LG's $1 billion investment boosts OLED production, signaling a bright future for affordable...

[midian182]

In brief: For all the advances OLED TVs, monitors, and laptops have made in the last few years, they remain prohibitively expensive in many cases – especially monitors. That could start to change, however, thanks to LG Display investing $1 billion into its OLED panel manufacturing business.

News that LG Display has announced it is raising 1.2925 trillion won ($971 million) comes from the Korean Times (via What Hi-Fi). The company confirmed that the money will be used to increase the number of OLED products in all its business areas, "ranging from large, medium and small." It means LG Display will manufacture about 20% more panels this year than it did in 2023.

Producing extra OLEDs for all devices that use them is good news for consumers. In addition to making displays for LG Electronics, LG Display supplies the likes of Sony, Panasonic, Philips, Hisense and even Samsung with their OLED TV panels. It also provides them to laptop and monitor manufacturers.

It's not just LG Display pouring more money into OLED manufacturing. Samsung is converting an existing LCD panel factory into an OLED facility at the cost of $3.1 billion, while BOE is investing over $8.8 billion to build a new OLED fab in China.

Like so many industries, OLED sales have dropped since the boom time of the pandemic when people were buying the latest technologies to make their time locked indoors more bearable. However, the market has been looking up recently; LG Display posted an operating profit in the fourth quarter of 2023, ending seven successive quarters of operating losses. The Korean Times notes that this was achieved by streamlining its business structure and increasing the proportion of OLED products in its overall display business.

While OLED TVs have seen their prices trend downward in recent times, monitors featuring the technology remain at the high end. We recently reviewed the Dell Alienware AW3225QF 32", a curved 4K 240Hz QD-OLED that costs $1,200 – a competitive price compared to similar alternatives.

The increased OLED panel output by LG and others should be felt by consumers later this year. In the meantime, check out our Best Gaming Monitors feature, which includes several excellent OLED models.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/102226-lg-display-1-billion-investment-boosts-oled-production.html

 

[Disiw]

The right move. Even tho LG struggles selling WOLED because of QD-OLED now. Thats why Samsung Electronics are going to use WOLED in the lower end OLED models soon.

Samsung Display left LCD behind long ago too. OLED is the future for now.

Samsung Electronics LCD based TVs uses 3rd party LCD panels.

Micro LED will probably take over eventually, however won't happen for consumer products before 2030 at the ealiest. Apple dropped Micro LED recently, not viable yet. OLED is king for now.

 

[wiyosaya]

Unfortunately, like with every new technology, OLED has taken time to catch on. It still has problems with burn-in, however, manufacturers are getting better and better at mitigating the effects of burn-in. As I see it, that is the most significant problem OLED faces at this point.

Companies are not made of money, so it makes sense for them to invest in new technologies as they become more popular with consumers; however, if the manufacturers had invested to this level several years ago, the technology and its market acceptance would be much further along, IMO. If OLED monitors/TVs had been less expensive, I would have both by now. As it stands, they are both on my "wish list."

That said, the day that micro LED becomes affordable, OLED will be dead. MicroLED is a quantum leap beyond OLED of any sort.

 

[godrilla]

Hopefully more affordable MLA panels that can compete with qd-oled and should have 3000 nits of peak brightness. MLA is the same oled in the G3 and G4 high end oled TVs.

 

[netman]

OLED is the Best... Period...!

 

[Underdog]

With everyone so intent on getting the latest newest most wonderfully advanced picture technology it is easy to see why the manufacturers get away with selling such unreliable and short-lived TVs. I was reading up on what is available at the moment in medium sized flat screen TVs and shocked to read that the useful life expectancy is generally between four and ten years. That is so sad. My current TV was purchased in the 80s and apart from its cumbersome size, it still performs as new with no faults. Whatever happened to durability? I know the current trend is good for manufacturers' profit but what about the consumer? Just another cash cow I guess.

 

[toooooot]

OLED is the Best... Period...!

It will be, when it does not burn in

 

[redgarl]

Nothing is better than monitors starting degrading after 750 hours of use...

 

[redgarl]

It will be, when it does not burn in

So... it will never be...

