Will micro-LED ever really replace OLED? Next-generation TV technology takes a hit as Samsung's TV boss backs out of investing in making it; It's a bad sign, but will TCL and Hisense keep the flag flying?

Samsung is reportedly reducing production of micro-LED TVs
High production costs are a constant problem
Facing a double whammy of stagnant demand and rising costs

Last year around this time we were told that micro-LED would make OLED and LCD redundant as they became affordable in smaller panels, but it seems Samsung missed the memo. A new report says it is scaling back its micro-LED business.

The report, from ETNews via DigiTimes, says that Samsung is scaling back its manufacturing of micro-LED TVs after making TVs to order. That production has apparently stopped, and Samsung is also outsourcing processes such as panel manufacturing and joining, which were previously done in-house.

Apparently it’s all about numbers, and Samsung is having a hard time selling TVs that cost this much. According to ETNews sources, Samsung only sells “about 100 units” a year.

Is Samsung getting out of the micro-LED TV business?

Not yet: the report says that Samsung is still handling assembly of the final product. But industry observers believe it is the first step toward what could be a retreat from this part of the television market unless things change.

Last year, Samsung introduced its Micro RGB LED TVs, which are sort of a middle ground between micro-LED and mini-LED. These don’t have the same self-emissive pixels as a true micro-LED TV, but they use the same type of RGB LEDs to replace a single-color mini-LED backlight behind an LCD panel.

The idea is to offer visual improvements without the high cost of true micro-LED and, according to DigiTimes, was seen as a way to drive awareness and adoption of micro-LED technology.

Demand for new TVs has been relatively low in recent years and production costs are rising, making TV a tough business right now, and Samsung is also dealing with very intense competition from rivals such as TCL and Hisense, as well as the upcoming Bravia TV partnership between TCL and Sony.

So what does this mean for micro-LED TVs? It helps that TCL and Hisense are also getting aggressive in this area. Samsung and Hisense have shown off some very impressive TVs at CES 2026, with Samsung showing off a 140-inch smart TV where the bezel was also a screen, while Hisense showed off micro-LED technology with additional colors built into each pixel (launching later in 2026).

But the technology is still far from becoming mass market; We reported earlier this year that TV companies are telling us it’s five years away from going mainstream, and even that is among the most optimistic options.

If you’re longing for a new TV, the technology in today’s best TVs won’t be usurped anytime soon, except by a more refined version of the same technology. Micro-LED TVs may still have their moment, but if Samsung isn’t holding its breath internally, you probably shouldn’t either.

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