OLED TV: Introduction and Industry News - Page 56

IHS estimates that 90.8 million OLED panels shipped in Q1 2016, and most of these (87.35 million) used in smartphones. 2 million panels were used in smartwatches. IHS also estimates that 145,000 OLED TVs shipped in Q1 2016 (a decrease from the 200,000 panels shipped in Q4 2015).

OLED adoption in smartphones increased by 62.8% compared to Q1 2015. The increase in OLED shipments to smartphones were mostly due to new (most Chinese) smartphone makers using OLED displays. SDC is still the clear OLED leader, with a market share of 97.7%. LGD follows with 0.9% and AUO with 0.7%.

LG Electronics USA announced that it is now offering OLED TVs designed specifically for hotel rooms. LG will offer its 4K 55" and 65" OLEDs that offers the "very best picture quality available" for luxury hotel rooms and public spaces.

LG's hotel-bound TVs feature the Pro:Idiom® digital rights management system, LG's Pro:Centric® interactive TV platform, and embedded b-LAN capability. In addition to those TVs, LG is also offering its commercial OLEDs - the Dual-view Flat and Curved Tiling displays for signage in hotel lobbies, clubs, and other high-profile public areas.

LG Electronics says that a comparison marketing campaign in Australia helped the company double sales of OLED TVs. The multi-million dollar campaign compared the quality of LG's OLED TVs to rival LCD TVs.

Interestingly, the story says that LG currently offers 55" and 65" OLED TVs in Australia, but that next year it will also offer small TVs. This is the first we hear of smaller OLED TVs from LG - I'm not sure if this Channelnews report is correct in that regard.

In January 2016, LG announced that it will invest $380 million to double its OLED TV production capacity - by building a new production line with a capacity of 25,000 substrates per month. The new line will be completed by Q2 2017.

According to the Korea Herald, LG started to execute this plan, and have ordered new production equipment from Korean suppliers. LG will replace the LCD production line at its P8 plant in Paju and will move the current equipment to its Chinese plant in Guangzhou.

LG lowered the price of its 65" flat OLED B6 (entry-level 2016 model) to $3,999 (down from $5,999). The 55" B6 model costs $2,999.

The 65" curved OLED C6 is now shipping as well - but for $4,999. It's highly likely that LG will lower the price of the curved model to match the flat one soon. The 55" curved C6 costs the same as the flat B6, at $2,999.

NEC demonstrated its first OLED TV, a 55" FHD one, at Infocomm 2016:

As you can hear in the video, NEC plans to release this TV as a product in 2017. This TV, like all OLED TVs on the market, uses OLED panels made by LG Display.

Last week Amazon listed LG's 77" Signature OLED G6 TV, for $27,223 - and today LG started shipping its flagship 2016 TV. The good news is that the price was reduced to "only" $24,500.

LG's Signature OLED G6 is LG's top-end TV model for 2016. The G6 feature an ultra-slim on-glass design, a high-end pivoting Harman Kardon soundbar, LG's webOS 3.0, Color Prime PRO technology and HDR. The G6 models are available in 65 and 77 inches, and the 65" G6 OLED TV is now shipping for $7,999. I have seen the 77" OLED TV at SID 2016, and it is truly stunning!

LG Electronics is getting ready to release the 77" Signature OLEDG6 TV in the US. Amazon.com already lists the TV, for $27,223 - but Amazon does not say the release date yet.

LG's Signature OLED G6 is LG's top-end TV model for 2016. The G6 feature an ultra-slim on-glass design, a high-end pivoting Harman Kardon soundbar, LG's webOS 3.0, Color Prime PRO technology and HDR. The G6 models are available in 65 and 77 inches, and the 65" G6 OLED TV is now shipping for $7,999.

In September 2015 LG Display presented new double-sided OLED display prototypes, in both curved and flat formats, and in March 2016 LG officially launched those products under their new commercial OLED unit.

Now LG Electronics announced that the Dual-View Flat OLEDs will begin shipping in the US in July 2016. LG says that these displays will enable businesses to "create a completely immersive and more engaging environment for their customers".

Only last week did LG announce the prices of its basic OLED TV 2016 models, the OLED B6 and C6, and already the company slashed $1,000 off the 55" models.

The flat 55" OLEDB6 now costs $2,997 - the same price as the curved OLEDC6. The 65" B6 model costs $5,997, and the 65" curved C6 costs the same.