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.
When Apple adopted a flexible OLED for the Watch, it immediately sparked the discussions of whether - and when - they will finally adopt an OLED display for the iPhone.
Apple is set to unveil the iPhone 6S next month (on September 9) - and new rumors suggest that it will use motion-wallpapers for the lock screen, like the ones used in Apple's Watch. Some see it as a sign that the new iPhone will also use an OLED display.
China's display maker BOE Display aimed to start mass producing AMOLED displays at 5.5-Gen LTPS OLED fab in Ordos in the second half of 2015, but according to a new report from Digitimes it is still struggling with low yields, preventing it to actually starting to ship any panels.
BOE is also constructing a Gen-6 LTPS LCD/AMOLED production line in Chengdu, China - with a projected investment of about $3.5 billion. The fab is scheduled for production in the first half of 2017, with a capacity of 45,000 monthly substrates (both OLEDs and LCDs). Digitimes says that BOE aims to produce flexible OLEDs at that new fab, and will purchase flexible OLED production equipment from Korea and Japan.
A few days ago AU Optronics announced that it will unveil a new 5" bendable AMOLED prototype with an integrated touch sensor, and today we have more details and a photo of this interesting AUO prototype.
The new panel is a 5" 720p (295 PPI) AMOLED display on an LTPS backplane. The frontplane is a top-emission AMOLED and the substrate is a plastic film, encapsulated using a thin-film barrier film. The whole panel, including the "film-type" touch sensor, is 0.2 mm thick.
OLED lighting maker and designer Blackbody launched the modular I.Rain OLED chandelier (designed by Thierry Gaugain) back in 2012 - but that lamp is still in production. Blackbody recently installed a new one at the Europlaza Building in La Defense Paris. This is such a beautiful lamp, I thought it was worth a post:
The I.Rain is a modular lamp, and each installation is different. In Blackbody's New York OLED showroom, for example, they have a rather small installation with 504 panels. Blackbody uses their own circular OLED panels, and each emits light between 2500K to 2900K - the non-uniform temperature creates a nice diversity of whites.
Earlier this month we reported that Taiwan's Chunghwa Picture Tubes (CPT) signed an agreement with ITRI for a technology transfer for flexible AMOLED and touch panel integration. Today we hear that CPT expects to start mass producing such flexible touch AMOLEDs by 2017.
CPT has an existing pilot 4.5-Gen AMOLED fab (used to produce AMOLEDs in small volume) - and reportedly they will either convert this line to flexible AMOLED or somehow integrate it with ITRI's 2.5-Gen flexible AMOLED line. CPT will also aim to use IGZO backplanes for AMOLED production.
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.
According to reports, Huawei will start shipping its Android Wear Watch next month. The company's first smart watch sports a 1.4" 400x400 (286 PPI) circular AMOLED display, a heart rate monitor and fitness tracking, six-axis motion sensor and a barometric sensor.
We do not know yet the price of the Watch. The AMOLED display could be made by either AU Optronics, Everdisplay or Samsung Display. The most likely supplier is AU Optronics.
Last month Samsung launched two new AMOLED tablets, the Galaxy Tab S2 9.7-inch and Galaxy Tab S2 8-inch. Those two high-end tablets will start shipping on September 2nd, and you can now pre-order those tablets: the 8" one for $399.99 and the 9.7" one for $499.99 (those are the Wi-Fi only, 32GB models).
Both tablets adopt QXGA (2048x1536) Super AMOLED displays (263 PPI on the 9.7" and 320 PPI on the 8"). Other features include an octa-core CPU, 3GB of RAM, 32/64 GB of internal storage, 8MP rear camera, LTE (on some models), Android 5.0 and a 5,870/4,000 mAh battery. Those are the thinnest (5.6 mm) and lightest (389/265 grams) metal-framed tablets on the market.
