November was a busy month for Samsung. First we had some exciting prototypes unveiled at the FPD-2010. In the flexible-OLED front, Samsung demonstrated 4.5" flexible OLEDs featuring 800x480 resolution. Check out this beautiful video showing how thin it is, and how it bends. Here's some more photos of the flexible display, this time behind glass. Samsung has also demonstrated new 19" transparent AMOLEDs and a 19" OLED TV panel that was produced using printing techniques. Here's a nice video showing all of Samsung's AMOLEDs shown at the exhibition.

In more down-to-earth news, Samsung showed new 4.5" and 7" Super-AMOLED panels. The 7" panels feature WSVGA (1024 x 600) resolution, and Samsung plans to use them in future Galaxy-Tab tablet devices. According to leaks, Samsung is working towards 4.3" or 4.5" Super-AMOLED-2 displays that will be used in a new flagship Android phone, to be released in February 2011. We still do not know what does Super-AMOLED-2 mean...

According to reports, Samsung is planning huge investments in OLED production capacity in the coming years - the 5.5-Gen plant (that'll go online in May 2011) is just the beginning. Total investments will total $9.5 billion until 2015 and will include 5.5-Gen and 8-Gen plants. Further reports suggest that Samsung plans to soon build a Gen-8 pilot line for OLED TVs, aiming to produce 55" panels.

Today we're seeing supply issues with AMOLEDs, as Samsung (the only real volume producer) cannot keep up with demand. But this is set to change in the next year or two. First there are reports that Samsung and LG are planning huge investments in the coming years, totaling around $17 billion until 2015. Wintek is said to start mass-producing panels towards the end of 2011, with a $100 million investment. AUO has started to install equipment in their upcoming AMOLED plant, scheduled for 2Q 2011.

China is also advancing with their OLED plans, and it seems that Irico group's 4.5-Gen pilot line is actually ready. Now Irico wishes to build two 4.5-Gen production lines, in a $1.4 billion investment.

Lumiotec has announced that they will begin mass production of OLED Lighting panels in January 2011. The production capacity will be around 60,000 panels a year, and the company will offer panels in different shapes and colors. AUO has officially announced their working on OLED lighting, and unveiled two panels. The first is large (245x295mm active size) and thin, and features 50lm/W efficiency. The OLED is made from both phosphorescent and fluorescent materials. The second OLED features high-CRI, but lower efficiency.

OSRAM, meanwhile, has announced a beautiful new lamp, the PirOLED. It actually uses both LED and OLEDs (5 LEDs and 5 ORBEOS OLED panels), and is now shipping for €9,800.