During a presentation in Korea, LGD's executive director of strategic marketing, Youngkwon Song, said that LGD is currently concentrating in lowering OLED TV production costs.
According to Youngkwon, LGD sees the OLED TV market emerging in late 2015 or early 2016. By that time LGD will have achieved full mass production of large OLED TV panels with good yields and prices will drop to to the economy of scale. LGD also aims to cut costs by lowering the material costs.
Last month a senior official from LGD was quoted saying that LGD plans to produce at least 5 million OLED TVs in 2015. This seems to be overly optimistic - as even at 100% yield, LGD's upcoming Gen-8 M2 OLED production line will have a monthly capacity of 150,000 55" panels, or 1.8 million panels in a year.
Comments
Randall - excellent questions, and I think no-one really knows. Not even at LGD, and that's why they are so vague and that's why we hear all sorts of conflicting reports.
Personally, I believe one thing: LG is hugely committed to OLED TV. They have invested probably clost to $1 billion in the past 2 years towards that goal, and they are doing all they can in terms of marketing, R&D and investments. But it takes time and they cannot really commit to volume, prices or technology advances at this stage.
I am guessing LG made this statement looking at today's price structure for Host and Emitters without having a multi year deal in place with Universal yet?
so maybe they are tipping their hand a little in a good way...
thanks for all all the great information Ron
Is this ahead or behind plan and good or bad news for OLED technology? What is the definition of emerging? LG is already attempting to roll out OLED tvs in more limited quantities in 2014. Will it really take until take until late 2015 for the market to "emerge"?