Pioneer, based in Japan, was founded in 1938, and is producing home and car electronics systems. Pioneer was the first company to actually make OLED displays - back in 1998, and was the first one to release an OLED-based product (car audio system).
Pioneer used to produce high-end PMOLEDs, and in 2022 it spun-off its PMOLED production unit to SOAR Corporation. Pioneer also used to produce AMOLED displays but exited from the AMOLED display market in 2005.
In 2010, Pioneer entered the OLED Lighting market, together with Mitsubishi Chemicals. Pioneer was producing the panels using Mitsubishi's technology. The panels were later sold under the Verbatim brand. In January 2013 Pioneer established a new subsidiary called Pioneer OLED Lighting Devices to handle its OLED lighting business. In June 2017 Pioneer merged its OLED lighting business with Konica Minolta's OLED lighting unit to create a 50:50 joint venture, called Konica Minolta Pioneer OLED. In 2019 Pioneer withdrew from the OLED lighting market, and KMPO was dissolved and merged back into Konica Minolta.
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SOAR says it shipped over 200 million OLED displays, since it began production in 1997
SOAR Corporation announced that it has shipped 200 million PMOLED displays. SOAR produces a range of PMOLED displays, focusing on wearables, audio systems, communication equipment, home appliances and automotive applications. The company also offers custom transparent and flexible displays.
SOAR was spun-off from Pioneer Corporation in 2022 and handle's Pioneer's PMOLED production business. Pioneer was the first company produce OLED displays, back in 1997. It is also the first company to use PHOLED materials (back in 2004).
PolyPhotonix raises $10 million to bring its OLED-based Noctura eye mask to the US
UK-based PolyPhotonix announced that it has raised $10 million from Prevail Partners, which will help the company perform trials for the FDA with hopes to market its Notura eye mask in the US.
PolyPhotonix's Noctura 400 is a sleep mask that uses green OLED lighting panels for a non-invasive treatment for diabetic eye disease (DED). which helps patients with Diabetic Retinopathy. Pioneer supplies the OLED panels for PolyPhotonix.
Pioneer to supply PolyPhotonix with OLED panels for its diabetes sleep mask
UK-based PolyPhotonix, has been researching OLED technologies for many years, and its first commercial product will be the Noctura OLED sleep mask which helps patients with Diabetic Retinopathy.
The company announced today that it has signed a deal with Pioneer for the supply of OLED panels for the sleep masks.
Pioneer withdraws from the OLED lighting market, KMPO dissolves back into Konica Minolta
In March 2017 Konica Minolta and Pioneer announced that the two companies are set to merge their OLED business unit, and on June 2017 the new 50:50 joint venture, called Konica Minolta Pioneer OLED, was officially established.
Pioneer was recently acquired by Hong Kong private equity firm Bearing Private Equity for $904 million, and the company is now trying to focus its business, and we learned that it has decided to quite the OLED lighting market. KMPO has been closed and all assets and employees were moved to Konica Minolta. This is quite sad news regarding Pioneer who's been active with OLED lighting for many years (see below).
Pioneer demonstrates curved transparent PMOLEDs for AR applications
During Tokyo's Wearable Expo, Pioneer introduced new PMOLED displays and devices. One of the devices on display seems to be an AR glasses concept that adopts a curved transparent PMOLED:
We don't have more information on Pioneer's new PMOLED besides what you can see in the image above. Pioneer announced it has developed flexible monochrome PMOLED panels back in 2013 (produced on ultra-thin glass) but did not commercialize such panels yet.
We got a Konica Minolta Pioneer OLED's Christmas flexible OLED card
A few days ago we posted on Konica Minolta Pioneer OLED (KMPO) and its demonstration of simple flexible OLED lighting panels integrated into packaging. My friend Takatoshi Tsujimura, CTO at KMPO, sent me this nice Christmas greeting card, which arrived yesterday, with an integrated small red OLED. The OLED has a mirror finish when off.
This was exciting to get, and the whole card is very well done and feels great. It's a very nice surprise to see something light up in such a thin paper card. KMPO calls this concept "thin paper products with functionality".
Konica Minolta Pioneer OLED demonstrates flexible OLED lighting integrated with paper packaging
In June 2017 Konica Minolta and Pioneer established a new OLED Joint Venture called Konica Minolta Pioneer OLED, which will combine the OLED business and product divisions of both companies, with a focus on automotive applications.
KMPO released a new video today showing a different possible application of its OLED lighting - integration into paper for packaging or greeting cards. KMPO calls this concept "thin paper products with functionality".
Pioneer expects its flexible OLED lighting to hit the automotive market by 2020
In June 2017 Konica Minolta and Pioneer established a new OLED Joint Venture called Konica Minolta Pioneer OLED, which will combine the OLED business and product divisions of both companies, with a focus on automotive applications.
According to the Nikkei Asian Review, Pioneer is aiming to deploy flexible OLED panels - and the company hopes it will have products ready for commercialization by 2020. Pioneer has already demonstrated flexible OLED based prototypes, and is in talks with OLED makers regarding the adoption of its panels in future cars.
Pioneer demonstrates new automotive OLED lighting prototypes at CES Asia 2017
Pioneer demonstrated new automotive OLED prototype applications at CES Asia 2017. First up are these beautiful OLED taillight prortotypes, which use flexible OLEDs that are bent to create these 3D shapes.
Pioneer also demonstrated an updated version of its transparent brake light system, which was first unveiled in January 2016. The idea is that the brake light can be embedded in the back window of the car to create a beautiful design that is safer as it enlarges the back field of view compared to current brake lights.
Pioneer and Konica Minolta officially establish their OLED lighting JV
In March 2017 Konica Minolta and Pioneer announced that the two companies are set to merge their OLED business unit, and on June 1st the new 50:50 joint venture, called Konica Minolta Pioneer OLED, was officially established.
Konica Minolta says that the new company will take charge of all business and product planning, product development, production technology development and marketing functions of both companies' OLED lighting business to drive its initiatives.