 

[kiwigraeme]

Unfortunately, like with every new technology, OLED has taken time to catch on. It still has problems with burn-in, however, manufacturers are getting better and better at mitigating the effects of burn-in. As I see it, that is the most significant problem OLED faces at this point.

Companies are not made of money, so it makes sense for them to invest in new technologies as they become more popular with consumers; however, if the manufacturers had invested to this level several years ago, the technology and its market acceptance would be much further along, IMO. If OLED monitors/TVs had been less expensive, I would have both by now. As it stands, they are both on my "wish list."

That said, the day that micro LED becomes affordable, OLED will be dead. MicroLED is a quantum leap beyond OLED of any sort.

microLED will be quantum leap - maybe - but not all beer and skittles . Saw some YT on Samsung lastest monster . Huge size tick , great colours tick . Bright yes but not super bright . But the interesting think was highlights like stars didn't sparkle like OLED . The latest OLEDs like Sony A95L have a real 3D like picture . My plasma gave me that impression when I first watched it

I think people it will be great , but some might like the OLED look , some people still like Plasma for classic movies for the motion handling and filmic look , even though nearly beaten in every metric by OLED

Sony's new MiniLED this year is meant to be amazing - with incredible graduated control in the back lighting panel . Seems cheap to manufacture and scale . So may in end be a lot brighter , with still great blacks .

Blacks now really only meaningful in a dark viewing room , as ambient light in room will raise blacks from even the blackess screen output

 

[netman]

It will be, when it does not burn in

I've had my 65 inch OLED since 2026... No burn-ins or ghost effects, both of which are not the TV fault, rather the consumers' who use it...!

 

[kiwigraeme]

I've had my 65 inch OLED since 2026... No burn-ins or ghost effects, both of which are not the TV fault, rather the consumers' who use it...!

Clean up your act , you know the rules about time travelling
First rule of time travel

 

[daffy duck]

Sure this is why their new 32" OLED is $1399 vs MSI's $799 and even Asucks ROG's $1299.

 

[wiyosaya]

microLED will be quantum leap - maybe - but not all beer and skittles . Saw some YT on Samsung lastest monster . Huge size tick , great colours tick . Bright yes but not super bright . But the interesting think was highlights like stars didn't sparkle like OLED . The latest OLEDs like Sony A95L have a real 3D like picture . My plasma gave me that impression when I first watched it

I think people it will be great , but some might like the OLED look , some people still like Plasma for classic movies for the motion handling and filmic look , even though nearly beaten in every metric by OLED

Sony's new MiniLED this year is meant to be amazing - with incredible graduated control in the back lighting panel . Seems cheap to manufacture and scale . So may in end be a lot brighter , with still great blacks .

Blacks now really only meaningful in a dark viewing room , as ambient light in room will raise blacks from even the blackess screen output

I think you are confusing Mini-LED with Micro-LED. There's a big difference. Micro-LED is what I mentioned; I was not referring to Mini-LED.

 

[kiwigraeme]

I think you are confusing Mini-LED with Micro-LED. There's a big difference. Micro-LED is what I mentioned; I was not referring to Mini-LED.

Here's someone's impression this month

About 7 and a half minutes in , when talking about star field , Not as sparkly and has a flatter appearance. He did rave about the screen as a whole.
But really for a comparison need like with like , eg 83" microLED vs 83" OLEd
given that OLED easier to manufacture smaller , microLED easier to go bigger
I think both have their place

Samsung and LG saying they will hit 4000 NITS next year ( 1% window , probably not correct white field )
LG will stack 4 layers instead of 3 .
Blue PhoLED will come

Yeah for most people size is the most impactful
Brightness probably 2 as 2 screens closer together bright will look better . Yet in hoem , may prefer other as more natural

Hifi shops use an audio boost to sell something will more profit . here listen to this amp as they nudge the volume . louder sounds better in the shop

Not sure of colour volume on microLED - BT2020 coverage

There's a great YT video about the blue OLED , how a Japanese scientist may it happened , the holy grail of the time . Just having green and red meant no colour spectrum or white.

