It is inevitable that the technologies will be replaced by their newer and more advanced successors, and just as flat-panel plasma displays have been replaced by OLED TVs, OLEDs are also likely to be defeated by new panel technology.
If this seems unlikely, given OLED's current position in the pay TV market, it may be too early to tell. But Samsung, the world's largest TV maker, which has backed its own LED and QLED solutions for OLED solutions for several years, is considering hybrid TV technology that clearly aims to eliminate competition. This technology is called QD-OLED.
Samsung Display CEO Lee Dong-hoon spoke about potential marketing plans for QD-OLED, explaining to the Korea Herald that "the company is doing a good job" to build a commercially available model. So it is unlikely that we will see a QD-OLED model at IFA 2019, but it looks like it will arrive in the salons soon.
When contacted directly, a Samsung spokesperson said it was still developing its own QLED and Micro-LED technologies, adding that it had no specific QD-OLED plans, citing problems to solve with existing OLED panels:
"Samsung Electronics believes that various technological improvements should precede the adoption of existing OLED panel technology in televisions, and that no decision has been made regarding the adoption of QD panels." -OLED on our televisions ".
But with the establishment of a new manufacturing line to replace the recently closed LED plants (via The Elec), it appears that Samsung is putting a lot of technology in.
Ok, enough with the acronyms
(Image credit: Samsung)
What does QD-OLED really mean, ask yourself? It can be divided into two parts. The first, "QD," refers to the quantum dot filter that Samsung uses in its high-end QLED (light emitting diode, quantum dot) TVs. The second, "OLED," refers to the organic LED panel used in the high-end ranges of most other major TV brands, including Hisense, Sony, Sony, and LG TVs.
Instead of being fully self-emitting, a QD-OLED panel would use a blue light OLED panel as a backlight, with a quantum dot filter that can turn it into red or green light, for display. in color.
OLED TVs have huge advantages, such as thin screens that do not require backlighting, because the pixels in OLED screens are self-emitting (that is, they emit their own light). This allows for incredible control of contrast and brightness, but can allow for overall dimming output compared to their LED counterparts.
That's where QD-OLED comes in. Instead of being completely self-emitting, a QD-OLED panel would use a blue light OLED panel as a backlight, with a quantum dot filter that can convert it to red or green light, for example. A color screen.
This would still be useful for thin TVs and rich color displays for which OLED is known, while correcting for attenuated output from OLED panels via LEDs.
We know that Samsung is working on technology. We also met with Marek Maciejewski, Director of Product Development for Europe at TCL, who called QD-OLED a possible solution to the current limitations of OLED panels: "We believe that for very large screens, with very high saturation and brightness , printed QD-OLED is a solution. "
Maciekewski added: "We see no future in terms of efficiency and brightness" for traditional OLED panels, and he was sure that "all major OLED manufacturers are developing it."
When will QD-OLED be on the market?
(Image credit: Samsung)
Samsung refuses to give a timeline or official confirmation of the possible arrival of QD-OLED on the market, it probably will not do so soon. Manufacturing lines are just beginning and an intense research and development process is likely to be required as Samsung manufactures and modifies its prototypes.
We will likely see a QD-OLED model arrive in a few years, but probably not before 2021.
Samsung won't be releasing its current LED, QLED, or Micro-LED ranges for single panel technology, so a QD-OLED model is likely to arrive in a few years, but probably not until 2021.
Samsung's official statement on the matter stated that "Samsung Electronics is the pioneer of the high-end television market thanks to a two-way strategy combining QLED televisions and micro-LED televisions." Although QD-OLED will have a role to play in this strategy, the company will invest in a number of technologies rather than betting on a single horse.
We expect only one model to appear on the line, such as Samsung's flagship 8K model Samsung Q950 8K QLED, but this may depend on the price of the new TV.
Can a reduced price be enough to save the OLED?
(Image credit: LG Display)
Earlier this year, we discussed the possibility of inkjet OLED panels, which greatly simplify the production process and could pave the way for much cheaper OLED TVs (around 15-25% of the current market value).
Price is seen as the main barrier to more widespread adoption now, followed shortly by the limited model sizes currently available, although new production lines are opening up to develop 48-inch models alongside the models. 55 inches, 65 inches and 75 inches. the ones. As the QD-OLED and inkjet methods develop in parallel, we can see that OLED is getting the benefit it needs to continue in its current form, or move from necessity to new technology.
We often see new TV models featured at events like the upcoming IFA 2019 show. We hope it is too early to see this technology on the show, and it will probably take another one or two years before QD-OLED models are actually in sight. But Samsung seems to have a clear development path ahead. If this means that consumers get an improved picture over the high-quality OLEDs on the market, we will consider that a good thing.