According to reports, Samsung Display will hold an investment review committee on April 2019 to decide whether to go ahead with plans to start producing QD-OLED TV panels. If the plan is approved, Samsung will start installing production equipment towards the end of 2019, with mass production starting by the end of 2020 or early 2021.
According to earlier reports, Samsung aimed to start pilot production of QD-OLED TV panels in 2019. It's not clear whether the new reports suggest a delay or whether they only refer to the mass production step, with pilot production proceeding as planned.
Samsung Electronics currently use a two-track strategy for its premium TV business, QD-LCDs (what it calls QLEDs) which are currently on offer, and Micro-LED displays in the future. Apparently Samsung wants to be sure that adding OLED TV technology to the mix makes sense for both SDC and Samsung Electronics.
Samsung's plan, according to what we know, is to convert its L8-1 8.5-Gen LCD fab to QD-OLED production. The L8-1 has a current monthly capacity of 200,000 substrates, and following the conversion the capacity will be around 160,000-180,000 OLED substrates. Samsung Display's total investment in QD-OLED technology and production in 2019-2021 will reach over 10 trillion Won (around $8.95 billion). For more information on Samsung's QD-OLED technology, see here.
