mini-LED to truly reshape the market, the key will be how quickly it can lower the barriers to price, yield, and supply stability beyond ultra-large showcases to core living room sizes (75–100 inches).” He continued, “The key to real-world experience is not flashy demo videos, but the naturalness and consistency of real-world content, such as low-gray tones, nighttime HDR, subtitles, and skin tones.” He added, “If RGB Mini-LED can gain traction in this segment, it will be able to fully compete with OLED in the premium market and shift the competitive axis of the premium TV and monitor market from ‘panel specs’ to a system competition combining ‘light sources, algorithms, and supply chains’ after 2026.”

Ultimately, RGB Mini-LED at CES 2026 is entering a phase where it must simultaneously demonstrate both marketability and perceived quality, rather than simply presenting a ‘well-made demonstration.’ Looking solely at size strategies, companies are taking different approaches: focusing on the ‘large living room’ segment, like LG (75/86/100 inches), expanding to ‘cover all segments’, like Samsung (55-115 inches), and reinforcing their message based on the ‘living room volume size (55-100 inches)’, like Hisense. Add to this the language in which Sony and TCL CSOT redefine the standard for premium LCDs, and the landscape of the premium TV and monitor markets after 2026 could be rearranged more quickly than expected.

Changwook Han, Executive Vice President/Analyst at UBI Research (cwhan@ubiresearch.com)

▶2025-2026 Beyond Mobile: IT OLED Technology and Industry Analysis Report

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Samsung’s “Intelligent Living” vs. LG’s “Visual Essence”: The Contrast at CES 2026

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CES 2026 official logo (Source: CES)

CES 2026 official logo (Source: CES)

CES 2026 The world’s largest consumer electronics show, CES 2026, is expected to become a watershed moment clearly demonstrating the strategic pivot of South Korea’s two major home appliance giants. While the 2025 show just one year prior was a stage for showcasing technological maturity, 2026 will be a stage where the future TV visions defined by each company fundamentally diverge. Samsung Electronics will boldly pivot toward an AI living platform beyond TV, while LG Electronics will postpone form factor experimentation and return to the core of overwhelming picture quality—a fundamental super-gap.

1. LG Electronics: Transcending Form Factor Disruption to Overcome LCD Limitations

In 2025, LG Electronics’ booth featured the morphological evolution of displays as its main attraction, showcasing transparent OLED (Signature T) and freely bendable panels. The world cheered as displays became furniture, nullifying spatial constraints. Yet at CES 2026, LG returned to the fundamental challenge of “light control.”

LG Electronics’ 2026 OLED TV prominently features ‘Tandem 2.0’, a hardware structural innovation. This technology, which stacks the existing light-emitting layer into a 4-stack configuration, has resolved the maximum brightness issue—long considered OLED’s sole weakness. LG claims this model achieves brightness exceeding 4,000 nits while dramatically extending the lifespan of the elements. This appears to demonstrate confidence that OLED remains the brightest and clearest self-emissive display.

Meanwhile, the biggest reversal in LG Electronics’ exhibition this time is the introduction of Micro RGB Evo. LG Electronics is undertaking a groundbreaking attempt to transplant its OLED precision light source control DNA into LCD. This method uses RGB micro-LEDs directly as the backlight, pushing the physical limits of LCD panels to OLED levels. It is analyzed as a countermeasure to check Chinese companies dominating the premium LCD market.

2. Samsung Electronics: The End of Picture Quality Competition and the Dawn of “Intelligent Living”

Meanwhile, Samsung Electronics’ direction is moving beyond displays. Having focused on AI‑based upscaling and quantum dot picture quality innovations until 2025, Samsung will fully shift its 2026 exhibition theme to the “Intelligent Living Platform.” The TV will be redefined not as a screen-displaying device, but as an AI hub that manages the home’s energy, learns user preferences, and curates daily life.

Samsung Electronics plans to showcase a seamless home where product boundaries dissolve, extending beyond the LVCC main exhibition hall to a massive standalone pavilion at the Wynn Hotel. The TV will adjust lighting as users move through rooms, display washing machine completion notifications, and suggest recipes in the kitchen. Samsung’s strategy is clear. Chinese manufacturers may be able to match picture quality specs, but they cannot replicate the SmartThings ecosystem that connects hundreds of millions of devices worldwide.

