OLED-Info newsletter

LG OLED TV updates

LG continues to reduce the prices of its OLED TVs, across almost the entire product family. LG's curved 4K OLED TVs are now sold at $2,999 for the 55" 55EG9600 and $4,999 for the 65" 65EG9600. The flat models are offered for the same prices.

LG's Full-HD panels are obviously cheaper, and prices has been reduced recently to new lows. The 2014 model 55EC9300 is now offered for $1,799, while some retailers offer the same TV for as low as $1,199. The 2015 model (the 55EG9100) is now shipping for $1,885 at Amazon.com

LG Display updated their OLED TV sales forecast for 2015 and 2016, stating that they now expect to sell between 400,000 and 500,000 OLED TVs in 2015 and a million TVs in 2016 - down from 600,000 TVs in 2015 and 1.5 million in 2016.

There are several reasons for LG's production cut - first of all LG sees a larger 65" TV (and 77") share then they expected - more people are buying 65" OLED TVs rather than 55" ones, which means that less TVs are being produced overall. The expect to see a further decline in the 55" OLED TV share - to 60% in 2016.

But LGD is not only developing OLED TVs - the company is also stepping up its small/medium OLED panel production, and reportedly aims to enter the smartphone OLED display market next year.

BMW's M4 GTS goes into limited production

In September 2015, BMW unveiled their latest top-of-the-range racing-grade road car, the Concept M4 GTS, that has OLED taillights. BMW has now announced that they are starting to produce this car commercially - but at very limited quantities - in fact only 700 will be made, and deliveries are planned to begin in March 2016. The OLED panels are supplied by OSRAM.

So this will be the first commercial car with OLED lighting - although this really very limited production so I'm not sure if it counts. A few days ago Audi announced their intentions to be the world's first automaker to launch a car with OLED taillights - but I think BMW will now claim that first. BMW actually always targeted 2017 for their first OLED car, so it's great to see them release this new technology ahead of schedule

We do not know who is providing the OLEDs for BMW's M4 GTS. BMW has been showing several OLED lighting concepts in the past years, collaborating with Astron Fiamm, Philips, LG Chem and OSRAM.

Apple-SDC OLED deal rumors resurface

The first-generation Apple Watch uses a flexible OLED display, exclusively produced by LG Display. In June 2015 it was rumored that say that Apple signed up Samsung Display to be the second OLED supplier for the next-generation Watch, and this time ET News re-iterated the same report.

According to ET News, Apple is also considering ordering AMOLED panels from Samsung for the next-generation iPhone 7. ET News says that Apple will decide on the iPhone 7 display in November - and it it's going to be a flexible OLED display it will have a huge effect on Samsung as the Korean company will have to massively increase its flexible OLED capacity.

An OLED iPhone 7 was rumored back in January 2015. On the other hand, we also heard that Apple will only adopt smartphone OLEDs (if at all) in 2018. Reports from Japan and Korea suggest that Apple is strengthening its ties with Japan's JDI, and JOLED will produce OLED displays for next-gen iPad tablets.

BOE, EDO and Truly to enter the flexible OLED market

According to ETNews BOE, Everdisplay and Truly and all expected to start constructing flexible OLED fabs in the first half of 2016, as the companies realize they need to compete with Samsung and LG in that market.

BOE Display aimed to start mass producing AMOLED displays at 5.5-Gen LTPS OLED fab in Ordos in the second half of 2015, but reportedly they are still struggling with low yields. BOE is also constructing a Gen-6 LTPS LCD/AMOLED production line in Chengdu, China, scheduled for production in the first half of 2017. Earlier reports suggested that BOE aims to produce flexible OLEDs at that new fab. In May 2015, BOE demonstrate several new AMOLED prototypes, including several flexible panels.

Everdisplay (EDO) recently unveiled a 5.6" WQHD (2560x1440, 525 PPI) flexible AMOLED prototype, the first flexible OLED prototype from EDO. Everdisplay started mass producing 5" 720p AMOLED displays towards the end of 2014, and since then the company seems to be accelerating its OLED program and is is developing larger displays (5.5", 6" and an 8" AMOLED for the automobile market), round AMOLEDs (a 1.4" 400x400 circular AMOLED for the wearable market) and also recently demonstrated a 6" 4K (734 PPI) AMOLED display.