Interesting was the blue output was perfect wavelength

I have never see a microLED in person
True emissive displays tend to look nicer
Neon signs, Plasma , Oled , microLEDs

 

[Disiw]

Unfortunately, like with every new technology, OLED has taken time to catch on. It still has problems with burn-in, however, manufacturers are getting better and better at mitigating the effects of burn-in. As I see it, that is the most significant problem OLED faces at this point.

Companies are not made of money, so it makes sense for them to invest in new technologies as they become more popular with consumers; however, if the manufacturers had invested to this level several years ago, the technology and its market acceptance would be much further along, IMO. If OLED monitors/TVs had been less expensive, I would have both by now. As it stands, they are both on my "wish list."

That said, the day that micro LED becomes affordable, OLED will be dead. MicroLED is a quantum leap beyond OLED of any sort.

That day is not even close. Won't be in this decade. Hopefully in next decade. OLED will be much cheaper than microLED when it actually launches, IF it ever launches for consumer market. They are facing serious issues with it.

OLED took over high-end for now and will remain the king for the next 10 years. Has been king in the last 5+ years as well. OLED will get 15-20 years of total high-end dominance before micro LED is even relevant for consumers.

LCD is the cheap alternative for low to mid-end stuff. Has been true for years in the TV and phone market - Now OLED comes for monitor market as well.

LCD is a dead end tech. Thats why Samsung Display abandoned it. Both LG Display and Samsung Displays knows the future is OLED for now. They are both going all in, building new OLED fabs.

Massive competition in the OLED market means lower prices and faster progress. OLED TVs keeps stomping on LCD TVs every year at CES.

If micro LED was even close, LG and Samsung would not be building more and more OLED factories.

Burn-in is not a problem on OLED at all these days, unless you watch CNN 24/7/365. RMA rate for OLED is lower than LCD. Backlighting dies in LCD more than OLED has burn-in.

 

[toooooot]

Burn-in is not a problem on OLED at all these days, unless you watch CNN 24/7/365. RMA rate for OLED is lower than LCD. Backlighting dies in LCD more than OLED has burn-in.

I have no worries for TV. But a monitor... I am sitting in a bright room having static images on screen, I do not like to turn my monitor off when I leave. I understand how this is acceptable for a lot of people, it is not for me. I am not even ok having burn in warranty because it means I will have to wait at least a month till I get a replacement. I know what I need, and an oled monitor does not, cannot match my needs.

 

[Disiw]

I have no worries for TV. But a monitor... I am sitting in a bright room having static images on screen, I do not like to turn my monitor off when I leave. I understand how this is acceptable for a lot of people, it is not for me. I am not even ok having burn in warranty because it means I will have to wait at least a month till I get a replacement. I know what I need, and an oled monitor does not, cannot match my needs.

Then don't buy one, simple. Stick with cheap mediocre LCD.

 

[toooooot]

Then don't buy one, simple. Stick with cheap mediocre LCD.

They aren't cheap unfortunately, and neither much worse than OLED.

 

[Disiw]

They aren't cheap unfortunately, and neither much worse than OLED.

LCD is not even close and has tons of issues:

Blooming, smearing, corner glow, backlight bleed, bad uniformity, backlight issues, bad viewing angles, very low contrast, terrible HDR, tons of blue light emitted (3 times more than oled on average) = LCD pretty much suck

If it has mini LED backlighting, which is needed for even decent HDR on LCD, input lag will be high

This is why most LCD TVs with FALD / mini LED backlighting turns off most if not all zones in game and pc mode. Input lag goes up 200-300 ms with backlight zone control enabled. Sucks for monitor usage, which is why most have low zones or none at all.

LCD is dead in the high-end space outside of a few niche markets at this point.
OLED dominated high-end TV and phone market for years and OLED will dominate in the high-end PC monitor market from now on as well. LCD can't be improved further, a dead-end tech. Which is why even Samsung Display abandoned LCD production and research.

OLED has insane motion clarity. OLED at 240 Hz is smoother than LCD at 480 Hz, while absolutely destroying LCD in terms of image quality and viewing angles + HDR.

Future screams OLED. And both Samsung Display and LG Display are building more OLED factories. They both know OLED is the future for the next 10 years at least.

If any phone manufacturer released a flagship with LCD panel today, people would be rolling away laughing.