3. Market Shifts Suggested by the “X-Shaped Intersection”

These contrasting moves by the two companies can be interpreted as a clash between defensive leadership (Samsung) and aggressive essentialism (LG). The dynamic where LG once proclaimed “changing the world through form factor” while Samsung insisted “picture quality is paramount” has now completely reversed. LG pursues technological depth to solidify its hardware dominance as the OLED TV pioneer, while Samsung, as the world’s top home appliance maker, focuses on the breadth of connectivity to platformize its hardware. Their approaches to MicroLED also diverge. Samsung treats it as an extension of its “ultra-large intelligent displays,” while LG plans to focus on demonstrating practical mass-production feasibility and pixel-level control for home TVs through its “Magnet Active” technology.

CES 2026 presents consumers with two choices: “A screen so perfect it hurts your eyes (LG)” or “A smart home that understands and manages my life (Samsung).”

While LG Electronics returns to the essence of technology to redefine display industry standards, Samsung Electronics seeks to transform the very definition of home appliances through lifestyle intelligence. The world’s attention is focused on Las Vegas, watching how this head-to-head race between two giants sprinting in opposite directions will reshape the global home appliance market landscape in 2026.

Joohan Kim, Senior Analyst at UBI Research (joohanus@ubiresearch.com)

▶2025 Micro-LED Display Industry and Technology Trends Report

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Samsung TV’s Dual Strategy: “Exhibition Hall Change” and Micro-LED From Luxury Models in the Tens of Millions to the Mainstream Market

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Samsung Electronics is reshaping the TV market landscape starting with CES 2026. Moving beyond the traditional “appliance show” format, Samsung’s clear strategy is evident in its standalone exhibition hall spanning approximately 4,645 square meters at the Wynn Hotel. It centers on a dual-pronged approach: self-emitting Micro-LED pursuing technological perfection and Micro RGB leading market mainstream adoption.

1. The Pinnacle of High-End: 2026 Micro-LED Luxury Line

Samsung positions its 2026 self-emissive Micro-LED luxury model, embodying the pinnacle of self-emissive technology, in the private room at the very heart of this showcase.

  • Technical Reality: Tens of millions of ultra-small LED chips emit light and color without a backlight. Using inorganic materials fundamentally solves the burn-in limitations inherent in organic OLEDs while achieving infinite contrast ratios.
  • The Arrival of Super-Large Flagships: Models over 110 inches (such as 140 inches), priced in the hundreds of millions, take center stage. Through this, Samsung redefines the standard for private home cinemas for VVIPs.
  • Commercialization of Transparent Displays: The transparent Micro-LED, which garnered attention as a prototype in 2025, will be showcased with further improved transmittance and brightness. Transparent Micro-LED technology enables intelligent spatial scenarios where window glass itself becomes a display to show information.

2. Democratizing Premium: Micro RGB TV Lineup with 6 Models

While self-emitting technology holds symbolic significance, the Micro RGB (R95H) product line is the main driver of substantial market share. Samsung will showcase this lineup across all sizes, from 55 inches to 115 inches, at this exhibition.

  • Strategic Positioning: By adopting advanced LCD technology that utilizes self-emitting elements as backlights, price competitiveness is secured. Samsung thereby establishes a new standard: “Premium TVs should deliver micro-level picture quality regardless of size.”
  • Overwhelming Specifications: Reportedly achieving 100% BT.2020 color gamut coverage—an industry first—and delivering high brightness exceeding 4,000 nits.
  • Confirmed Lineup: Six models in total—55, 66, 75, 85, 100, and 115 inches—offer consumers a wide selection tailored to their living room sizes.

3. “Agentic AI” Completes Smart Living

Both lineups feature Samsung’s next-generation AI engines: the Micro RGB AI Engine Pro and Agentic AI. The TV is no longer just a screen; it functions as an AI butler that contextually understands user speech through Gemini and Copilot, autonomously controlling home appliances throughout the house.

Samsung Electronics’ exhibition is said to demonstrate the results of a meticulous dual-track strategy: showcasing the pinnacle with Micro-LED while securing the mainstream with Micro RGB. The enclosed, luxurious space of the Win Hotel serves as the perfect stage to demonstrate both the awe-inspiring presence of the billion-dollar Micro-LED model and the sophisticated lifestyle proposed by the Micro RGB TV. Through this, Samsung is expected to block the low-price offensive from Chinese manufacturers and reaffirm its overwhelming dominance in the premium TV market.

