TCL CSOT and Vuzix strengthen their cooperation on Micro LED and optical waveguide technologies.

Recently, there has been a lot of activity in the field of AR near-eye display, among which Micro LED micro-display technology, which is hailed as the core of next-generation display technology, has been gaining popularity.

However, Micro LED technology is still in its early stages of development, facing core challenges such as cost, yield, and full-color capabilities. Therefore, strong alliances and collaborative research among upstream and downstream companies in the industry chain are essential for promoting technological maturity and commercialization.

Against this backdrop, on September 23, Vuzix, a smart glasses and AR technology supplier, announced a deepened strategic partnership with TCL CSOT, a well-known display panel manufacturer, to promote the development of Micro LED micro-display and waveguide technology solutions.

Vuzix and TCL CSOT Collaborate Deeply to Create a Complete Micro LED Waveguide Solution <br /> According to the announcement, Vuzix and TCL CSOT have entered into a long-term strategic partnership to jointly create a complete optical display solution integrating TCL CSOT's advanced Micro LED microdisplay and Vuzix's waveguide technology. This solution provides global smart glasses OEMs and consumer electronics brands with an easy-to-integrate, rapidly mass-producible modular option, significantly lowering the development threshold for AR glasses and accelerating the marketization process.

Vuzix stated that the integration of Micro LED and waveguide optics is a key driver for the development of next-generation smart glasses, and this collaboration is an important part of the company's long-term product and market development strategy.

In fact, prior to this official announcement, Vuzix and TCL CSOT had already successfully integrated a single green Micro LED display engine with a high-transparency, rainbow-free waveguide. This initial achievement was showcased at the recent China International Optoelectronic Exposition (CIOE 2025).

Currently, Vuzix and TCL CSOT are actively investing resources to jointly develop a full-color Micro LED and waveguide optics solution, which is expected to be officially released in early 2026. This is widely regarded by the industry as a key milestone in promoting the large-scale application of AR glasses in the consumer and enterprise sectors.

Despite the enormous potential of Micro LED microdisplay technology, its high cost and complex manufacturing process have remained bottlenecks to its large-scale application. The collaboration between Vuzix and TCL CSOT is expected to accelerate the mass production of Micro LED microdisplay technology, making it more cost-effective for consumer products such as AR glasses, thereby speeding up its adoption across the industry.

Specifically, TCL CSOT, as a globally renowned panel manufacturer, has reserves of various display technologies such as Mini LED, Micro LED, OLED and inkjet-printed OLED, and owns multiple display production bases, possessing the capacity for large-scale mass production of display technologies. Therefore, it can further reduce the production cost of Micro LED microdisplays in the future.

Vuzix possesses extensive experience in waveguide technology and AR terminal product manufacturing, which will better facilitate the application and implementation of Micro LED microdisplay technology in AR glasses. Furthermore, it's worth noting that Vuzix recently announced it has received a full $20 million investment from Quanta Computer, further enhancing Vuzix's waveguide production capabilities.

The collaboration between the two parties is expected to accelerate the mass production of Micro LED technology, making it more cost-effective in consumer products such as AR glasses, thereby speeding up its adoption across the industry.

Collaboration, capacity expansion, and new product and technology releases: September saw a flurry of activity in the Micro LED micro-display technology field, with the display industry's attention to Micro LED micro-display technology reaching new heights.

In terms of collaboration, in addition to its partnership with TCL CSOT, Vuzix has recently partnered with CSOT to jointly develop high-performance Micro LED waveguide solutions, accelerating the commercialization of next-generation AI/AR smart glasses.

On September 22, JBD also announced that it had recently achieved a key breakthrough in display quality for Micro LED full-color waveguide AR glasses in collaboration with Applied Materials (AMAT) and Thunderbird Innovations, and that the technology has been first applied to the Thunderbird X3 Pro AR glasses.

In terms of new products and technologies, JBD introduced its latest "Hummingbird II" Micro LED color light engine; Hongshi Intelligent introduced its latest full-color Micro LED light engine, the Aurora Shadow XC6; Leyard officially showcased its first Micro LED AR glasses; and Lipro Vision launched Micro LED outdoor athlete AR glasses...

In terms of projects, Xingyue Semiconductor has achieved the commissioning of China's first 8-inch silicon-based GaN Micro LED pilot line; Qiushui Semiconductor's Micro LED AR displays are about to enter small-batch production; and a Micro LED AR-related project with an investment of 500 million yuan has been signed in Liuzhou, Guangxi...

Summary <br /> It is projected that with the maturation of Micro LED full-color technology and the increasing demands of AR glasses for computing power, battery life, and display performance, shipments of AR glasses equipped with Micro LED will reach 20.9 million units in 2030, with a technology penetration rate of 65.0% in 2030.

Today, Micro LED microdisplay technology has become a battleground for companies. Looking ahead, with increasing investment from display companies, the penetration rate of Micro LED microdisplay technology in AR glasses applications is expected to accelerate further.