OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diodes) is a new technology that enables brighter, more efficient, thinner, faster and better looking displays. OLED panels feature better refresh rates and contrast than either LCD or Plasma - and can be made flexible and transparent.

Sony has been involved with OLED research, development and production for years, and can claim several OLED firsts: in 2004 they launched the world's first PDA with an OLED display (the 3.8" Clie PEG-VZ90), the world's first OLED TV in 2007 (the 11" XEL-1) and for a while they offered the largest OLED displays (the 24.5" BVM-F250 professional OLED monitors). Today Sony produces OLED TVs - using panels produced by LG Display.

Sony OLED TV

In 2017 Sony introduced its first OLED TV, the XBR-A1E. These 55" and 65" used LG's WRGB OLED panels, and were very successful. In 2018 Sony introduced its 2nd-generation OLED TV, the AF8.

Sony AF8 photo

Back in 2007, Sony launched the "world's first OLED TV" (the XEL-1), although at 11-inch, it should not really be considered a TV - maybe not even a monitor. It was only made in small quantities and the price ($2,500) was very high. In February 2010 Sony stopped producing the XEL-1.

In the past Sony was collaborating with Panasonic on OLED TV production technology, but this collaboration was later canceled.

Professional OLED monitors

Sony offers several professional OLED monitors for the film and broadcasting industries, including the PVM 740 (7.4 inch), PVM 1741 (17 inch), and the PVM 2541 (25 inch) and the premium BVM F170 (17 inch) and BVM F250 (25 inch). Sony also offers OLED monitors for the medical market. In September 2012 Sony announced that they have sold over 15,000 professional OLED monitors, and in fact their Nagoya OLED production fab is running at "full capacity".

Sony mobile OLED Products

In past years, Sony released several mobile devices that adopted OLED displays. The original portable Vita gaming console is one example. Sony sold over 2 million Vita consoles. The Vita featured a 5" touch Samsung-Made OLED display (960x544), but Sony switched to an LCD in the newer Vita as they wanted to reduce the cost of the device.

In January 2009, Sony unveiled their 'X' series OLED walkman. They claimed it was the best sounding walkman ever, and it's got the best display, too: a 3-inch 432x240 touch AMOLED. Sony has also used a large AMOLED in their NW-A840 walkman.

Sony's main product line is now smartphones - but the company has yet to release an OLED smartphone.

Sony PlayStation VR

In October 2016 Sony launched its PlayStation VR HMD. Sony's VR HMD uses a 5.7" FHD (1920x1080) AMOLED display (produced by Samsung Display), 360-degree tracking and 3D audio. Sony enjoyed strong sales of this VR headset.

Sony OLED microdisplays

Sony are also producing OLED microdisplays, and have several such displays on the market, including a 0.5" XGA (1024x768) panel for digital camera EVFs and a 0.7" 1280x720 microdisplay used in Sony's HMD products.

 

Latest Sony OLED news

A new version of our OLED and MicroLED Microdisplay Market report released

Today we published a new edition of our OLED and MicroLED Microdisplays Market Report, with all the latest information. The new edition includes more than 12 new updates, new companies, new datasheets and revamped sections on Samsung, LG Display, Sony, MICLEDI, BOE and more.

Reading this report, you'll learn all about:

  • The advantages of OLED and MicroLED microdisplays
  • The microdisplays that are available on the market today
  • Information on all companies involved in this market
  • Future technologies and roadmaps

The report package also provides:

  • A list of all OLED microdisplays on the market
  • A list of all OLED and MicroLED microdisplays makers
  • Microdisplays spreadsheet (premium edition)
  • Over 25 datasheets, presentations (premium edition)
  • Free updates for a year

This microdisplays market report provides a great introduction to OLED and MicroLED microdisplays, and covers everything you need to know about the current status of the market and industry. This is a great guide if you're considering to adopt OLED microdisplays in your product, if you're looking to learn more about next-generation micro-LEDs and if you want to understand this industry better.

