Industry consensus: COB and MIP have entered a differentiated coexistence stage

On March 4, the 2026 expert talks event "LED Display and MLED Industry Chain 2026 Blueprint Summit" with the theme of "Waiting for the wind to ignite the spark" came to a successful conclusion.

500+ LED display industry leaders, experts, scholars, and professional buyers gathered in Shenzhen. The key words of today’s conference are AI, MIP, COB, panelization trends, Micro LED mass production, glass base, etc.

The core points of the 2026 New Year's Eve event are as follows:

1) AI is an important innovation point in LED display. In diversified LED display scenarios, combined with AI, innovative upgrades can be achieved. Current AI innovation is mainly divided into two parts. The first is application, which improves user experience with strong interactivity and complete solutions, such as AI+safety screen and AI+interaction. The second is promoting the upgrade of display effects, using control systems and other methods to improve display effects.

2) COB and MIP technologies have matured and formed a healthy competition and cooperation relationship. The two jointly promote micro-pitch into the era of popularization below P0.9. At the same time, they also have different development routes. The current price of COB continues to fall, and the mainstream path is differentiation. This year may be the first year of the outbreak of outdoor COB. The mainstream path of MIP is cost reduction, and it still needs to break through scale. Previously disturbed by Mini LED chips, many guests expected that the price difference from Mini LED would be 10% before volume can be increased.

3) Lightweight and high-resolution rentals have become standard, and international orders have exploded in 2025. In the future, the market will be more segmented, with more customized demands, such as large screens, curved screens, immersive sky screens, etc.; film and television have been greatly affected, and the popularity of large models has affected domestic virtual shooting, and the application direction has been gradually adjusted; in the film market, LED display technology has continued to improve in terms of technology, and 240 movie screens have been implemented in 25 years.

At this summit, nearly 35 guests gave a blueprint for the development of core application scenarios in the LED display industry in 2026, as well as the development status and prospects of COB/MIP/COG/TFT-based Micro LED and other technical routes. The details are as follows:

01

2026 blueprint for the development of various industry scenarios

Hong Zhen, deputy director of the National Technical Committee for Standardization of Electronic Display Devices

Hong Zhen, deputy director of the National Technical Committee for Standardization of Electronic Display Devices, gave an opening speech.

He said that after decades of development, LED display has completed an industrial leap. The new continent cannot be found on old maps. The past is coming, and the era when pigs can fly is no longer. The industry has entered deep water, shifting from scale expansion to value creation. This year is also the first year of the 15th Five-Year Plan, which is a window period for the qualitative change of LED. The LED industry must adhere to long-term technology, dare to challenge, take the innovation initiative into its own hands, and continue to enhance China’s LED voice. The industry should take today as a new starting point and not wait for the wind to ignite the spark.

Experts say CEO Cai Jiandong

Experts said that CEO Cai Jiandong shared the theme of "LED Display Performance Review and Outlook for 2026".

He first reviewed the performance in 2025 and interpreted the export situation. From the review, the leading LED display manufacturers began to emphasize "profit quality" rather than "simple scale". In 2025, there was a sluggish peak season, but the overall market stabilized and recovered quarter by quarter. From the market point of view, the total supply-demand ratio including Mini has not changed substantially in 2025. Equipment production capacity Mini has increased while formal SMD has decreased. COB production expansion is led by panel manufacturers; LED display packaging links and screens have reached a certain "tacit understanding". Screen manufacturers accept the supply of panel-based modules and no longer struggle with the added value of light sources, turning to scenarios, channels and brand capabilities.

Wang Haibo, Director of Intelligent Display Products of Unilumin Group

Wang Haibo, Director of Intelligent Display Products of Unilumin Group, shared the theme of "LED Display + AI Latest Commercialization Journey".

He said that from the perspective of industry demand and market development, AI is an inevitable trend. The current single hardware delivery model can no longer meet customers' growing deep business needs. Technology integration is the core of the solution. The industry is entering a new stage of "scenario-based in-depth application + large-scale commercial use", and AI empowerment has become a key variable.

