Samsung will not bring its micro-LED televisions to the market in Germany until October, six months behind the original schedule. The company confirmed this when asked by the editorial team. ComputerBase noticed last week that there was still no trace of micro-LED televisions in stores.
After a long series of step-by-step announcements, Samsung announced in mid-March of this year to want to bring the first two micro-LED televisions onto the market in Germany from the beginning of April. Two versions were planned: one with 110 inches (279.4 cm), as it was also offered in South Korea since the end of 2020, for 149,999 euros and a “smaller” model with 99 inches (251.5 cm) for 129,999 euros.
The editors were puzzled by the fact that since the announcement there has been no trace of the devices in retail, for example when price comparisons or large retailers are searched. Samsung's website itself is also empty. Although micro-LED technology and its advantages are advertised there, the televisions cannot be bought. You can only register with your name, telephone number, email address and date of birth in order to receive further information about the new televisions.
Market launch expected in October
When asked, Samsung Germany confirms that the micro-LED televisions are not simply not available in stores because they are exclusive products in the six-digit price range. The series, simply called “Micro LED”, is expected to be available in October, six months later than planned. It is not clear from the brief statement why this delay occurred. The editors have therefore asked for more details.
Allegedly only a few hundred devices per year
The still extremely complex production could be a reason for the delay. Last week, the industry magazine The Elec from South Korea provided an insight into sales of micro-LED televisions in their home country. The 110-inch model is said to be selling well there, although in absolute terms it is a product in the niche of the niche. The total global micro-LED sales in the B2B and B2C sectors currently account for 400 to 500 units per year at Samsung, according to the report. This corresponds to a share of just 0.001 percent of Samsung's total annual TV sales, which scratches the 50 million mark.
Over the weekend, The Korea Economic Daily replenished the matter and reported that Samsung was building a new production line in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, for the production of smaller micro-LED TVs in 77 and 88 inches, which will begin mass production in 2022 should start. Production of the 110-inch model is currently being ramped up in the Vietnamese plant. Hardly anything can be heard from the originally planned version with 99 inches.
QD-OLED for the CES in January
< p class = "p text-width"> The same report shows that Samsung is planning to present QD OLED televisions at CES in January 2022, which will be below micro-LED TVs in the premium segment but above the current neo QLED flagships with mini-LED are to be positioned. As the name suggests, QD-OLEDs are supposed to combine the quantum dot and OLED technologies. OLED only serves as background lighting with many local dimming zones, while the quantum dots form a thin layer as a color filter.