A few weeks ago it was rumored that HTC will start using Super-LCD displays instead of OLEDs in the HTC Desire and Nexus-One handsets. HTC says that the displays are comparable, and that the S-LCD actually consumes less power than the AMOLED displays.
Panasonic Electric Works has renovated the Rouault Gallery (Rouault was a twentieth century French painter), a permanent exhibition corner of its "Panasonic Electric Works Shiodome Museum" with next-generation lighting, including some OLED panels.
The OLEDs panels prototypes have been used to light a pedestal for sculpture of Rouault and also the "Hans Coper Retrospective," a special exhibition being held for a limited time.
Panasonic Electric Works has unveiled their OLED Lighting program in April 2010. We do not have any technical details (like efficiency, brightness, etc.) on these panels, nor do we know when Panasonic plans to start producing these commercially.
Samsung is doing some interested marketing activity: they are offering free Galaxy S phones to iPhone 4 users that has reception problems. Samsung's twitter account (@samsungukmobile) is contacting people who've tweeted about their difficulties with the iPhone 4.
Samsung Galaxy S
The Galaxy S is an Android phone with a 4" WVGA 800 X 480 Super-AMOLED display. Samsung has already sold more than a million such phones globally, in just 3 weeks. If Samsung didn't contact you for a freeby, you can buy the Galaxy S unlocked for $599.
AU Optronics has completed its acquisition of Toshiba Mobile Display's subsidiary, AFPD. This is part of AUO's strategic move into AMOLED production. AFPD has a Gen-4.5 LTPS plant, which can be used to produce OLED backplanes.
AUO 14-inch OLED prototypeAUO wants to quickly start making AMOLEDs, because of the enormous demand for small sized displays. AUO is also working on its own manufacturing line, which will go online in 2011.
Update: There's a short article in ZDNet Korea in which LG Display's CEO says that OLED TVs will be competitive with LCDs in 2014. LG Display will only mass produce them at that time. So it's not clear if LG is indeed planning the 5.5-Gen plant for OLED TVs or smaller displays.
Back in April, LG Display announced that it'll invest $225 million in 3 new Gen-4 OLED production lines, to go online in 2011. These will be used for small displays (for mobile phones). Now LG says that they also plan a new 5.5-Gen AMOLED plant in 2012, which will be used to make large OLED TV panels - apparently 50" ones.
LG didn't disclose how much money it will invest in this new plant. But Samsung's own 5.5-Gen 3-lines AMOLED plant (planned for 2012 as well) will cost $2.2 billion.
Dow Electronic Materials officially opened a new OLED Electronic Materials facility in Cheonan, Korea. The facility will supply OLED materials for the growing AMOLED market. The facility actually opened in December 2009, but Dow had the opening ceremony yesterday.
Sony's VP of solutions engineering in the US Pete Ludé says that 3D TV could become an important market for OLED displays. Sony says that while LED LCD 3D TV are effective, but only if the resolution and refresh rate is not too high. Active-Shutter 3D needs double the refresh rate (because it alternates between the two eyes), so 120fps needs a 240Hz TV - or higher. At these rates, OLEDs are easier to use. OLED displays also offer less crossover between the stereo images.
Sony 24.5-inch 3D OLED prototype
Sony are looking into OLEDs, and are still enthusiastic about the technology, but are not yet committed to OLEDs as the technology of choice for long-term 3D displays. In CES 2010, Sony has demoed a 24.5" 3D OLED prototype (shown above).
A few days ago we we reported that AT&T is selling the Samsung Captivate phone now for $200, and now we hear (thanks Eric!) that T-Mobile is selling the same phone, only calling it Samsung Vibrant for $99 with a service plan. The Vibrant (Galaxy S) is an Android phone with a 4" WVGA 800 X 480 Super-AMOLED display. Samsung has already sold more than a million such phones globally, in just 3 weeks.
Samsung Vibrant
You can buy the Samsung Vibrant for $99 (with a new service plan), or you can buy the Galaxy S unlocked for $599.
Samsung plans to launch new AMOLEDs on a plastic substrate within two years. They say that these new AMOLEDs will be 'unbreakable'. They will also be lighter, safer and thinner. These qualities can be useful in mobile phone displays, which will allow Samsung to keep their AMOLED price premium in these years. Samsung plans to place a TFT on the plastic panel and to replace the existing vinyl protection sheet with PI (polyimide) film to avoid residue upon light emission.
Samsung revealed flexible, unbreakable AMOLED prototypes back in 2009, see video above.
One of Samsung's "key engineers", who was involved with the development of Super-AMOLED displays is now working to LG. Samsung is suing him - one of the terms of his employment was that he can't work for a rival company for 2 years after he leaves Samsung.
