Mr. Harsh Shaudan pretty much represents my thinking in the aftermath of the announcement that Google would not take an additional

stake in Himax Display. There was mention of an ongoing relationship but I and others see this as a pro forma declaration that Himax's LCOS displays will not be in future iterations of Google Glass. I mean, that's certainly how the market understood the statement by Himax's CEO. They lost a similar percentage in stock price when the first rumor that Google was switching to OLED came to fore. So, where does Google go from here Display-wise? If we are to believe the words of eMagin's Management team, I admit that in some cases, more than some, that assumption has proved problematic. They sated that Google was going eventually to OLED, it was just a matter of how they got there. Yesterday's announcement seemed to fit in nicely with that effort.

   That being said there is a deductive argument to be made that Google's desire for Glass requires a switch to OLED. The next one HAS to appear to the public, the easily offended public, to be indistinguishable from an ordinary pair of Corrective Vision Glasses or Sunglasses. Presumably it will have the same features as  as Glass Explorer , camera and all but not readily identifiable as such to the casual observer. They want it to be invisible. CFO Campbell said "Google backed the wrong technology." "They want low power, improved optics, smaller form factor, they want OLED", he said, in so many words. : "If they don't have it in the next version they will have it in the subsequent." Well, it appears that the next version needs a display that satisfies those design goals.

   Of all the questions at the last CC the ones that elicited the most interesting answers were Vince's about Manufacturing capacity and ability to deliver. He got Sculley to use those big boy numbers like 1,000,000 displays per month, Campbell mentioned 100,000-300,000 displays per month and I'm choking a bit even typing that as we as long time observers of eMagin have never allowed ourselves in our wildest daydreams to have that many zeros associated with this little klutz of a company. But, Sculley's answer dovetailed perfectly with the stated objectives that Google had with Himax for delivery of their displays before the divorce. All the Himax talk of ramping, increasing capacity, purchasing property for a new building was geared towards delivery of a million displays a month, same numbers Sculley mentioned as "tough to be able to do in six months." Meaning he might be able to do it in seven months. And he said "we can handle the costs." Himax's display at the first teardown was reported to be $6. Cooler heads prevailed and another teardown with some input from Himax pegged the cost to Google per display at $20. Not far from Sculley's "Power of Ten" talking point: Fighter Pilot HMD $3,500.00 per display, Dismounted Soldier $350.00 per display and for Personal HMD/AR Glasses $35 per display. That was the number that was kicked around after Sidoti for such a display two years ago and have yet to hear anyone refute it. "We talk to these companies, we tell them what we can do."

  Have to mention Kopin as they are part of the triad of microdisplay companies apart from Himax and eMagin that can produce a High Brightness Display. The closest I believe to Google's vision for Glass is the prototype Kopin developed called the Pupil. Other than being BIG frames, really big, like a yenta's in Boca type frames they looked pretty good, damn good effort. But they have the same drawbacks that LCOS displays have related to Size, Weight and Power. Was Google going to shitcan Himax to throw in with another LCD company?, unlikely. There are just to many components in Kopin and Himax's displays, too much mass and density to satisfy Luxottica and their attendant brands, Oakley, Ray-Ban. You don't look at Google Glass today and think, "Man those Silicon Valley guys are really much better designers than Italians. So that's my Argument from Design, Google is compelled to use OLED for next Google Glass in order to overcome the majority of objections they have heard since Glass' introduction. Technological Determinism with a little La Dolce Vita thrown in. Ciao.

Mr. Shaudan Two Cents:

Has Himax lost Glass?Earlier this year, Google partnered with Ray-Ban maker Luxottica to make Glass a stylish product and expand its adoption. According to Luxottica's press release, "the two Corporations will establish a team of experts devoted to working on the design, development, tooling and engineering of Glass products that straddle the line between high-fashion, lifestyle and innovative technology." 

Note the words "design, development, tooling and engineering." What if the latest deal with Luxottica has led to a change in the way Google Glass is currently manufactured? Himax isn't the lone microdisplay supplier in the world, and there's a possibility that a different manufacturer's products might suit the Luxottica design better than Himax.