AUO

Digitimes reports that AUO will base its OLED production on a-Si technology. AUO estimates it will enter mass production in 2011.

CT Liu, vice-president and general manager of consumer product display business group of AUO indicated that AUO is going to start developing OLED again in the fourth quarter of this year and concentrate on commercializing small-sized panels.

AUO estimates that it will take at least three years for the technology to be mature enough for mass production. Hence AUO plans to mass product small- to medium-size OLED panel in 2011, and then larger-sized panels in another 3-5 years.

Digitimes reports that Nokia has decided that the capability to make AMOLEDs is a condition for the selection of its panel suppliers. Nokia expects AMOLED to play a major role in the market in the future.

Nokia already has OLED displays in a couple of high-end products (the 8800 Art, the 7900 Prism and the 6600). The AMOLED displays are so beautiful that they really make an impact (maybe Nokia also read C|Net's review of the iRiver SPINN)

Digitimes reports that AUO said that they are indeed considering re-opening their OLED production lines (as reported a month ago, here in OLED-Info). HB Chen, vice-Chairman and CEO of AUO said that although AUO will not re-open the production line in 2008, the company will showcase its OLED developments in Yokohama, Japan in October this year.

UO already has the equipment and technologies to mass-produce small-size OLED panels, but will continue to observe the market before moving to develop large-size panels, Chen noted.

Read more here (digitimes) 

I have just learned from AUO that they have resumed their OLED operation in January 2008. As you may recall, in 2007 AUO stopped their OLED production, and relocated all OLED engineers to their LCD business. AUO has done a lot of research into AMOLEDs in the past years, and the first AMOLED phone (the BenQ S88) used their 2" AMOLED display.

AUO used UDC's PHOLED materials, and I understand that they are likely to still use PHOLEDs in the new OLEDs.

The new report builds upon the firm's ongoing coverage of the organic electronics market previously released in several earlier reports. It forecasts major markets for OLEDs including mobile displays, televisions, computer displays, automotive, consumer electronics, backlighting and general illumination. In addition, the report reviews new developments in OLED production and materials. The report discusses the strategies of leading suppliers and technology developers including Add-Vision, AUO, CDT, Delta Optoelectronics, eMagin, GE, Kodak, LG Electronics, Matsushita, MicroEmissive Displays, Novaled, OSRAM, Pioneer, RiT, Samsung, Seiko Epson, TDK, Toshiba, Univision and many others.

Read more here 

DisplaySearch revealed in its latest Quarterly OLED Shipment and Forecast Report that OLED shipments grew to 16.1M and revenues hit $112.0M in Q2'06. Organic Light Emitting Diodes (OLED) displays compete with LCDs in small/medium applications such as mobile phone main displays and subdisplays, MP3s and automotive consoles. OLED shipments increased 44% Q/Q due to 48% increase in subdisplays and a 36% growth in MP3 player sales. PMOLEDs continue to dominate the market with a revenue share of over 98%. There are 23 small molecule and 2 P-OLED producers with small molecule having a 97% revenue share.

Taiwan's AU Optronics has decided to re-orient its active-matrix (AM) organic light-emitting diode (OLED) engineers to a focus on developing TFT LCD.

Starting from the third quarter, the engineers have been relocated to support divisions for LCD developments.

Universal Display Corporation announced today that the Company has entered into an agreement with AU Optronics, to supply the Company's proprietary PHOLED(TM) phosphorescent OLED material for use in an active matrix OLED product.

AU Optronics today announced that AUO and Samsung Electronics have signed a broad patent cross-license agreement to allow expanded access to the patent portfolios each company holds. The agreement is a significant expansion of the companies' relationship to enhance the development and delivery of innovative digital consumer electronics products by sharing each other's respective technologies.
The coverage of the cross license includes patents in the area of TFT-LCD and OLED, especially the technology for LCD TV application. AUO and Samsung expect the agreement to bolster the development and deployment of TFT-LCD technology in the LCD TV, giving a new catalyst to strengthen the competitiveness of the two companies.

Read more here