In case you were still in doubt, LG Display – the panel maker – has confirmed that MLA (Micro Lens Array) is at the core of its third-generation OLED TV panel. MLA will later come to all panels.
Panasonic has publicly acknowledged that its 2023 MZ2000 flagship uses MLA technology but LG Electronics has refrained from making any references to MLA for its 2023 G3 series.
We now have clarity as LG Display, the maker of all WOLED panel for all TV brands, has announced official details on its third generation WOLED panel with 'META Technology' that succeeds the second-generation panel (OLED EX).
- "LG Display’s newly-unveiled META Technology comprises a ‘Micro Lens Array’ that maximizes light emission from the OLED panel and ‘META Booster,’ a brightness-enhancing algorithm," the company announced at CES 2023.
The MLA (Micro Lens Array) panel represents LG Display's third generation of WOLED. Photo: LG Display
Higher brightness, up to 2100 nits
MLA is initially applied only to 55, 65 and 77-inch 4K OLED TV panels as well as 77 and 88-inch 8K OLED TV panels, said LG Display, adding that it has the "aim of extending it to all lineups down the road".
The panel delivers 60% higher brightness for up to 2100 nits peak, it claimed, without specifying the color temperature.
Panasonic has demonstrated 1500 nits on a 10% window, LG Electronics talks about 1800 nits, and FlatpanelsHD has seen 2100 nits claimed for LG's Vivid picture mode.
Improved energy efficiency, viewing angles
LG Display further said that MLA delivers 30% percent wider viewing angles over the already excellent viewing angles of conventional panels. It claims that these are "the widest viewing angles among all existing TV panels".
Furthermore, MLA should improve energy efficiency by 22% for the same brightness level.
- "... ‘Micro Lens Array,’ a layer of micrometer-sized convex lenses that maximizes light emission from the OLED panel and enhances energy efficiency by 22 percent compared to that of the same brightness. With this technology, LG Display became the first panel maker to resolve the lingering issue of light being reflected back into the panel and being lost, which restricted the maximum brightness," explained LG Display.
The 77-inch MLA OLED panel has over 42 billion micro lenses inside.. Photo: LG Display
For example, the 77-inch 4K OLED panel has a total of 42.4 billion micro lenses, over 5000 per pixel.
On the other hand there is the risk that MLA negatively affects panel uniformity which is already an issue on WOLED. This factor has been discussed by industry members leading up to the official announcements at CES 2023.
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The convex-shaped micro lenses help direct light that would previously bounce back into the panel towards the viewer. Photo: LG Display
MLA WOLED will in 2023 compete with the improved 2023 QD-OLED panel that Samsung Display claims can reach over 2000 nits peak brightness and maintain color saturation at high brightness levels.
- "The successful development of our superior ‘META Technology’ evolves the image quality of OLED TVs to a new, unparalleled level," said Hyeon-woo Lee, SVP and Head of Large Display Business Unit at LG Display. "We will continue to lead the OLED TV market by expanding the ultra-premium OLED sector and strengthening our competitiveness with the best picture quality and most diverse lineups ever assembled."
2023 OLED TVs with MLA
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