DSCC Sees ‘Significant Momentum’ Next Year for MiniLED Backlights

MiniLED backlights are poised to begin rapid adoption in 2021, rising to 8.9 million units from only 50,000 this year, reported Display Supply Chain Consultants Monday. It predicts the technology will gain “significant momentum” next year as Samsung and Chinese brands launch LCD TVs with miniLED backlights. DSCC estimates Samsung will target sales of 2 million such sets. “Growth will not be restricted to the TV segment,” it said. Apple’s suppliers have started producing miniLED backlights for the new iPad Pro, scheduled for 2021 release, it said. MiniLED backlights began appearing in professional monitors and premium TVs last year, said DSCC. They're “ideally sized for integration into LCD backlights with local dimming capability,” giving their panels higher contrast ratios and better efficiency without sacrificing brightness, it said. MiniLED backlights can also reduce panel thickness compared with displays “using conventional full array local dimming,” it said.