OLED TVs
Chinese, European and Japanese television producers have pushed into the OLED TV market led by LG Electronics, joining the OLED TV forces.
In addition to LG Electronics, a total of 13 television manufacturers in China, Japan and Europe have unveiled their premium OLED TV products at the IFA 2016, the largest trade show for consumer electronics and home appliances in Europe being held in Berlin, Germany. Last year, eight companies revealed OLED TV models at the IFA, such as Japan’s Sony and Panasonic, China’s Changhong and Turkey’s Grunding.
LG Electronics, which released the OLED TV for the first time in the world in 2013, released 55-inch B7, C7 and E7 models, 65-inch B7, C7, E7, G7 and W7 models and 77-inch W7 model at the IFA this year. In particular, the company demonstrated various version of HDR videos including High Dynamic Range (HDR) 10, which is most widely used at the moment, Dolby Vision, which realizes the premium HDR quality, and Hybrid Log-Gamma (HLG), which is highly likely to be introduced as the standard of HDR broadcasting transmission in Europe.
Panasonic, which has sought to expand sales by releasing OLED television models in a row from the end of last year, unveiled their 4K OLED TVs in 55, 65 and 75 inches at the IFA. The company has started selling the 55, 65 and 75-inch models this month with the price tag of 5,000 euro (US$5,492 or 6.71 million won), 8,000 euro (US$9,508 or 10.74 million won) and 25,000 euro (US$29,714 or 33.58 million won). The products also support HDR, HDR 10 and HLG technologies. Hollywood studios have been already using Panasonic’s OLED panels. Notably, Panasonic displayed its OLED panel, which was independently developed for the first time, at the exhibition hall on the same day. The company is using the OLED panel in its refrigerator displays. In fact, Panasonic’s share in the premium television market increased from 11 percent last year to 26.3 percent in the first half of this year after releasing its OLED TV model, ranking second.
Sony, which was once the leader in the TV market, released a 77-inch BRAVIA A1 4K OLED TV for the first time. The product is equipped with LG Display’s Crystal Sound OLED panel. The BRAVIA A1 features its 4K HDR processor “X1 Extreme” as well as “Acoustic Surface” sound technology that generates sound through vibrations in the display itself.
Bang & Olufsen (B&O), which has focused on LED televisions, revealed its OLED TV “BeoVision Eclipse” for the first time at the IFA this year. The price of 55 and 65-inch models are 9,500 euro (US$11,291 or 12.76 million won) and 12,000 euro (US$14,257 or 16.12 million won). This is the first product that has been jointly produced with LG Electronics from March last year by being supplied panels from LG Display. An official from B&D said, “The models sell only in Europe at the moment but they will be released in Asia and the United States by the end of this year. We will target mainly the Chinese and Singapore markets in Asia.”
Turkey’s Grunding unveiled 65 and 75-inch OLED TV models which are 2.06 millimeters thick. The company will release the products onto the market next year. China’s Haier also revealed its premium OLED televisions. Changhong displayed its 55 and 65-inch 4K OLED televisions for the first time. An official from Changhong said, “We are using LG Display’s Crystal Sound OLED panels. We have only one OLED TV model but we will increase the number of models.”