OLED TV: Introduction and Industry News - Page 66

LG Display recently announced a major focus shift to OLED displays, with plans to invest $8.5 billion in OLED expansion in the next three years. Reports from Korea suggest that LG Display considers constructing a new 9-Gen (or 9.7-Gen, really, 2,950 by 2,500 mm) fab that will produce both LCD and flexible OLED panels.

Different reports, however, say that LG is more likely to add 8-Gen production lines and perhaps construct a 10-Gen OLED TV fab.

Skyworth announced that it will soon launch its first 4K OLED TV in the Chinese market, with plans to sell 30,000 units by the end of the year. Skyworth introduced those TVs back in January so it's great to see them actually preparing to ship those soon.

Konka is also planning to launch their first 4K OLED - and they will start offering the first TV on October 1st. Konka says that their 4K OLEDs will only cost twice the price of 4K LCDs, so now is the time to start introducing those new OLED TV to the market.

LG Electronics launched two new ultra-slim curved OLED TVs. Both TVs are only 4.8 mm thick. First we have LG's entry-level model, the 55EG9100 which is a 55" curved Full-HD OLED TV that features webOS 2.0, a dual-core CPU, magic remote and passive 3D (2 glasses included).

The 55EG9100 will launch soon for $2,299 - so it costs $300 more than the 2014-model, the 55EC9300 (which is now on sale for $1,999).

A few days after LG announced it is bringing its EF9500 flat 4K OLED TVs to the US, the new TVs arrive at Amazon.com. The OLED TVs will only ship next month, but it's great to see them already on offer at Amazon (listed as "temporary out of stock", but you can place your order).

Amazon lists the OLED TVs at $6,999 for the 65" models and $5,499 for the 55" models - as per LG's official prices. It's highly likely that prices will soon match the curved OLEDs - the 65" for $5,999 and the 55" one for $3,999.

As we reported last week, LG's flat 4K OLED TVs are launching soon. LG Electronics announced the pricing and availability of the new family of flat UHD (4K) OLED TVs, the EF9500. The TVs will start shipping next month (September 2015), with the same price as the curved EG9600 TVs.

LG's official prices (in the US) for their 4K OLEDs are still $6,999 for the 65" models and $5,499 for the 55" models - even though you buy the 65" curved OLEDs for $5,999 and the 55" ones for $3,999. So it's highly likely the flat models will retail for the same prices.

In January 2015, LG announced their new OLED TVs for 2015. The company is mostly pushing curved TVs, but many people actually prefer the flat variants. But it seems that the company's 2015 4K flat OLED TVs are finally coming to the US, following their recent launch in Korea.

According to BestBuy, both the 55" 55EF9500 and 65" 65EF9500 are on their way to the US - and will be on sale soon. Hopefully LG will price them similarly to the curved variants - or even cheaper as they are easier to produce. Only yesterday LG lowered the price of their curved OLEDs: the 65" curved OLED TV is now offered for $5,999 and the 55" is priced now at $3,999.

Today Amazon lowered the prices of several LG OLED TVs. The 65EG9600, LG's 2015-model UHD (4K) 65" curved OLED TV is now offered for $5,999 (the first time a 65" OLED panels goes below $6,000). The 55" 4K OLED TV (55EG9600) is priced now at $3,999. It's great to see how prices of LG's 4K OLED TVs keep going down.

LG also now offers the 55" FHD (2014 model) 55EC9300 for $1,999, which matches the lowest price of the 2013 model (which now seems to be out of stock at Amazon). 

Yesterday LG Display announced a major focus shift to OLED displays, with plans to invest $8.5 billion in OLED expansion in the next three years. But is LG actually planning to do?

LGD is currently producing OLED TVs in a Gen-8 fab (which will have a monthly capacity of 34,000 substrates by the end of 2015), and a smaller Gen-4.5 fab that produces plastic-based OLEDs - with a monthly capacity of 14,000 substrates. LGD already announced plans to build a new 6-Gen (1500x1850 mm) flexible OLED fab in a $900 million investment. But what about the rest of the $8.5 billion?

LG Display hosted a press conference in its Paju complex to celebrate the company's 20th anniversary. The company announced it will shift its investment focus to OLED displays - and will invest 10 trillion Won (about $8.5 billion) in the next three years to expand OLED production.

LG Display plans to develop OLED panels to be used in televisions, wearable devices, automobiles and foldable devices. LG Display cites DisplaySearch saying that the OLED market will grow to $28.3 billion by 2022.

Yesterday we posted that LG Display is going to host a press release on Aug 17 during which they will announce a revised business strategy - focused on OLED displays.

Today Reuters reports that LG Display says they are considering additional investment to expand their OLED TV panel production. No decision has been made yet, though.