AnaPass to supply more OLED DDI to Samsung

South Korean display solution firm AnaPass is expected to provide more of its products for Samsung’s small and mid-sized OLED panels, according to industry sources on Jan 2.

Samsung Display has already watched AnaPass pass the test with Sony’s Experia 1 and Meizu’s Meizu 15 Plus over the past two years, and now appears ready to expand the partnership.

Taiwanese foundry company UMC has already been commissioned to mass produce 28nm OLED DDIs designed by AnaPass projected to go into the OLED panels that Samsung Display will be supplying to Chinese smartphone makers.

far, Samsung Display had depended about 60% of its DDI demand on Samsung Electronics’ System LSI division, and 40% on AnaPass. Market watchers expect this ratio to change, with AnaPass enlisted with the bigger share.

AnaPass' key technology consists of separating the graphic memory chip from the integrated chip, unlike Samsung’s System LSI division which includes it. The latter chips are more efficient, but become thicker in size. Thinner chips are usually preferred since they can help pare down the display bezel.

The game-changer came at SID2017 when AnaPass and Samsung Display together showcased a new technological-breakthrough for producing a thin yet high-functional chip for DDI. In 2018, AnaPass began mass producing DDI using this technology for Meizu 15 Plus and Experia 1. That year, the South Korean firm posted sales of KRW 51.4 billion and an operating loss of KRW 8 billion.

Since then, it has recorded two consecutive years of deficit. As of the third quarter of 2019, accumulated sales stood at KRW 42.5 billion and its operating loss at KRW 13.3 billion.

The Elec is South Korea’s No.1 tech news platform.