With "AI + display + industry scenarios" as the core, Unilumin Technology opens up the business closed loop of "technology integration - solution creation - scenario implementation" to build differentiated competitive advantages. Last year, Unilumin Technology released OneBrain 1.0. While upgrading the brain, Unilumin Technology is also simultaneously promoting the implementation and large-scale delivery of scenario solutions, launching smart government solutions, global education solutions, etc.

Lin Xianmeng, Director of Nova Nebula Central Research Institute

Lin Xianmeng, Director of Nova Nebula Central Research Institute, shared the report "Crossing the Challenges of Multiple Scenarios: Innovation and Advancement of LED Display Control Systems".

He said that the previous large LED screens were upgraded to ultra-large screens and gradually developed into creative screens. On the way to product upgrades, new demands such as ultra-large load capacity, multiple backup technologies, HDR, picture misalignment repair, and special-shaped screen correction have emerged.

For example, in creative displays, display control needs to solve the problem of screen misalignment, pixel correction problems of spherical and other special-shaped screens, etc. Creative displays are also gradually entering the automotive market. From a practical perspective, LED headlights and dot matrix screens can meet the needs. In virtual production, in addition to issues such as scan lines and corrections, higher contrast, higher color accuracy, higher refresh, lower temperature, and more stable display have become new requirements. For this, Nova Nebula has launched thermal compensation. In addition, Nova Nebula has also launched the infinity solution, which can achieve high-quality effects in LED cinemas, all-in-one machines, and home theaters.

Tu Menglong, Senior Director of Ledman Optoelectronics Technology R&D Center

Tu Menglong, Senior Director of Ledman Optoelectronics Technology R&D Center, shared the theme of "Substrate-less Micro LED Display Application Trends and Technology Progress".

He said that Micro LED displays can meet all application scenarios from ultra-large to small-sized displays, but Micro LED still faces cost issues. There are currently three major nodes to promote the development of Micro LED: 1. PCB substrate COB has matured, and the LED size has reached the capability limit of the PCB substrate technology route; 2. MIP devices have introduced 30~60 micron Micro LED; 3. New substrate technology has begun to mature, and 30~60 micron LEDs have been introduced.

Micro MIP technology adopts the Micro LED process of stripping the substrate, which requires substrate stripping, mass transfer, laser bonding and other Micro LED processes. The shipping method is blue film shipment. Display application manufacturers need to use MIP devices for COB packaging and ship them to end customers in the form of COB modules. Based on the development of Micro LED, Ledman Optoelectronics has launched P0.9 products using Micro-level MIP, and also launched home giant screen products in the 200,000 yuan range.

Zhang Ronghui, Deputy General Manager of Display BU, Intelligent Cube Semiconductor Product Business Center

Zhang Ronghui, Deputy General Manager of the Display BU of Intelligent Cube Semiconductor Product Business Center, shared the theme of "Establishing Industry Pillars, Intelligent Creation of the Future - The Strength and Breakthrough of Intelligent Cube Mini Advanced Packaging Full-Stack Solution".

He first shared new technological breakthroughs in sorting, testing, and die bonding. In terms of sorting machines, the first generation in 2021 was developed from 1KK per day to the fourth generation three-in-one product in 2025, which is 6KK per day. The cost per KK is reduced by 25%, the mixing efficiency is increased by 30%, and the labor cost is saved by 30%. The product line of spot testing machines has been updated for 3 generations. The latest M6 and M6P are both 28-pin compatible with 4-inch and 6-inch. Micro LED testing machines have been developed for 26 years. The current efficiency of Mini direct display die-bonding machine equipment is UPH=100KK/H for two heads per machine, XY accuracy is ±15, and it is compatible with 0204 chips. The substrate can be customized and multiple machines can be connected to increase manufacturing costs.

In 2025, Zhicube completed a 20,000 KK production expansion and reached strategic cooperation with its leading customers. In 2026, it plans to complete a 30,000 KK production expansion and complete the installation of AGV automated production lines to further reduce costs and increase efficiency.

Yan Siping, Head of Direct Display Marketing Department of BOE Huacan

Yan Siping, head of the direct display marketing department of BOE Huacan, shared the theme of "The New Future of LED Display Chips".

