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OLED TV, Pay Attention to China and UHD

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IFA 2015 that opened on September 4, closed its curtains on 9. This year’s IFA was similar to IFA 2014 in terms of diverse OLED TV exhibition, but when analyzed in detail there were several differences.

 

First, the emphasis on UHD TV greatly increased. The percentage of UHD resolution of exhibited OLED TV was approximately 71% in IFA 2013, and 70% in IFA 2014. However, in IFA 2015, the percentage increased to approximately 92%. If the main theme for IFA 2014 was curved OLED TV products, UHD was the keyword for IFA 2015.

 

Another important factor is increasing participation by Chinese companies. In IFA 2013, only Haier exhibited OLED TV but this increased to 2 companies, Changhong and TCL, in IFA 2014. In IFA 2015, 3 companies, Haier, Changhong, and Skyworth, presented OLED TV. It is estimated that the OLED TV exhibition attendance by Chinese electronics companies will continue to consistently increase.

 

There is much attention on how many more Chinese companies will participate with OLED TV in IFA next year, and whether a new keyword following UHD will appear. Although IFA 2015 ended, OLED TV market continues to move.

 

uhd china graph 1

 

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uhd china graph 3 2

[IFA 2015] Thin Panel Thickness, No Longer Limited to OLED

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The thinness of OLED panels, achieved as OLED does not require backlight, is known as one of the big advantages of OLED. However, at IFA 2015, Sony proved that LCD can also be as thin as OLED.

 

The product, Perfect Wall-mounted 4K UHD TV, is an LCD TV but the thickness is mere 4.9mm. Compared to LG Electronics’ latest OLED TV’s 4.8mm, the thickness difference practically nonexistent.

 

Sony Perfect Wall-mounted 4K UHD TV, IFA 2015

Sony Perfect Wall-mounted 4K UHD TV, IFA 2015

 

In order to develop ultra-thin LCD TV, Sony placed backlight on the base and used glass type light guide.

 

Sony Perfect Wall-mounted 4K UHD TV, IFA 2015

Sony Perfect Wall-mounted 4K UHD TV, IFA 2015

Korea, China, and Japan’s OLED TV Alliance to Boost the Market

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Korean companies had been leading the OLED TV industry. Before SID 2015 (31 May – 5 June), LG Display and Samsung Display had been the only companies to reveal 4K OLED panels, and until now, LG Electronics has been the only company to sell 4K OLED TV in large quantity. In terms of OLED TV market, despite OLED’s superior characteristics compared to LCD regarding contrast ratio, high viewing angle, fast response time, and thinness, the market share has been limited mostly due to its relative high price. However, this is expected to change soon.

 

LG Electronics has been pushing for OLED TV alliance and corporation with Chinese and Japanese companies. As a result, Chinese and Japanese companies resolved to jump into OLED TV market from the second half of 2015. Japan’s Panasonic and Sony are expected to release OLED TV for the first time later this year. China’s Skyworth, Changhong, Konka, and Hisense are expected begin sales from this fall.

 

Consequently, the number of set companies producing 4K OLED TVs will increase to 7 by the end of 2015. LG Display, the only company that can mass produce OLED panel with 4K resolution, is planning to increase production by 4 times this summer to supply these new to OLED TV set companies.

 

As mentioned above, until SID 2015, LG Display and Samsung Display had been the only companies which showed 4K OLED panels, and with LG Display being the sole company able to mass produce 4K OLED panels. However, in SID 2015, AUO showed their own 4K OLED panel during an author interview session, and CSOT and BOE presented paper on 4K resolution OLED panel. This signifies they possess technology needed for OLED panel production, and with proper investment they can begin mass production.

 

Soon LG Display will no longer be the lone supplier of OLED panels contributing toward increase in shipment of OLED panels and OLED TVs. This will naturally lead to lower cost for consumers and energize OLED TV market.

 

auo1

Large Size OLED Panel Technology Match, ‘WRGB vs. Solution Process RGB’

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Large size OLED panel is currently being mass produced by LG Display using WRGB method, and investment in this method for large size panel is being considered by OLED panel latecomers. Another method that can be used to produce OLED is RGB method. In 2013 Samsung Display mass produced using RGB method but halted the process due to problems in yield rate and technology. However, recently as key display companies are developing RGB method using solution process for large area OLED panel, latecomers are having to make a difficult choice in process selection.

 

OLED specialized panel company JOLED, established by JDI, Sony, Panasonic, and Innovation Network Corporation of Japan (INCJ), is aiming for mid-to-large size OLED panel production using solution process. Additionally, other companies including AUO, BOE, LG Display, and Samsung Display are developing large size OLED panel using solution process technology. In 2013, AUO presented 65 inch FHD panel that used solution process technology, and BOE revealed 30.5 inch FHD panel. Panasonic also presented solution process applied 4K panel.

