Tesla in talks with LG for the supply of automotive OLEDs

According to the Korea Times, Tesla is in talks with LG Display for the possible supply of OLED panels to the electric car maker.

LG 12.3'' automotive P-OLED demo (CES 2016)

It's not clear, but it's likely that Tesla is interested in OLED displays rather than OLED lighting panels. LGD announced its entry to the flexible OLED automotive market back in July 2014 - and indeed back then the company already said it signed OLED supply contracts with several car makers in Germany - including Daimler-Benz. In January 2016 LGD first unveiled its 12.3" Full-HD flexible OLED panels for the automotive market.

Read the full story Posted: May 18,2016

Screen Holdings starts making flexible OLED deposition equipment

Japan's Screen Holdings (previously Dainippon Screen Mfg), a manufacturing equipment maker, announced that it started producing mass-production systems for OLED deposition - and began supplying these to display makers in April.

Screen Holdings is already making OLED deposition systems, but only R&D tools. The company finished the development of 6-Gen tools that can coat on polyimide substrate - for flexible OLED production.

Read the full story Posted: May 18,2016

Will LGD supply Xiaomi with curved OLED displays soon?

There's an interesting story posted at Mobipicker (first time I hear of that blog) that claims that Xiaomi's CEO confirmed that the company will release a smartphone with a curved display - and not only that, but the blog says that the display will be a 5.7" curved OLED - produced by LG Display.

LG 6'' flexible OLED edge phone prototype photo

that Samsung Display is of course producing such displays - and even supplying them to companies other than Samsung Electronics - but is LGD ready to do the same soon?

Read the full story Posted: May 16,2016

UBI: Apple to become the world's top OLED customer by 2021

UBI Research's president Lee Choong-hoon says that Apple is set to adopt OLEDs in its phones, and the company will release an iPhone with a curved OLED display in 2018. The curved iPhone will make up for 30% of total iPhone sales (about 100 million units) - but this will rise to 80% to 2020.

In fact, by 2021, Apple couple be the largest OLED customer - buying more OLEDs than Samsung Electronics. Samsung is currently using OLEDs in about 70% of its smartphones.

Read the full story Posted: May 16,2016

SamMobile: Samsung to release its first foldable phone, the Galaxy X, in 2017

We heard several reports in the past few months, all claiming that Samsung is working on a foldable phone, to be released in 2017. SamMobile today posted that the new phone will be called the Galaxy X, and the foldable display will be a 4K diamond-pentile one.

Foldable OLED concept (2013)Foldable OLED concept (2013)

According to SamMobile, Samsung will release five "flagship" phones in 2017 - the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8 Edge, the Galaxy Note 7 and Note 7 edge - and the Galaxy X. Except the Galaxy X (which will, as we said, have a 4K display), all the rest of the phones will use 2.5K displays.


Read the full story Posted: May 14,2016

Sharp and Innolux to integrate their display business - with a focus on IGZO and OLEDs

A few weeks after Sharp agreed to sell a two-thirds stake to Foxconn (Hon Hai Precision) for $3.5 billion, the Taiwanese company is starting to integrate Sharp's display business with Innolux, Foxconn Taiwanese display arm.

Innolux AMOLED prototype, 2012

Today we hear a report from Taiwan that Innolux's chairman Tuan Hsing-chien has resigned from his roles at Innolux, and will head to Sharp to help integrate the two display makers. Tuan will help Sharp and Innolux focus on IGZO backplanes and OLED diisplays - aiming to enhance the competitiveness of Sharp's LCD business - and find opportunities for cooperation between the two companies.

Read the full story Posted: May 13,2016

eMagin reports Q1 2016 financial results and business updates

OLED Microdisplay-maker eMagin announced its financial results for Q1 2016. Revenues were $7 million (up 17% from Q1 2015, including the $1 million in licensing revenue announced in December 2015), and net income was $14,000 (down from $320,000 in Q1 2015).

An eMagin OLED microdisplayAn eMagin OLED microdisplay

At the end of the quarter, eMagin had about $9.1 million of cash and equivalents (down from $9.3 in the end of Q4 2015).

Read the full story Posted: May 13,2016

Everdisplay shows new wearable and VR AMOLEDs prototype, announces design-win for a 1.2" Huawei smartwach

During CES Asia 2016, Everdisplay demonstrated several AMOLED prototypes, including some new ones. For the wearable market, EDO is showing several displays:

  • 1.2" circular
  • 0.95" square
  • 1.41" square
  • 1.4" circular (already in production)

Everdisplay AMOLED lineup (CES Asia 2016)

EDO announced that the 1.2" panel will enter production in July 2016 - and the company says that Huawei will launch a smartwatch with this display in September. EDO also reveals that Hauwei's 1.4" round Watch (shipping now for $349 - $799) uses an AMOLED made by EDO, as well.

Read the full story Posted: May 12,2016