Paul Choi, Vice President of TV Product Planning at LG Display
In January of 2018, CES(Consumer Electronics Show), the largest electronics exposition in the world, was held in Las Vegas. At the event, most global TV manufacturers (14 brands) showcased their OLED TVs. The dominance of OLED TV was palpable.
In September, the European electronics show, IFA, was held in Germany as well. This was also another opportunity to find that OLED TVs have become the mainstream. Most global manufacturers placed their OLED TV booths at the forefront and emphasized the high quality of their resolution.
Such a general trend is noticeable not only at these electronics EXPOs but also at electronics stores worldwide. Particularly, the phenomenon of OLED TV is taking the markets in Europe and Japan by storm, as they prioritize resolution and design. If you ever have a chance to visit large electronics stores abroad, in Europe, Japan, and the United States, it’s easy to spot OLED TVs at the most conspicuous locations.
So, what is the driving force behind the popularity of OLED TVs?
It is the advancement in technology that the market and the customers can both accept. OLED is more than just a technological innovation, but it has made displays themselves a completely different type of device.
The evolution of display
Looking back at the display industry, in the early 2000s, the cathode-ray tube (CRT) TVs had monopolized the market, becoming thinner over time. Around this time, LCD display was first showcased. Customers experienced a whole new level of innovation in terms of thickness compared to CRT. The differentiation was immediately noticeable. But after twenty years, this innovative edge of LCD has become increasingly stagnant.
However, the shift to OLED TV has an even more innovative edge compared to the transition from CRT to LCD. The technology used in OLED TV is spontaneous emission, which realizes the unprecedented level of perfect black color and paper-thin design that can’t be found in LCD. It can also be enabled in new form factors such as transparent and rollable TV.
While LCD is illuminated by back light to display an image, the self-emiting structure of OLED emits light from the panel itself and does not require a separate light source (BLU). As such, it enables the extra-slim production and the wallpaper design that attaches to the wall. Also, each pixel(R/G/B) that forms the screen is operated independently to create the perfect black through individual control of each pixel. This level of blackness is approved by the international certification institution Intertek as “10-6,” the limit for human perception. It is a technology that provides the best resolution to viewers.
To overcome the stagnation in the TV industry, global brands will expand their lines to provide better quality and experience to the customers. As the industry leader in OLED TV, LG Display will continue to develop our technology to satisfy what our customers and the market demand.
