Quantum Dots - Page 10

The display measurement experts at DisplayMate posted a very interesting article comparing LG's 65" 4K OLED TV (the 65EG9600, which costs $5,999) and Samsung's top of the line 65" 4K LCD (the UN65JS9500). DisplayMate performed dozens of tests, comparing those two high end TVs in several scenarios.

Black level comparison, OLED (left) vs LCD (right)

DisplayMate finds that the OLED TV outperforms the LCD in all the tests - the only category in which the LCD outperformed the OLED was brightness with average picture level higher than 25%. Specifically the OLED offers a higher contrast, a higher color accuracy, much better viewing angles, faster response time and higher power efficiency.

Skyworth announced that it will soon launch its first 4K OLED TV in the Chinese market, with plans to sell 30,000 units by the end of the year. Skyworth introduced those TVs back in January so it's great to see them actually preparing to ship those soon.

Konka is also planning to launch their first 4K OLED - and they will start offering the first TV on October 1st. Konka says that their 4K OLEDs will only cost twice the price of 4K LCDs, so now is the time to start introducing those new OLED TV to the market.

TCL's chairman, Tomson Li, gave an SID DisplayWeek speech, during which he predicted that the next-gen large-size displays will be printed OLEDs. Tomson said that global partners are welcome to join TCL and co-develop printed technologies, processes and materials.

During the DisplayWeek exhibition, TCL's CSOT subsidiary demonstrated three new AMOLED display prototypes, including a 5.5" PWM LTPS OLED and a 31" OLED TV panel. In May 2014 TCL announced plans to co-develop 5.5" LTPS AMOLEDs with Ignis innovation, I do not know if the new 5.5" demonstrators are based on this collaboration.

According to a report from Korea, Samsung is considering developing Quantum-Dot displays (QLEDs) for TV panels that will compete with OLED TVs. Samsung has failed to commercialize large-sized OLEDs using its direct-emission architecture, and reportedly believes it will fair better with quantum-dot displays.

Samsung is already producing LCD TVs enhanced with quantum-dots films that enhance the color gamut - but these aren't QLED TVs. A QLED is similar to an OLED - an emissive display that uses the QDs as light emitting materials.

DisplaySearch says that the falling prices of LCD TVs make it very difficult for OLED TVs to penetrate the market. According to DisplaySearch, OLED TVs will not become profitable for LG Display before 2019.

DisplaySearch estimates that LGD currently loses $581.8 on each OLED TV sold. The OLED Business unit lost 535 billion Won ($491 million) in 2014. In 2019, they will still lose money - $159.9 on each TV sold. In 2019, OLED TVs will still be more expensive than LCDs. Quantum Dot TVs will also hurt OLED TV sales.

Yesterday we quoted a report from Korea Times claiming that LG Electronics' OLED TV sales are lower than expected. Today another Korean publication (ETNews) runs the same story with some more details.

According to ETNews, LG Display reduced its OLED TV panel 2015 production projection to 500,000 units (down from 600,000). The main reason is that LG is seeing sluggish sales of Full-HD OLED TVs, as it faces a tough battle from Quantum-Dots enhanced LCDs.

Two new technologies seem to dominate the LCD TV market in CES 2015. First up are quantum dots TVs - which are LED backlit LCDs that include a QD film that enhances the TV's color gamut, efficiency, brightness and contrast. Sony has been producing QD TVs for almost two years, but this year we have new launches from Samsung, LG, Philips, TCL and others.

Samsung SUHD (credit: Sri Peruvemba, Marketer International)

These new wave of QD TVs are Cadmium-free, which was one of the major stumbling block towards real QD commercialization. The major advantage of QD TVs is the enhanced color gamut, which is even larger than the color gamut currently offered by OLED TVs (although LG promises their OLEDs will catch up soon). LG still considers OLEDs as their future TV technology, and Merck also says that quantum-dots are not a real game changer (unlike OLEDs).

LG Display's CEO, Han Sang-Beom, says that LG expects to ship 600,000 OLED panels in 2015 and 1.5 million in 2016. The company wants to be the OLED leaders, and Han says they expect competition soon from Chinese, Korean and Japanese makers (he specifically mentions JOLED) but LG aims to lead from the start in this market.

LG Display says that the global high-end TV market is estimated at about 4 million sets, which means they actually aim to capture a 37.5% market share. This also means that even in 2016, LG sees OLEDs remaining in the "high-end" segment.

A few days ago LG announced it was going to unveil Quantum-Dots enhanced 4K LCDs next month, which made some people wonder whether LG will abandon its OLED TV program - even though LG repeatedly stated that OLED is the future display technology of choice and that those QDs TVs will be positioned above LG's current high-end Ultra HD LCDs but below the company's OLED TV range.

Probably in response to those speculations, LG Display posted a new article that explains how OLEDs are indeed superior to QD-enhanced LCDs (they call them QD TVs).

Following earlier reports that LG is set to release Quantum-Dots enhanced LCD TVs in 2015, LG Electronics announced today that they will unveil the first 4K QD-LCDs in CES 2015 next month. LG's QD-LCDs will offer better colors (wider palette and improved saturation) compared to their regular LCDs.

LG 55-inch curved OLED TV

Those Quantum Dot TVs will be positioned above LG's current high-end Ultra HD LCDs but below the company's OLED TV range, which offer the best image quality ever achieved. Indeed LG still considers OLED to be the superior technology in the long run.