UMC Launches 22eHV for Display Driver ICs

UMC has announced the launch of its cutting-edge 22nm embedded High Voltage (eHV) technology platform aimed at advancing Display Driver IC (DDIC) solutions. This new platform is designed to cater to the growing demand for AMOLED applications in high-end smartphones and mobile devices, promising a significant 30% reduction in power consumption compared to the previous 28nm eHV process.

Market analysts are optimistic about UMC's revenue prospects in the latter half of the year, driven by its strategic focus on high-performance smartphone display chips.

UMC has reported notable growth in monthly consolidated revenues since the beginning of the second quarter. Despite a marginal decrease of 1.17% from the previous month, May's consolidated revenue reached NT$19.509 billion, marking the second-highest level in 15 months, following a peak in April, the highest in 16 months. Based on this strong performance in April and May, market expectations are high for UMC to achieve double-digit growth in consolidated revenue for the second quarter, surpassing both the previous quarter and last year.

In response to the increasing demand for AMOLED in smartphones, UMC's 22nm eHV platform introduces industry-leading SRAM bit size, enabling compact chip designs while enhancing processing speed and response times for high-resolution imagery. Moreover, it supports mobile device manufacturers in extending product battery life and delivering superior visual experiences.

With decades of experience in DDIC wafer technology development and manufacturing, UMC was the first to achieve mass production of 28nm small panel DDICs. These chips play a critical role in driving AMOLED and OLED displays across smartphones, tablets, IoT devices, and augmented/virtual reality applications. According to UMC and market research by Omdia, UMC holds a dominant global market share of over 90% in pure wafer foundry services for 28nm small panel DDICs.

Vice President of Technology Development at UMC emphasized the company's leadership in introducing the 22nm eHV solution, enabling customers to develop smaller, more efficient display driver chips to meet the evolving demands of the smartphone market. Since the commencement of 28nm eHV production in 2020, UMC has consistently led in AMOLED driver chip foundry services. The launch of the 22nm eHV platform underscores UMC's global leadership in eHV technology. Looking forward, UMC's development team is expanding its eHV product portfolio to include FinFET processes to align with future display industry trends.