Comparison table of Samsung's 2026 self-emissive Micro-LED (Luxury) and Micro RGB (Premium) TV lineups

Comparison table of Samsung’s 2026 dual-track TV strategy, dividing into Self-emissive Micro-LED (Luxury) and Micro RGB (Premium). (Source: UBI Research)

Joohan Kim, Senior Analyst at UBI Research (joohanus@ubiresearch.com)

▶2025 Micro-LED Display Industry and Technology Trends Report

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HKC RGB Mini LED automotive dashboard display representing the company's market expansion.

HKC Expands RGB Mini LED to TVs, Monitors, and Automotive Displays

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In the Chinese display industry, HKC has long been known as a leading panel manufacturer, fueled by its large-scale LCD-based mass production capabilities. However, its recent move to focus on RGB Mini LED is seen as a strategic shift that transcends its traditional identity. While existing Mini LEDs improved image quality through a combination of blue LED backlights and quantum dot film, HKC has adopted a structure that directly uses red, green, and blue (RGB) LEDs as the backlight source, demonstrating a technological advancement in color reproducibility, contrast control, and operating precision. RGB Mini LED is attracting attention as a next-generation display technology due to its ability to separate and control colors from the backlight stage, resulting in higher color purity and reduced light loss. Its scalability to large-area, high-brightness environments is also remarkable. This technological advancement has first become visible in the ultra-large-screen TV market. HKC has proven its large-area display capabilities by supplying 100-inch and larger RGB Mini LED TV panels to the global TV brand Hisense. In particular, the RGB Mini LED panel used in Hisense’s 116-inch UX series reportedly achieves a peak brightness of approximately 8,000nits, features 3,584 local dimming zones, and achieves color reproduction performance that meets over 95% of the BT.2020 color gamut. Simultaneously achieving high brightness and color uniformity on ultra-large screens is a technically challenging task. HKC is satisfying these requirements with RGB Mini LED, establishing a unique technological edge in the ultra-large TV market.

In the monitor market, the precision control capabilities of RGB Mini LED are expected to be further highlighted. HKC plans to officially announce its next-generation premium monitor lineup based on RGB Mini LED at CES 2026, expanding its large-area TV picture quality technology to high-resolution, high-refresh-rate desktop environments. The 31.4-inch 4K RGB Mini LED monitor, the “M10 Ultra,” is expected to be unveiled at CES 2026. It features a total of 1,596 physical local dimming zones and employs cluster-based operation, individually controlling RGB elements within each zone. This RGB cluster-based control is a key factor in effectively suppressing the halo effect, a problem faced by existing Mini LED monitors. Its performance targets the premium market, with a peak brightness of approximately 1,600nits, a native refresh rate of 165Hz, and up to 330Hz in FHD mode. Color reproduction is also expected to reach 98% to 100% of the BT.2020 standard, making it ideal for gaming environments as well as video editing and professional monitors where color accuracy is crucial.

The automotive display sector is also a key area where HKC is strategically expanding its RGB Mini LED offerings. With the spread of electrification and autonomous driving technologies, in-vehicle displays are becoming larger and more multiplexed. Stable visibility even under direct sunlight and reliability over long periods of use are emerging as key requirements. HKC’s automotive display solution, utilizing RGB Mini LEDs, has reportedly achieved a power consumption reduction of approximately 20% compared to conventional methods while maintaining high brightness of over 1,000nits. In particular, in large-scale integrated display structures that integrate the cluster and CID into a single screen, RGB Mini LEDs are recognized as a technology suitable for next-generation dashboard design due to their ability to easily maintain brightness and color uniformity.

HKC's 12.3-inch RGB Mini LED automotive display prototype

HKC’s 12.3-inch RGB Mini LED display optimized for automotive use with over 1,000 nits brightness and low power consumption. (Source: HKC)

A key enabler of this comprehensive product expansion is large-scale investment in Mini LED and M-LED production infrastructure. HKC is pursuing a dedicated Mini LED production base project worth approximately 9 billion yuan in Liuyang, China, with an annual production capacity of over 500 million Mini LED backlight modules. This production base integrates LED chips, backlight modules, and panel assembly into a single value chain, serving as a strategic base for simultaneously securing cost and supply stability, key challenges for RGB Mini LEDs. Furthermore, through the operation of its direct-view LED factory in Mianyang, HKC is accumulating experience in ultra-fine LED processes and laying the foundation for expansion into next-generation LED-based displays. According to Changwook Han, Executive Vice President of UBI Research, “HKC’s RGB Mini LED strategy is a strong mid- to long-term technology roadmap encompassing TVs, monitors, and automotive displays. Key to this is that it has simultaneously secured the core elements of high brightness, high color reproduction, and precision control, and is expanding these to large-area displays and high-reliability environments. With this, coupled with large-scale investments in Mini LED and M-LED production infrastructure, HKC is establishing a unique position in the next-generation LED-based display ecosystem.”

