OLED TV: Introduction and Industry News - Page 18

LG Electronics announced its OLED TV range for 2021, with three new OLED TV ranges. It seems the company is set to reveal more OLED TVs during the year, as some notes include model numbers that were not introduced yet.

But we'll start with the actual TVs. The company's mainstream TV range for 2021 will be the OLED C1. These 120Hz 4K TVs come in 48-inch, 55-inch, 65-inch, 77-inch and also 83-inch sizes., and feature LG's 4th generation a9 AI processor, the company's latest webOS v6 and supports HDR10, HLG, Dolby Vision IQ and Dolby Atmos. For gamers, the TVs offer HDMI 2.1, G-SYNC, FreSync, VRR and ALLM.

LG Display announced that it has developed and employed new OLED technologies, including new OLED materials and a new OLED device structure (with a new added layer) that enabled it to improve the efficiency of its large-area WOLED panels by around 20%. This enabled LGD to increase the brightness of its OLEDs.

The first display to adopt this new structure and materials is the company's 77-inch OLED panel, but LGD will also apply it to its other panels over 2021. LGD also announced that it will start producing 83-inch and 42-inch OLED TV panels, that will join its existing 48-, 55-, 65-, 77- and 88-inch models.

Omdia says that in 2020, LG Display's OLED TV sales surpassed LGD's LCD TV sales, for the first time. LGD's OLED TV sales were 53% of the company's total TV sales (up from 33% in 2019).

Omdia says that it expects LG's total OLED display sales (including TVs, mobiles and automotive displays) to reach 10 trillion Won in 2021 (around $9.15 billion USD).

Sony just announced their 2021 OLED TV range. Interestingly, the top-of-the line A90J will come in 55-inch, 65-inch and 83-inch sizes.

This is the first time we hear of a 83-inch OLED. This is the size that Sony quotes on their own product page, so this is not likely to be a mistake. It will be interesting to hear whether LG will announced this new size soon. Currently the company produces 48-, 55-, 65-, 77- and 88-inch OLED panels.

Sony Electronics announced its 2021 TVs, with two OLED TVs at the top of the range. First up is Sony's flagship 2021 Android OLED TV, the A90J, which will be Sony's brightest OLED TV ever. The 4K TV will come in 55-inch, 65-inch and 83-inch (yes, we will post on this soon - the first time we hear of a 83-inch OLED).

The A90J uses Sony's latest Cognitive Processor XR that provides the company's latest AI processor for an upgraded audio and visual experience. Other features includes HDMI 2.1, 4K 120Hz support, eARC, VRR and ALLM, Netflix Calibrated mode, HLG, HDR10, Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos and IMAX Enhanced support. The A90J uses Sony's built-in sound system (Acousting Surface Audio+) that uses the OLED panel itself as a speaker.

DSCC says that OLED panel revenues will reach almost $12 billion in Q4 2020 - reaching an all-time high (up 46% from Q4 2019) as all the major OLED markets, smartphones, TVs and smartwatches, saw increased demand.

One of the major drivers for the increased Q4 demand was Apple's later-than-usual release date which pushed orders into Q4 from Q3, and an earlier Samsung S21 release which meant SDC started producing panels for Samsung Electronics's upcoming flagship as early as November. DSCC estimates that Apple will account for 57% of all OLED smartphone panel revenues in the quarter.

LG Electronics announced that it is partnering with door solutions developer Assa Abloy Entrance Systems to commercialize automatic sliding doors with transparent OLED panels.

Assa Abloy will adopt LGD's 55" transparent OLED displays to show information and advertisements.

Korea's The Elec says that Samsung Display aims to start trial runs at its QD-OLED 8.5-Gen production line next month (December 2020).

SDC will brand these displays as QD Displays. The first generation ones will adopt SDC's current hybrid QD-OLED architecture, but later ones may adopt QNED (quantum-rods) emitters. In any case, SDC's plan is to start mass production by the end of 2021, in the first line (15,000 monthly substrates). SDC is also planning a second line to follow the first, to arrive at a total of 30,000 monthly 8.5-Gen substrates.

LG Electronics signed an exclusive marketing partnership with Microsoft, and LG's OLED TV technology is now the official TV partner of Microsoft’s new Xbox Series X gaming console.

LG says that its latest OLED TVs are the best way to enjoy gaming on the Xbox Series X, with features such as 4K resolution, 120 fps, an ultra-fast 1ms response time, low input lag and support for the latest HDMI specifications including Variable Refresh Rate (VRR), Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM) and enhanced return audio channel (eARC). LG's latest TVs also feature the HGiG HRD profile.

Ireland-based OLED IP company Solas OLED announced that it has prevailed in its patent infringement action in Germany against LG Display, LG Electronics and Sony. The Mannheim District Court in Germany held that the defendants had infringed Solas’ German patent DE 102 54 511 B4 concerning a control circuit for light emitting diodes.

This technology, owned by Solas, is used in OLED panels used in LG ans Sony's TVs. According to the court's decision, LG and Sony will have to stop marketing products in Germany that infringe upon Solas' patents and they will have to recall from commercial customers all infringing products. LG and Sony must also must render to Solas a detailed accounting necessary to establish damages owed by the defendants for sales of infringing products in Germany dating back to April, 2009.