He believes that LED display will grow steadily in 2025, with the fastest growth in the Middle East and Africa. With the development of chips, BOE Huacan is also continuing to strengthen its HC True Color technology. This technology is different from wavelength sorting, but uses color coordinate sorting, which makes it easier to maintain brightness and chromaticity consistency over a long period of time and on a large screen size.

The Mini0407 plus launched in 2024 is the main product of HC True Color. In 2025, the Mini0510 product will be continuously launched, which is a continuation of the HC series and can meet the high-brightness and high-contrast needs of indoor displays and is compatible with semi-outdoor high-brightness display needs. MPD0202 is also one of the new products in the HC True Color series. At the recent ISE & ISLE 2026 exhibition, multiple benchmark companies exhibited Micro large-screen mass production solutions, marking the Micro display entering a new stage of scale and industrialization.

Xiao Zhou, Director of Absen Technology Innovation Center

Xiao Zhou, Director of Absen Technology Innovation Center, shared the theme of "COB Panelization under Full Scenario Adaptation: Definition and Leadership of Industry Demand Standards".

With the arrival of the panel era, COB has become the protagonist of real-life applications in all scenarios. Absen believes that panelization means that in order to protect the luminous bodies in the display light panel, panel packaging technology is used to package all the luminous bodies in a single light panel into a display panel at one time. Such products are closer to consumer products, with higher contrast and more stable product quality.

He also compared different technical solutions. Its indoor high-end fixed CL V3 has a wide color gamut chip selection algorithm, PWM+PAM hybrid driver IC, and a high refresh rate of 7680Hz; the professional-grade micro-pitch CL Pro V3 product is a professional-grade MIP micro-pitch display; the innovative COB rental SA1.5COB, a 1.5m small spacing meets the high-precision requirements of the stage, and has ultra-low mirror reflection; AW The Pro product is an outdoor COB light box. From a market perspective, dynamic, high-definition, and intelligent COB products may become a new trend in outdoor advertising, surpassing LCDs in all aspects and being more efficient.

◪ Industry dialogue: rental/fixed installation/film and television/all-in-one/micro-pitch/AI, etc. 2026 blueprint plan

This industry dialogue was hosted by Tang Yangshu, chairman of Mengtuo Intelligent.

At the scene, Wang Haibo, Director of Intelligent Display Products of Unilumin Group, and Zhao Lei, GTM Director of Hikvision Display Control Products Business Department , Lei Tao, product director of Uniview Technology Display Control and Conference Division, Lu Zhenghua, deputy general manager of Skyworth Commercial Product Line/Director of Development Department, Wang Haixu, industry sales director of Shijue Guangxu, Li Nong, chief engineer of Nanjing Lopu, Zhang Bailong, general manager of brand and market operations of ITC Baolun Co., Ltd., Philips Commercial Display LE Tian Shuai, Director of D Product, and Wang Junkai, Deputy General Manager of Shendecai R&D Center, conducted in-depth discussions on topics such as "market changes in various scenarios in 2026" and "how companies layout and position", focusing on changes and layouts in AI+LED display, companies going overseas, changes in application markets, etc.

02

COB/MIP/COG/TFT-based Micro LED development blueprint

Deputy Research Director of Expert Research

Fang Hui, Deputy Research Director of Expert Research, shared the theme of "Expert Report: 2026 COB/MIP Technology and Market Development Report".

He said that COB and MIP have reached a new stage through development. In 2025, COB production capacity will exceed 70,000 square meters per month, of which the top three COB manufacturers will account for 58% of the production capacity, and the top five COB manufacturers will account for 75% of the production capacity. MIP production capacity is increasing year by year, and it is expected that MIP production capacity in 2026 will increase significantly compared with 2025.

COB has the advantage of panel display in application scenarios, and MIP has the advantage of consumer electronics extensibility in application scenarios. After years of development, COB and MIP currently occupy an important position in the entire LED display industry chain. The output value of COB modules accounts for approximately 16% of the total module output value, and is expected to further increase; the output value of MIP modules accounts for approximately 1.25% of the total module output value, and is expected to grow in the next few years.

◪ "2026 Global LED Display Research White Paper" Research Launching Ceremony

At the scene, the "2026 Global LED Display Research White Paper" survey was officially launched.

