Popularization of OLED TVs
OLED TVs are expected to be popularized in the near future.
According to industry sources on October 14, LG Display achieved 60-70% yield in the core production process of large-area OLED panels earlier this month, while Samsung Display recorded 40-50% yield.
When the two Korean companies introduced the world’s first OLED TVs, many said that lowering prices would be difficult due to low yields, thus prompting skepticism about popularization. The launch had no special meaning other than symbolic at that time.
But the era of OLED TVs appears to be coming faster than expected, since domestic display manufacturers’ production yields of large-area OLED panels has improved dramatically.
Kim Young-woo, researcher at HMC Investment Securities, said, “Usually, when the yield rate of OLED TVs reaches 70%, mass production becomes possible. LG and Samsung are projected to surpass the threshold by the end of this year,” adding, “When 70% yield is attained, the price of 55-inch OLED TVs will be 15-20% cheaper. Therefore, they can be competitive in the market.”
However, until 70% yield is attained, some problems will remain. The current yield is still low; hence, OLED TVs cannot be priced like LED TVs. Due to high prices, there is not enough demand for OLED TVs in the market.
According to a market research firm, the demand for large OLED panels in Q1 of next year is forecast to reach less than half of the panel supply in Q4 2013.