Big screen ambitions for OLED displays

In January 2012, there was a rush of excitement surrounding the OLED industry. Once the preserve of the mobile phone market, suddenly the technology was being featured in large-size televisions. Twelve months later, the expectation is still there; the products however, are not.

At the Consumer Electronics Show 2012 (CES) in Las Vegas, US, LG unveiled the first 55-inch OLED television, On a stand not so far away, Samsung surprised by also unveiling a 55-inch OLED television. Media outlets predicted a war between the two companies that would revolutionise the way we watch television, all on OLED screens.

Both LG and Samsung stated their products would be available in 2012, but delays and silence on the latest developments have followed. Since then however, only LG has started taking orders for its television from consumers in Korea, with no details on a worldwide launch.

In the period since, a number of other manufacturers have seen the importance of OLED televisions in the industry. Struggling Japanese manufacturers Sony and Panasonic have announced a collaboration to produce manufacturing techniques for low-cost OLED televisions, while Taiwanese company AUO is also looking at launching a television using the technology.

Ultra HD

With OLED products being developed, LCD is moving back up the agenda. Rumours that both Samsung and LG had decided instead to focus on Super HD devices, and abandon their OLED programmes, in televisions at least - appeared in Australian media before being filtered around the world.

The truth seems to be that, while both companies will look at launching Super HD products, this is down to demand, rather than admitting defeat with OLED. While the organic electronic technology develops further, both companies are not likely to stand still and watch their potential market share erode, as others launch Super HD.

Problems producing the numbers of displays for televisions was suggested as a possible explanation why the technology has not made it to market yet.

For Samsung especially, this could be a factor in the delay. The company launched its new smartphone, the Galaxy SIII in Q2 2012, and was reported to be struggling to meet demand of the displays. As this is a main revenue stream for the company, diverting attention away to manufacture larger, more expensive and limited large-panel OLED displays was not an option.

Whatever the reasons, with more launches at the recent CES 2013, there is obvious interest in the market, and with increased competition, expect the two companies' leading the charge for OLED televisions to ensure their products are on the market this year.

This article appears in full in Volume 5, issue 4 of +Plastic Electronics magazine. To read this article, along with more high-value, exclusive content, subscribe to +Plastic Electronics magazine