Hong Kong's Truly Semiconductors recently completed the construction of the first phase in the company's 4.5-Gen AMOLED fab in Huizhou, China. The equipment will be installed in October, and the production line will begin operation in Q1 2016. The company, as far as I know, never demonstrated any flexible OLED prototypes.

OLED-Info launches the OLED Auditorium

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Cynora appoints Gildas Sorin as CEO

Gildas Sorin has been appointed CEO of Bruchsal-based Cynora with immediate effect. His great experience in the OLED and display industry makes Mr. Sorin the ideal candidate to take Cynora to the next stage.

This is a strong sign for the development of Cynora being a technology leader in the field of TADF emitter systems for OLEDs since its start in 2008. The French top manager brings his long and international experiences in OLED industries, and his change to the management is also regarded as a signal of the Cynora partners to use the technology leap and translate it into specific economic successes.

Cynora pioneers in the research and development of innovative pure-organic and novel copper-based TADF emitter systems, amongst other materials and technologies. In addition to sublimable materials for well established vacuum-processing, a multitude of materials allowing for efficient liquid processing in coating and printing techniques are available. In the past years Cynora succeeded in developing and establishing a novel technology platform for iridium-free emitters that are tailor-made for any customer requirements.

This was a sponsored article from Cynora

RiTDisplay demonstrated two new flexible PMOLED prototypes, and plans to launch these commercially by the end of 2015

According to reports OLED shipments to China will rise to 24 million panels in Q4 2015 up from 4 million panels in Q1.

LGD will pay $142 million USD and consolidate OLED production of both displays and lighting, which will hopefully enable LG to finally take OLED lighting to the next stage

During a trade show in Beijing, EDO demonstrated the company's first transparent OLED, a 5.57-inch 265 PPI panel (30% transmittance).

DuPont's new $20 million state-of-the-art facility will produce materials that target OLED TV applications

LG Chem's new plastic-based panels offer 20,000 hours of lifetime, efficiency of 50 lm/W and a CRI of 85. LG Chem says that the panel's uniformity is 70% and above.

Researchers at the University of Michigan developed a new deep-blue energy-efficient phosphorescent OLED (PHOLED) emitter, which they say is the the brightest deep-blue PHOLED ever reported.

Samsung reports strong Galaxy Note 5 and Galaxy S6 edge+ sales and also an increase in low-end and mid-end panel shipments and an increased external customer base.

The UK launched a new project called Gravia that aims to investigate the feasibility of producing graphene based encapsulation films for next generation flexible OLED lighting and display products.

The two new systems are the AKT-20K (925x1500 mm substrates) and the AKT-40K (1250x2200 mm substrates). Both systems offer the ability to deposit diffusion barrier films with very low water and oxygen penetration.

An extra-tough 'shatterproof' smartphone that uses a 5.4-inch WQHD 2560x1440 flexible Super AMOLED display

Blackberry's first Android phone has a curved 5.43" WQHD (2560x1440) flexible AMOLED display

A high-end smartphone with a 5-inch Full-HD AMOLED display

A mid-range stylish smartphone with a g-inch Full-HD AMOLED display

A Tizen v2.3 smartphone with a 5-inch 720p Super AMOLED display

This is an Android Wear smartwatch that features a circular 1.38-inch 480x480 flexible AMOLED and built-in LTE connection

A Windows 10 smartphone with a 5.2-inch WQHD (2560x1440) AMOLED display

A Windows 10 smartphone with a 5.7-inch WQHD (2560x1440) AMOLED display

A high-end point-and-shoot with a large high sensitive sensor and an XGA OLED viewfinder

A high-end full-frame compact camera with a 42.4 mp sensor and a retractable XGA OLED viewfinder

An Android 4.4.4 smartphone with a 5-inch 720p Super AMOLED display

An OLED desk lamp with a single 320x110 OLED panel made by LG Chem