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Can OLEDs reinvigorate the TV industry? Maybe but not just yet.
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That is according to analysts who say while OLED may be the TV industry’s saving grace, but it may be a while yet before it happens.
Sony and Pansonic’s announcement this week that they will jointly mass prduce OLED displays in 2013 will allow them play to catch up with Samsung and LG (both currently developing OLEDs) says Ken Park DisplaySearch analyst.
However, despite hopes that OLED is a “gamechanger” for the TV industry, it certainly will not have an impact in 2012, Park warns.
OLED display technology uses missive organic material when supplied with an electrical current delivering a brighter screen with higher contrast, eliminating the need for back-lighting.
In fact, DisplaySearch has even downgraded its OLED shipment forecasts for 2012, from 50,000 to 20,000 units.
Defending the move, Park said: “mass production of OLED panels is not ready,” and even third quarter panel production means OLED TV would be completed by Q4’12 “at best.”
The race to launch the first consumer OLED has been between LG and Samsung, although LG appear to have the edge, set to launch their first 55″ OLED set in Australia later this year.
“Competition has been severe, with each highlighting the weak points of the other’s technology and trying to upstage each others public exhibitions and planning launch timing,” Park notes of the OLED race between the Korean rivals LG and Samsung.
However with the LG OLED tipped to cost around $10,000 the race may not be who launches first, but which TV maker produces a set that affordable to the mass market.
But as prices of rival technology including 60″ LED backlit LCDs are now “extremely competitive” while 70″ and larger sizes will likely be available at “aggressive pricing,” he predicts.
LCD TVs using oxide TFTs may be available in 4K x 2K format and could also have a big impact on 55″ OLED TVs when they are launched.
Just as Apple has used high resolution LCD to compete with Samsung’s AMOLED phones, consumers could see contrast ratio and high resolution as offering greater benefits.
