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LG Display vows to make OLEDs mainstream

LG Display plans to ship 7 million to 8 million OLED TV panels this year

By Lim Jeong-yeo

Published : Jan. 11, 2021 - 14:23

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LG Display’s new organic light-emitting diode display offers richer colors and sharper contrasts. (LG Display) LG Display’s new organic light-emitting diode display offers richer colors and sharper contrasts. (LG Display)
LG Display will push to ship 7 million to 8 million units of its organic light-emitting diode TV panels this year, aiming to catapult OLEDs into the mainstream global TV market.

The Korean display firm on Monday showcased an upgraded OLED technology with a broader panel size spectrum for the Consumer Electronics Show 2021.

The company’s high-end OLED panels feature newly developed diodes that emit 20 percent brighter light than previous OLED models. The new technology will first be applied to its premium products, then gradually expanded to other product ranges.

In terms of panel size, the company announced a mass production of 83-inch and 42-inch size panels for the first time in 2021, in addition to the existing line-up of 48-, 55-, 65-, 77- and 88-inch models.

“Through the evolution of our OLEDs we will set ourselves apart in terms of quality, and continue to grow our market dominance in the premium TV market,” said Oh Chang-ho, LG Display’s vice president and head of TV business.

An OLED panel is comprised of millions of diodes that organically emit light without the help of any artificial backlight. Each pixel lights up to deliver accurate and deep colors.

LG Display claims to be the first to have succeeded in mass production of OLED TV panels in 2013. The company has reinforced its technology each year through continued research and development -- churning out innovative form factor changes in large-size OLEDs, such as rollable and bendable screens.

The company’s latest innovation -- better performing OLED -- resulted in 20 percent brighter lights, which mean sharper contrast levels and clearer resolution for viewers.

An 8K OLED TV panel has roughly 33 million pixels which can each light up and dim by a process called “pixel dimming,” which produces an undistorted contrast level and supreme viewing experience, LG Display said.

The company said the new technology sets themselves apart from high-end liquid crystal display TVs that only support “local dimming.” Mini-LED and premium LCD TVs, for example, divide the screen into some 2,500 parts for lights control, far less than what the OLEDs are capable of.

LG Display stressed that its OLED panels emit less of the harmful blue light, and has no flickering. German and American quality monitoring bodies have issued certifications that recognize the company for producing OLEDs that are easy on the eyes.

In addition to the new 83- and 42-inch OLED models, LG Display also seeks to roll out 20-inch and 30-inch sized models for OLEDs in the future, targeting the premium mid-size panel market related to gaming, mobility and computer monitors.

Among the products LG Display is showcasing at the CES 2021 is a 48-inch Film Cinematic Sound OLED, which creates sound through vibrations from the screen itself without the need for a built-in speaker. The display can be used as a TV and double as an immersive gaming screen when each end curves in, according to LG Display.

When OLED TV panels first launched in 2013, only a mere 200,000 units were shipped, LG Display said. As of end-2019, that figure had soared to 4.5 million units. Should LG Display achieve its goal to ship 7 million to 8 million OLED TV panels this year, their shipment volume would jump up 55 percent to 77 percent on-year.

By Lim Jeong-yeo (kaylalim@heraldcorp.com)