"2026 Global LED Display Research White Paper"

Co-producer

Foshan Guoxing Optoelectronics Co., Ltd.

A-level participating units

Shenzhen Absen Optoelectronics Co., Ltd.

Shenzhen Alto Electronics Co., Ltd.

Changchun Xida Electronic Technology Co., Ltd.

Nanjing Lopu Co., Ltd.

Dongguan Zhongqi Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd.

Jiangxi Zhaochi Semiconductor Co., Ltd.

Shenzhen Zhaochi Crystal Display Technology Co., Ltd.

Shenzhen Jingtai Co., Ltd.

Hubei Aimaipu Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd.

BOE Huacan Optoelectronics Co., Ltd.

Xi'an Nova Nebula Technology Co., Ltd.

Shenzhen Xinyichang Technology Co., Ltd.

B-level participating unit

Chengdu Chenxian Optoelectronics Co., Ltd.

Guangdong Saipu Technology Group Co., Ltd.

Xiamen Xinda Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd.

Shenzhen Yongshungu Industrial Co., Ltd.

Dongguan Mengtuo Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd.

Shenzhen Zhicube Automation Equipment Co., Ltd.

Zhongqi Optoelectronics Marketing Director Liu Gang

Zhongqi Optoelectronics Marketing Director Liu Gang gave a keynote speech on "Product Practice under the COB/MIP Dual Technology Route".

He said that currently, the release of new production capacity is driving product prices downward, which not only stimulates market demand, but also accelerates market awareness and scale growth of COB technology. At present, the growth of COB mainly comes from the replacement of the SMD market. Competition is spreading from high-end to mid-range. The overall new momentum of the market is limited and involution is intensifying. Downstream technology applications are stratified, and new technologies such as MIP and COG are filling the traditional high-end engineering market. From the perspective of cost, price and brand thrust, the penetration of MIP will be faster than that of COG in the short term.

He focused on the new progress of Zhongqi Optoelectronics' technology and products. The third generation "nano black" surface treatment technology will be applied to the H2/H3 series and mass produced this year. At the same time, it plans to launch a number of new products, including HCP MIP's Micro series, as well as HCP MiniCOB's FL soft film group, S3 semi-outdoor, ECO, art screen and other series to cover market segments.

Xie Zhijun, general manager of Huidu Technology

Xie Zhijun, general manager of Huidu Technology, gave a keynote speech on "Key Technologies and Trends of Mini & Micro LED Control Systems".

He said that in the future, LED displays will continue to develop in the direction of standardization and panelization, and the ultimate form of the LED display system will be a highly integrated architecture that achieves "no receiving card". The current trend of resolution upgrades in the LED display industry is significant. 4K resolution has become the standard for mid-to-high-end products, while 8K is in the initial stage of large-scale application. The continuous improvement of pixel density is constantly promoting iterative upgrades of control system load capacity and transmission technology.

Based on this, Huidu Technology also continues to focus on research and development breakthroughs in spatial resolution, image compression technology, and 5G transmission technology. Among them, in the field of ultra-high-definition video, according to Xie Zhijun, Huidu Technology has completed the layout of 16K products.

Wang Yang, Deputy General Manager of Xida Electronics

Wang Yang, Deputy General Manager of Xida Electronics, shared a report titled "A Brief Analysis of MiP and COB Technology Development Trends".

He said that the Mini/Micro LED COB display industry has now entered a period of rapid development. While the industry is rapidly expanding, it is necessary to rationally examine the sustainable development path and focus on core links such as standard construction, patent protection, reliability enhancement and quality control to promote the healthy and steady development of the industry. This year is a key node for MiP technology to achieve a breakthrough from "mass production" to "scale", which relies on the collaboration of the industry chain.

At the same time, ultra-high-definition large-size Mini/Micro COB display innovation is building an application ecosystem covering all scenarios. It is not only expected to gradually replace DLP and LCD splicing walls and become the mainstream of the market, but will also expand to video conferencing, medium and large conference rooms, distance education, telemedicine, home theaters and high-end homes to fill the market demand for large-size ultra-high definition displays.