Changwook Han, Executive Vice President/Analyst at UBI Research (cwhan@ubiresearch.com)

▶2025 Automotive Display Technology and Industry Trends Analysis Report

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TCL CSOT's 163-inch X11H Max Micro-LED TV representing the company's push for mass adoption.

Breaking the KRW 100 Million Barrier?” TCL CSOT’s Bold Bet on Micro-LED Mass Adoption

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Micro-LED, the pinnacle of “self-emissive” display technology where each pixel generates its own light, is finally shedding its laboratory skin and attempting to enter the living room. At the forefront is TCL CSOT, which has thrown down a bold technical roadmap in a market once considered the exclusive domain of Samsung Electronics. We analyze their three-stage evolution—from CES 2025 through the recent DTC 2025 to the upcoming CES 2026—through the lens of display engineering.

 

1. [CES 2025] The 10,000-Nit Shock: Pushing the Limits of Inorganic Elements

At CES 2025, TCL CSOT’s 163-inch Micro-LED TV, the ‘X11H Max’, injected significant technical tension into the industry. It wasn’t just about the size; the device achieved a staggering peak brightness of 10,000 nits by individually controlling approximately 24.88 million inorganic RGB chips at the pixel level. This was a landmark event that redefined the standards of “super-gap” picture quality, using the durability of inorganic materials to directly overcome the brightness degradation and burn-in issues inherent in organic-based OLEDs.

TCL CSOT's 163-inch X11H Max Micro-LED TV and pricing unveiled at CES 2025 (Source: TCL CSOT)

TCL’s 163-inch Micro-LED TV ‘X11H Max’ achieving 10,000 nits brightness, surpassing the limits of inorganic devices. (Source: TCL CSOT)

2. [DTC 2025] Technical Maturity in Driving Algorithms and Grayscale Expression

The key takeaway from DTC 2025 (TCL Global Display Tech Ecosystem Conference) was the “evolution of internal substance.” TCL addressed the chronic challenge of Micro-LEDs—color distortion in low-light areas—through its proprietary ‘Hybrid PWM+PAM Driving Architecture.’ This method, which sophisticatedly combines Pulse Amplitude Modulation (PAM) and Pulse Width Modulation (PWM), achieved a 24-bit color depth. It demonstrated technical maturity by perfectly resolving the shapes of objects even in pitch-black darkness through 16.77 million steps of grayscale.

TCL CSOT's 219-inch 36:9 ultra-wide Micro-LED display showcased at the exhibition (Source: TCL CSOT)

A 219-inch ultra-large Micro-LED display supporting 98% DCI-P3 color gamut and 120Hz refresh rate. (Source: TCL CSOT)

3. [CES 2026 Outlook] Crushing the “100 Million Won” Wall via Mass Transfer Innovation

At the upcoming CES 2026, TCL is expected to move beyond technical posturing and place a practical bet on “price destruction.” Experts predict that TCL will drastically lower the production cost of 100-inch+ models by significantly increasing the yield of the Mass Transfer process—the method of moving millions of microscopic chips onto a substrate. In particular, process efficiency linked with Inkjet Printing (IJP) technology is projected to be the detonator that pulls down Micro-LED TV prices, once exceeding hundreds of thousands of dollars, to the tens of thousands range (approx. 50–80 million KRW).

While past Micro-LEDs were merely “expensive display pieces densely packed with small LEDs,” today’s TCL CSOT is attempting to democratize “nanosecond-level response speeds” and “infinite contrast ratios” by perfectly grafting semiconductor micro-processes onto displays. CES 2026 will serve as the “technological singularity” where Micro-LED moves beyond being a luxury for the ultra-wealthy to become the new standard for premium home appliances.

Joohan Kim, Senior Analyst at UBI Research (joohanus@ubiresearch.com)

▶2025 Micro-LED Display Industry and Technology Trends Report

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LG Display's advanced automotive OLED technology representing the smart cockpit trends at CES 2026.