 

According to 2015 White OLED Display Annual Report, published by UBI Research, WRGB method has an advantage in high mass production potential as open mask is used. However, due to the stack structure and color filter use, it has a disadvantage of increased panel production cost. On the other hand, the materials and process technology for solution process are not yet mature, but has the advantage of being able to produce large size OLED panel in Gen 8 size or larger without glass cutting using RGB method. It also can reduce the production cost as the material efficiency is high and does not require color filter.

 

At present the mass produced glass area by the latecomers forecast to manufacture large area AMOLED panel is expected to occupy approximately 30% of the total large area OLED market in 2020, and latecomers’ choice in technology investment will be a key point. Therefore, the large area panel technology leadership will be decided on whether WRGB and solution process methods can solve the issues that each has.

By DaRae Kim, reporter@olednet.co.kr

JOLED’s Intense Start, Mass Production is When?

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At Finetech Japan 2015 (April 8-11, 2015), JOLED gave a presentation for the first time since its inception and drew much attention.

 

JOLED’s speaker Tadashi ISHIBASHI gave a presentation on JOLED’s target market and application technology under the title of “The Evolution of OLED Manufacturing Technology by JOLED”. During his speech Ishibashi revealed “JOLED’s target market is 10~30 inch mid-size OLED panel and ultimately to form new market through flexible display” and that “top emission, RGB printing, color filter, and ITZO backplane of self-align structure will be applied for key technology”.

 

Furthermore, by forming all RGB through solution process, macro-cavity effect via thin half-transparent cathode, and minimizing interference of other colors and external reflection using color filter, JOLED explained that high purity color reproduction is possible. It is analyzed that this means that they absorbed Sony’s characteristic super top emission technology. Backplane is top-gate’s TAOS (transparent amorphous oxide semiconductor) and Ishibashi added that it is also possible to reduce cost by minimizing investment amount by applying 5 mask self-align structure.

 

Regarding flexible display, JOLED used the technology that was applied to 9.9 inch qHD panel (revealed by Sony in 2012) which used white OLED and color filter as an example but reported they are currently developing technology to produce flexible display using solution process RGB.

 

From the presentation it is estimated that for JOLED’s mass production, Sony’s OLED panel structure and Panasonic’s RGB printing technology will be combined and applied. Although detailed investment timeline was not revealed, as mass production application technology and target have been publicly announced, investment in near future is anticipated.

150415_본격적인 행보를 시작한 JOLED, 양산 시점은

150415_본격적인 행보를 시작한 JOLED, 양산 시점은1

LCD, Busy Playing Catching Up to OLED…

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Following smart phone, other devices equipped with display such as tablet PC, monitor, and TV are mostly using OLED panel. In turn, LCD is attempting to replicate key points of OLED panel to catch up.
The first is LTPS TFT technology. When Samsung Display started producing AMOLED using LTPS TFT, it was overlooked by the LCD sector as it financially needed twice the amount of investment compared to a-Si TFT technology and therefore thought it to have no business value. However, as the smart phone resolution is getting higher, LCD companies are also employing LTPS TFT that has high mobility.
The second is the ultra slim thickness of OLED panel that does not have BLU. To answer the smart phone’s need for a thin body with light weight, LCD is thinning the panel by slimming the glass substrate further and further. Nowadays, even TV sector of LCD is busy trying to become thinner. In CES2015, Sony exhibited ultra slim LCD TV with thickness of approximately 4.9mm.

150225_LCD, OLED 따라 가기 정말 바쁘다~~~ <CES2015, Sony Floating Style 65” UHD LCD TV>

The third is curved design. LG Elec. and Samsung Elec. exhibited curved OLED TV using thinness of OLED panel in CES2013. With the products on the market, LCD TV also reduced thickness and began selling curved LCD TV.

150225_LCD, OLED 따라 가기 정말 바쁘다~~~1<CES2015, Hisense Curved LCD TV>

Hisense, a Chinese brand, exhibited LCD TV with curved design in CES2015. Samsung Elec. decided that the main product of 2015, SUHD LCD TV, will have curved design, as well as releasing a curved LCD monitor. However, despite reducing the thickness LCD cannot yet be applied to smart phones.

The fourth is color reproductivity rate. The existing LCD TV can only produce approximately 80% of NTSC standard, which is limited compared to 110% of OLED. LCD sector criticized OLED’s color reproduction to be excessive; however, they recently developed new technology of applying quantum dot materials onto BLU and launched the sales of LCD TV with almost 120% of NTSC. Furthermore, it is deceiving the public by calling the QD BLU LCD TV as Quantum Dot TV packaged as a non-LCD TV.

