Graphene 3D Lab just announced a new patent for a process of 3D printing an OLED lighting device that uses a graphene-based top electrode. The company developed a unique multi-functional 3D printer that can be be used to print 3D structures as well as thin films - like the ones used in this recent patent.

Graphene 3D Labs did not just wrote the patent, the company also demonstrated a working printed OLED prototype as you can see in the above image. The company is currently evaluating contract manufacturing and partnership opportunities to support commercialization of the printer.

In October 2012 we reported that Taiwan's AU Optronics is suing two former executives that allegedly stole technologies (including AMOLED related ones) from the company and supplied it China Star Optoelectronics Technology (CSOT, a subsidiary of TCL).

Today we learned that those two executives were found guilty by the Hsinchu Court in northern Taiwan. Tsung-Yi Hsu, a former OLED R&D department manager at AUO was charged of leaking AMOLED manufacturing and Thin-Film Transistor (TFT) structure research findings to CSOT (where he was employed as the director of the R&D center). Hsu will be jailed six months and fined NT $180,000 (around $5,500 US). The prosecutors are still deciding whether Hsu can pay a fine instead of facing imprisonment.

In August 2015 Polyera, a US-based OTFT backplane developer, announced their first product, the Wove Band flexible E Ink smart band, to be released in the second half of 2016. Our sister-site E-Ink-Info posted an interesting interview with the company's Special Projects VP, Brendan Florez.

Brendan explains the company's OTFT backplane technology and details Polyera's business and goals. Polyera's backplane has been demonstrated to drive an OLED display in the past, so hopefully OTFT OLEDs will be coming from Polyera in the future. Read the full interview here.

Samsung launched three new smartphones today - new 2016 editions of the Galaxy A7, Galaxy A5 and Galaxy A3. All three new phones sport Super AMOLED and will launch in a couple of weeks in China (and globally later on).

So first up we have the The Galaxy A7 (2016 edition) - a large smartphone with a 5.5" Full-HD Super AMOLED display. The A7 uses an octa-core CPU, 3GB of RAM, 16 GB of storage, microSD slot, 13 MP camera, fingerprint reader and a metal and glass body.

IDTechEx released a new report (Barrier Layers for Flexible Electronics 2016-2026: Technologies, Markets, Forecasts) in which they look at the future encapsulation market - the emerging technologies and the application needs.

IDTechEx sees the market for flexible encapsulation layers rising to $850 million in 2026 - mainly from quantum dots enhanced LCDs and flexible OLEDs - and also from flexible photovoltaics.

According to China Times, Samsung Display aims to bring OLED prices down - so that in 2016 small and medium sized AMOLED panels will cost only about 10% higher than comparable LCDs.

According to Digitimes, currently Samsung's AMOLEDs are 30% more expensive than LCDs. Samsung anticipates increased AMOLED demand (mostly from Chinese mobile phone makers) in 2016, and is increasing it production capacity - which will also result in lower prices.

LG Electronics and LG Display are going to install several large OLED "sculptures" using several OLED TVs at the N Seoul Tower. LG will install the sculptures in shapes such as a tunnel, a wave and a cylinder. In total, LG will use 250 55" OLED TV panels.

LG decided to promote their OLED TVs using "aggressive marketing". A few days ago the company unveiled a huge 13x8 meter OLED display at Seoul's Incheon airport, made from 140 individual 55" OLED panels.