Smart Cockpit Competition Accelerates… Automotive Displays to be Showcased at CES 2026

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At CES 2026, it became clear that automotive display technology has emerged as a core competitive factor amid the broader transition of vehicles from mere means of transportation to intelligent living spaces. As the shift toward autonomous driving and Software Defined Vehicles (SDVs) accelerates, the amount of information and content required inside vehicles continues to increase. Accordingly, displays are no longer simple screens but have evolved into central technologies that define interior architecture and user experience. At this year’s exhibition, LG Display, Hyundai Mobis, AUO, and Corning each presented distinct technological approaches that together outlined the future direction of the smart cockpit.

LG Display showcased its “Automotive Dual View OLED” and “Automotive UDC (Under Display Camera)-IR OLED” at CES 2026, earning a CES Innovation Award in the In-Vehicle Entertainment category. Dual View OLED enables different content to be viewed simultaneously by the driver and the front passenger on a single panel, providing driving-related information exclusively to the driver while delivering entertainment content to the passenger. This technology is seen as an effective solution to information interference in increasingly large automotive displays, while significantly enhancing cockpit design flexibility. The UDC-IR OLED integrates an infrared camera beneath the display to support driver monitoring systems (DMS) without compromising screen continuity or image quality. Together, OLED’s inherent advantages in contrast and color reproduction, combined with advanced sensor integration, demonstrate a clear direction toward strengthening both in-vehicle entertainment and safety functions.

LG Display's CES 2026 Innovation Award-winning automotive Dual View OLED and UDC-IR OLED technology (Source: LG Display)

LG Display’s CES 2026 Innovation Award-winning automotive Dual View OLED and UDC-IR OLED technology (Source: LG Display)

Hyundai Mobis took center stage at CES 2026 after winning a CES Innovation Award for its holographic windshield display (HWD), integrated into its cockpit integration solution “M.BiCS 7.0.” Developed in collaboration with German optics company ZEISS, the HWD is the world’s first technology to apply a holographic film to the entire windshield, enabling the front glass to function as a large-scale transparent display. While conventional HUD systems face limitations in size, thermal management, and design due to their reflective optical architectures, holographic displays leverage diffractive optics to precisely control light paths, allowing the system to be realized with a compact optical engine of approximately 1.2 liters. In addition, the holographic film maintains a high transparency of over 95%, minimizing visual obstruction while driving, and supports customized eyebox designs that enable different information to be presented independently to the driver and front passenger. This technology is regarded as an effective solution for managing the rapidly increasing information density of the autonomous driving era, while simultaneously maximizing cockpit integration and design coherence.

Demonstration of Hyundai Mobis's CES 2026 Innovation Award-winning Holographic Windshield Display (HWD) (Source: Hyundai Mobis)

Demonstration of Hyundai Mobis’s CES 2026 Innovation Award-winning Holographic Windshield Display (HWD) (Source: Hyundai Mobis)

At CES 2026, AUO officially launched its new subsidiary, AUO Mobility Solutions Corporation (AMSC), declaring its transition beyond displays toward becoming a system-integrated smart cockpit solution provider. AMSC was established through the integration of AUO’s mobility solutions business with the climate control systems and HMI design expertise of Germany-based BHTC GmbH. At the exhibition, AMSC unveiled next-generation smart cockpit solutions that integrate immersive display experiences, intelligent sensing, and scalable computing platforms. By delivering visual elements, computing, and connectivity within a unified architecture, the company aims to realize cockpit environments optimized for software-defined vehicles, a strategy widely interpreted as an effort to strengthen both rapid development cycles and mass-production readiness demanded by OEMs.

In the materials segment, Corning drew attention with its advanced anti-reflective surface treatment technology for automotive displays. As large-format in-vehicle displays continue to expand toward pillar-to-pillar configurations, sunlight-induced reflections have emerged as a major challenge affecting visibility. Corning’s solution dramatically reduces surface reflections while enabling deep black performance, simultaneously enhancing image quality and driving safety. The technology offers high compatibility with a wide range of panel types, including OLED and Mini-LED, and is therefore regarded as a key enabler supporting the broader adoption of next-generation large automotive displays.

The technologies unveiled at CES 2026 collectively demonstrate that automotive displays are evolving beyond individual components into core platforms that integrate space, user experience, and safety. From OLED-driven image quality advancements and holographic displays that redefine interior space, to system-integrated smart cockpit strategies and the material innovations that underpin them, each company is pursuing a distinct approach. Yet all are converging toward a shared objective: delivering new user experiences tailored to the era of intelligent mobility.

Changwook Han, Executive Vice President/Analyst at UBI Research (cwhan@ubiresearch.com)

▶2025 Automotive Display Technology and Industry Trends Analysis Report

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