OLED-Info newsletter

Samsung S20 and foldable UTG Galaxy Z Flip

Samsung announced its latest flagship phone series for 2020, the Galaxy S20. There are three models, all with Dynamic AMOLED displays. Here is the full display specification:

• Galaxy S20: 6.2" 1440x3200 (20:9, 563 PPI) 120Hz HDR Dynamic AMOLED
• Galaxy S20+: 6.7" 1440x3200 (525 PPI) 120Hz HDR Dynamic AMOLED
• Galaxy S20 Ultra: 6.9" 1440x3200 (511 PPI), 120Hz, Dynamic AMOLED

DisplayMate tested the new display - and unsurprisingly it turns out that the new Samsung Display AMOLED displays are very impressive - and they earn DisplayMate's highest ever display performance grade. The Galaxy S20 Ultra display has "close to text book perfect" calibration accuracy and its performance is visually indistinguishable from perfect. The new Samsung OLED display is setting or matching 12 smartphone display performance records. Samsung will start shipping the S20 smartphones in early March 2020, with prices ranging from $999 to $1,599.

Samsung also announced the Galaxy Z Flip, its second foldable phone - this one in a clamshell design with a 6.7-inch 1080x2636 HDR Dynamic AMOLED - and an small 1.1" 112x300 Super AMOLED display. The Galaxy Z Flip is now shipping starting at $1,380 in the US.

Samsung has opted for an ultra-thin glass cover for the Galaxy Z Flip, and initial reviews this is a big improvement over the Polyimide cover used in the Galaxy Fold. Samsung Display brands these glass-covered foldable displays as UTG (Ultra Thin Glass) and says that these displays are much more durable than its 1^st foldables.

Here is Cadillac's 38-inch pOLED Escalade

Cadillac unveiled its 2021 Escalade SUV, with its 38-inch curved OLED display.

The displays, which will come standard on all 2021 Escalade versions, include an instrument cluster and infotainment systems, and enable several customizable displays which include AR navigation and night vision modes. There are actually three different displays - from left to right a 7" display, an 14" one and a 16.9" display. The center 14" is the instrument cluster and it is not-touch enabled (the other two do include touch).

LG Electronics developed the infotainment system for Cadillac, and LG says that the 2021 Escalade will also include two 12.6" displays for the rear seat infotainment system. It is not clear from LG's announcement whether these two are also P-OLED displays.

Kateeva announces massive layoffs

OLED inkjet printing developer Kateeva announced a massive layoff plan - the company will slash its staff by 144 employees, including a number of executives - its president, CMO and COO.

Kateeva announced that it has lost a deal to supply QD printing equipment for Samsung's QD-OLED TV production line, and will now focus on Encapsulation deposition equipment

This is sad news which raises a lot of questions on the future of the OLED IJP market. Read more here!

TCL's expanding-sliding OLED concept

TCL is set to unveil a novel smartphone design that uses an "expandable" sliding OLED display. The idea is basically the same as in the first crop of foldable OLEDs - provide a phone that can open up to a tablet-size device:

Apparently TCL was supposed to show a working demonstration last week at the MWC 2020 event which was cancelled. Such a design will likely require a screen that is folded in two places or some sort of rollable display - which is possible but more difficult to actually commercialize compared to a screen that folds inwardly or outwardly in a single position.

TCL has been planning foldable OLED smartphone prototypes for 2020, but these hasn't been officially launched yet. The company has demonstrated several foldable OLED prototypes - in addition to rollable displays as well (this was shown by the display arm of TCL, rather than the device business unit).

planarTECH launches first Graphene Crowdfunding Arena campaign

OLED-Info has teamed up with Seedrs to offer OLED companies an innovative and effective way to raise capital and grow their businesses, and to offer investors a unique opportunity to invest in promising early stage OLED-related companies. Our sister site Graphene-Info launched a similar graphene crowdfunding service, and we're happy to announce that the first such campaign is now live (and it has already reached 41% of its funding goal, only one day after the campaign launched!).

planarTECH, founded in 2014, supplies CVD equipment for the production of high quality graphene sheets, as well as other 2D materials. The company was focused on research institutes, and already sold over 65 systems with a customer list that includes Manchester University, the University of Cambridge, Stanford University and the National University of Singapore. planarTECH aims to expand its business by continuing to supply more R&D systems, initiate a system support service, start offering industrial-scale system (it already has strong interest from several potential customers) and also start producing CVD graphene and other 2d materials.

PlanarTECH is the first company to apply to our crowdfunding arena, and we hope its success will motivate OLED companies to also raise funds using the platform. Investors can now participate in this campaign. The first step should be to join Seedrs as an investor (which will also enable the participation in future OLED campaigns) and then to visit planarTECH’s investment page to read more about planarTECH and take part!.

Coherent display orders were up in Q4 2019, company says this reflects higher demand for OLED equipped smartphones in Q4 2019

Taiwan-based AU Optronics produces OLEDs in limited capacity, but the company says it does not have any immediate plans to expand its OLED production capacity

Motorola's $1,500 foldable Razr 2019 is a week old - and reports of screen damage continue...

The troubled Japanese display maker confirmed a second investment trench

UDC reports $102 million in revenues in Q4 2019 and a net income of $26.4 million. UDC had a record year (revenues reached $405 million), but sees less significant growth in 2020 due to capacity digestion and the coronavirus outbreak

February 2020 is over - and LGD's Guangzhou OLED TV fab is still not in mass production

Samsung's 2020 flagships smartphones feature 6.2-inch, 6.7-inch and 6.9-inch 1440x3200 120Hz HDR Dynamic AMOLED displays

The second Samsung foldable phone has a clamshell design, a 6.7-inch 1080x2636 foldable AMOLED and a small 1.1-inch 112x300 external Super AMOLED display

LG's latest smartphone features a large 6.8-inch 2460x1080 pOLED display

The Xiaomi Flagship phones for 2020, the Mi 10 and Mi-10 Pro sport a 6.67-inch FHD+ 90Hz AMOLED displays with a 180Hz touch panel.

A mid-range smartphone with a 6.4-inch 1080x2340 Super AMOLED display