Introduction
Over the past couple years, small-pitch LED displays have undergone dramatic change with the advent of Chip-on-Board (COB) technology. Boasting an ultra-small 70mm chip size LED chip size and offering enhanced contrast levels that offer remarkable visual experience, COB has revolutionized this industry and this post explores both its current status in small pitch LED display market as well as predictions for its future growth – providing readers with an in-depth knowledge of this rapidly developing sector.
What Is Chip-on-Board LED Display
A Chip-on-Board (COB) LED display refers to an innovative form of LED technology used in creating displays, differing from more conventional displays using Surface Mount Device technology by packaging individual LED components in such an arrangement.
COB LED displays feature multiple small LED chips (individual diodes) directly mounted to a circuit board without needing individual packaging, like SMD technology does. This creates an array with minimal spaces between individual chips; its absence allowing higher pixel densities, better color uniformity and enhanced contrast for enhanced visuals in displays.
Higher Pixel Densities: Due to their absence of packaging and closer placement of LED chips, COB LED displays provide higher pixel densities that enable sharp and detailed images.
Improved Color Uniformity: COB LED displays often feature closer spacing of their LEDs than traditional displays, creating improved color uniformity across their display, which ensures consistent and accurate hues throughout its entirety.
Increased Contrast: COB technology utilizes LED chips that are close together, increasing contrast levels for improved visual quality in darker parts of your screen, such as those featuring text.
Reduce Reflection and Glare: With its compact design, this monitor helps minimize reflections and glare that impact viewing experience in well-lit environments.
Cost-Effectiveness: COB LED technology can be cost-efficient by eliminating additional packaging materials and streamlining manufacturing.
COB and MiP: Diverging Paths Short and Long Term
COB technology has set off an exciting disjuncture within the LED display market. While COB ventures into larger pitch LED displays, MicroLED-in-Pixel (MiP) technology pushes towards smaller pitches – inevitability creating competition between them but crucially, their coexistence within certain ranges for certain times represents natural technological development and evolution.
However, COB LED displays have already made inroads into the market through early adoption and market penetration. Their inherent simplicity and shorter manufacturing processes make them formidable competitors.
As breakthroughs are achieved in mass transfer processes and cost reduction, COB looks set to solidify its position within the LED display market, particularly high definition large screen applications. It has the power to upgrade and transform LED packaging technology.
Current State of COB Development
Data provided by Runto Technology shows that sales of small-pitch LED displays in China reached 73.3 billion RMB in the first half of 2023 – representing an incremental year-on-year rise of 0.1%; sales area increased 20.2% year-over-year reaching 498,000 square meters. While surface mount device (SMD), including In-Micro Display (IMD), remains dominant, COB technology’s market share steadily expanded with 10.7% of total sales being made using COB technology representing 10.7% overall and marking an impressive annual increase of 3.3% year over same time last year!
Current Landscape for Small Pitch COB LED Displays
Price: The cost of complete small-pitch LED displays has dropped below 5,000 RMB per square meter thanks to improved COB LED packaging technology, leading to an average market decrease by 28% during the first half of 2023 – reaching 4,500 RMB per square meter on average.
Pitch: COB LED technology has long been focused on products with pixel pitches of 1.2mm or smaller, holding over 60% market share among displays that fall below this mark. COB’s advantages in terms of comprehensive manufacturing cost become readily evident at such smaller pitches.
Applications: COB-based small-pitch LED displays find their main use cases in surveillance environments and professional domains, thanks to features like high density, brightness and clarity that make COB LED technology popular among surveillance applications – accounting for over 40% of total shipment shipments worldwide and driven largely by professional sectors including digital energy, transportation, military finance among others.
Key Players: Most major LED display manufacturers such as Leman, Hisense, BOE, Absen, Unilumin Technology and Leyard have successfully developed and mass produced COB LED technology.
Predictions for the Future: COB’s Dominance
Given its positive interaction between COB LED technology, industrial advancements, increased production capacity and market expansion, we anticipate it becoming a pivotal trend within small-pitch LED display industry by 2028. According to Runto Technology projections, sales from COB technology will account for more than 30% of Chinese small pitch LED display market (P2.5 or smaller).
Enterprise-wise, most LED display companies typically pursue both COB and MiP technologies concurrently; rather than following strict Darwinist logic when it comes to technological progression in this investment-intensive field, rather different attitudes and forces within an industry’s players can influence its development along either technological path.
Related:
What is Difference Between COB,DIP and SMD LED Packaging Technology?
Conclusion
As we venture forward into the future of small-pitch LED displays, COB technology stands at the forefront of innovation. Due to its exceptional performance, cost effectiveness, and flexibility to fit a variety of applications it stands as one of the primary contenders to transforming this industry. Competition between COB and MiP technologies adds another dynamic facet and promises consumers advanced and high quality visual experiences.
COB LED display technology continues to develop under the watchful eyes and support of industry leaders, promising it a prominent place within the small-pitch LED market and surpassing 30 percent market share by 2028. It represents a brighter and more immersive visual future for us all.