Samsung

Will LCDs be Replaced in VR?

In 2023, almost every VR device uses LCDs (Liquid Crystal Displays) to replace the real world with digital content, but a shift might be underway in 2024. Apple's Vision Pro is set to be one of the earliest VR devices to use OLED-on-Si technology, also known as micro-OLED, in a move to shrink headsets down whilst offering extremely high-quality images.

PlayNitride

PlayNitride is a microLED manufacturer founded in 2014 and headquartered in Taiwan. While it started as a company that evaluated the use of nitrides in a wide range of materials and applications, it now specializes in the use of GaN in microLEDs. The company has been publicly listed at the Taiwan Stock Exchange since 2022 and occupies a position at the Taiwan Innovation Board.

Blaize

Blaize is a US-based rebranding of ThinCI, who develop artificial intelligence (AI) inference chips for edge devices.

EU Chips Act — SemiWise

Professor Asen Asenov has been a professor at the University of Glasgow's Department of Electrical Engineering for 32 years. He has a strong background in the semiconductor industry, with 42 years of industry experience. In 2010, he founded a successful startup called 'Gold Standard Simulations' (GSS), which focused on advanced CMOS simulation tools. GSS was later acquired by Synopsys in 2016, leading to the establishment of SemiWise in 2017. SemiWise specializes in areas like low-power CMOS modeling and simulation, providing semiconductor IP, device design consulting, software solutions, and training courses. Additionally, Prof. Asenov is involved in UK chip initiatives and advises the Bulgarian government on the EU (European) Chips Act. IDTechEx interviewed Prof. Asenov, discussing the EU Chips Act and the competition in the semiconductor industry in July 2023.

Semiconductor Foundry Node Roadmap

Innovation roadmap semiconductor foundry nodes.

Immersive Wireless Audio: The Gateway to an AR/VR Hardware Ecosystem?

Sony recently announced 'Project Q', comprising the development of a hand-held PlayStation and corresponding high-end earbuds. The inclusion of earbuds initially seems surprising since headphones and earphones are amongst the most mature in the near hundred billion-dollar wearables market.

Jade Bird Display

Jade Bird Display (JBD) designs and manufactures microLED displays with complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) backplanes for applications including augmented reality (AR) devices, where it has been the first microLED firm to reach the market. JBD updated IDTechEx on its progress since its last interview in early 2022, including the opening of its new fab in Hefei, updated product lineup and promising financial results.

Excyton

Founded in 2019, Excyton is based in Durham, United Kingdom and delivers algorithmic and design solutions to current display technologies to reduce power consumption and improve colour gamut. These are used mostly in OLEDs but adaptable to microLEDs and QLEDs.

IDTechEx Explains What Apple's Vision Pro Headset Does Differently

On June 5th, Apple ended years of speculation and finally announced a mixed reality (MR) headset. The US$3499 Vision Pro headset confirmed some expectations and confounded others. IDTechEx has been tracking the mixed, augmented and virtual reality markets since 2015, with reports on headsets and accessories and optics available now and a report on displays for AR/VR soon to be released. This insight into the AR/VR industry and associated technologies provides context to IDTechEx's initial analysis of Apple's headset design philosophy.