150225_LCD, OLED 따라 가기 정말 바쁘다~~~2<CES2015, TCL QD BLU LCD TV>

The fifth is contrast ratio. OLED TV’s contrast ratio is close to infinite with 1,000,000:1. Compared to this, LCD TV’s contrast ratio was 1,000:1, and unable to showcase dark scenes. Recently, HDR (high dynamic range) technology that brightens bright scenes and darkens dark scenes is strengthening its contrast ratio. Sony is striving to achieve high contrast ratio for LCD TV, similar to OLED TV, and exhibited HDR technology applied BRAVIA in CES2015.

150225_LCD, OLED 따라 가기 정말 바쁘다~~~3<CES2015, Sony HDR applied LCD TV>

Many key points of OLED such as previously mentioned thickness, contrast ratio, and curvature ratio still need to be improved by LCD panel, and diverse attempts are continually being made to catch up to OLED panel that is entering the market with great strength. However, LCD cannot yet even attempt to match OLED on high speed response time that is needed for programs with fast action such as sports.

OLED holds diversity in color definition and design, and even if LCD keeps on reaching for these characteristics, LCD will remain LCD and will not be able to overtake OLED.

Sony, unveiled a high-resolution single-lens OLED module

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Sony developed a glasses-style smart device of a single-lens display module.

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<Single-lens display module>

Source: Sony

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<(top) sample field of vision, (bottom) module attached to eyewear piece>

Source: Sony

 

This module was designed by Sony to be a small and light weight glasses-style composed of OLED microdisplay, micro-optical unit, and miniaturized control board.

It is the smallest display module as a 0.23-inch high-resolution (640×480) OLED microdisplay. The contrast ratio is over 10,000:1 with 100% sRGB. Generally the RGB stripe is used to secure the color purity, but this panel uses the optimized matrix configuration.

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<Display arm of the module>

Source: Sony

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JOLED, the last bastion of Japanese OLED

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140730612118The Innovation Network Corporation of Japan (INCJ), JDI, Sony and Panasonic have finalized an agreement on JOLED establishment by January, 2015 through an integration of OLED panel R&D organizations owned by Sony and Panasonic for mass-production, development and early commercialization of the OLED panel.

INCJ has 75% of JOLED’s voting rights. INCJ and JDI have agreed on making an investment in pilot line installation for mass-production.

 

JOLED aims to become a leading company in the OLED sector by collecting the technologies owned by Sony and Panasonic such as the OLED layer technology, oxide TFT technology and flexible display technology, and converging with JDI’s mass-production technology.

JOLED plans to develop the OLED panels for application section first, including tablet PC, note PC and signage for mass-production of medium and large size OLED panels. A future target of JOLED is mass-production of the flexible OLED.

reporter@olednet.co.kr

Sony unveils Head Mounted Display (HMD) for medical care

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Sony displayed a system, which enables you to check endoscope video through Head Mounted Display (HMD) at International Modern Hospital Show 2014 held from July 16th to 18th, 2014. For the existing endoscopy surgery, posture restriction exists because the procedure requires external monitoring. With Sony’s new product, surgery, however, can be performed without the posture restriction.

This specialized product for medical purpose weights only about 490g which enables an operator to perform in a standing position. It doesn’t fully cover eyes of an operator by changing the shape of wearable belt so that the operator can visually check surgery device by lowering the eyes without taking it off.

This medical HMD is installed with Sony’s OLED display and shows images on the OLED display individually thus crosstalk is not that large and doesn’t induce dizziness during its use.

 Sony consulted with doctors to develop this system and said that demand for this competitive system will increase as 3D endoscope increases.

140717_sonyHMD 140717_SonyHMDin

<Sony’s Head Mounted Display(left), Picture of wearing HMD(right), Source : Monoist>

Skyrocketing interest of Panel makers in blooming smart watch market

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Set makers are launching various smart watch products such as Galaxy Gear and Gear Fit by Samsung and G-Watch by LG after the smart watch by Sony. With this, display companies accelerate development and mass-production of panels for the smart watch.

At present, OLED, LCD and e-paper are the panels applied to the smart watch. Also the flexible OLED is preferred for the wearable smart watch. Samsung Display is currently mass-producing the flexible panel for the smart watch, and LG Display will also start to manufacture them in the latter half of this year. Futaba of Japan has completed the development of PMOLED for the smart watch panel, and AUO introduced an ultra-thin OLED panel showing its at SID 2014 will to enter the panel market for the smart watch.

Shipments for the world’s smart watch market in 2014 are expected to 7 million but Apple Inc., aims to sell 9 million products in 2014. Thus, the smart watch market is a business with high potential to grow explosively and is where fierce technology competition will be between the panel makers.

140630_Smart watch 시장 본격화, panel maker들 관심 급상승

<AUO’s 1.63” ultra-thin panel for smart watch, SID 2014>

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