Samsung is planning to release 89-, 101-, and 114-inch microLED TVs next year, according to a report by ETNews, but plans for smaller microLED models have been put on hold.
MicroLED TVs in 2022
MicroLED display technology – not to be confused with miniLED LCD – will remain prohibitively expensive in 2022 which is part of the reason why Samsung has abandoned its plan to launch 70-80-inch microLED TVs, according to the Korean report.
- "Samsung Electronics excluded the 70-inch range from its micro LED TV lineup plan," ETNews reported. "The industry interprets the absence of 70-inch models from the micro LED lineup as Samsung Electronics' intention to focus on the ultra-large market. With current technology, it is difficult to lower the price of a '4K-class' resolution micro LED TV below 100 million won, and 8K resolution products are already being sold for liquid crystal display (LCD) and organic light-emitting diode (OLED) TVs. LED TVs are not attractive."
Also read: First look: Samsung's 110" microLED TV
A 75-inch microLED screen was first unveiled at CES in January 2019. Earlier this year at CES 2021, Samsung said that 98- and 88-inch models – which are still nowhere to be seen – would join the existing 110-inch model later in 2021. At that time, Samsung said that a 76-inch was on the roadmap but plans have apparently been scrapped.
Samsung's 110-inch microLED TV – the world's first LED TV. Photo: FlatpanelsHD
Samsung has decided to change its line-up for 2022 to include 114-, 101-, and 89-inch models only, according to the report.
The challenge with microLED is not to make large screens but rather small, high-resolution screens. As microLED pixels get denser, efficiency starts to decrease markedly. Large microLED TVs are also still assembled from modules with visible seams.
Also read: LG expected to release 97" OLED TVs next year
While Samsung has seemingly abandoned plans to launch 70-80-inch microLED TVs in the short term, 77-inch OLED TVs are getting more affordable.
- Source: The Elec (Korean), front page photo: Samsung