Read the full story Posted: Oct 13,2022

OLED TVs take first place in Value Electronics' 2022 TV shootout

Esteemed US-based A/V retailer Value Electronics conducted its latest annual TV shootout, with very interesting results. It is not a big surprise, but OLED TV won the first places in both the 4K and 8K shootout.

Value Electronics 2022 TV shootout photo

In the 4K category, VE tested five TVs, out of which 3 were OLED TVs: The LG G2 OLED TV, Samsung S95B QD-OLED, Samsung QN95B (QD miniLED), Sony A95K QD-OLED and Sony's X95K mini-LED. The winner of this year's shootout was Sony's A95K QD-OLED.

Read the full story Posted: Aug 05,2022

A new version of OLED-Info's OLED and MicroLED Microdisplay Market report released

Today we published a new edition of our OLED and MicroLED Microdisplays Market Report, with all the latest information. The new edition includes more than 10 new updates, new companies, new datasheets and revamped sections on APS, Mojo vision, Porotech, PlayNitride and more.

Reading this report, you'll learn all about:

  • The advantages of OLED and MicroLED microdisplays
  • The microdisplays that are available on the market today
  • Information on all companies involved in this market
  • Future technologies and roadmaps

The report package also provides:

  • A list of all OLED microdisplays on the market
  • A list of all OLED and MicroLED microdisplays makers
  • Microdisplays spreadsheet (premium edition)
  • Over 25 datasheets, presentations (premium edition)
  • Free updates for a year

This microdisplays market report provides a great introduction to OLED and MicroLED microdisplays, and covers everything you need to know about the current status of the market and industry. This is a great guide if you're considering to adopt OLED microdisplays in your product, if you're looking to learn more about next-generation micro-LEDs and if you want to understand this industry better.

Read the full story Posted: Jun 29,2022

2022 OLED Korea Conference to take place on April 6, Busan Korea

2022 OLED KOREA CONFERENCE will be held at Shilla Stay in Busan from April 6-8. From smartphones business, Samsung Display is expanding into IT OLED business to products such as notebooks and tablet PCs. Samsung Display Vice President, Yongsuk Choi will kick off the conference with the theme, OLED Innovation for Post-Pandemic Era in his keynote.

OLED Korea 2022 - event banner

Hyeon Woo Lee, Senior Vice President of LG Display will deliver the keynote on the ever-evolving large OLED for TVs and OLED.EX. Commonly know for growth in smartphone-oriented mobile products, the OLED market achieved impressive growth in the TV and IT markets in 2021. Choong Hoon Yi of UBI Research will give an overview of OLED performance in 2021 and market forecasts by application products. He will discuss investment prospects and business direction of panel makers and detail China’s rapidly growing OLED investment and business analysis.

Read the full story Posted: Mar 10,2022

DigitalTrends: the Sony A95K QD-OLED TV offers the best image quality ever

Earlier this year Sony announced the world's first QD-OLED TV, the A95K. The TV is not shipping yet, but the first reviews are in - and the ones we have seen say that the display quality of Sony's new TV (and Samsung's new OLED panels) is superb.

Sony A95K photo

A reporter from DigitalTrends, Caleb Denison, for example, spent some hours in front of an A95K, and says that the display is bright (the brightest he has seen in a consumer TV) and it offers the most accurate colors he ever saw. The colors are pure and "better than any OLED, and most QLED TVs, too".

Read the full story Posted: Mar 03,2022

DSCC: Apple's first VR headset will sport two OLED microdisplays and an additional AMOLED

Towards the end of 2021 we reported that Apple plans to launch its first AR headset in Q4 2022, powered by dual 4K OLED microdisplays, produced by Sony

Sony ECX339A OLED Microdisplay photo

According to Ross Young from DSSC, Apple first headset will actually be a VR headset, that uses a foveated display system. The headset will feature three displays - two 4K microLEDs (indeed produced by Sony) and one larger AMOLED display.

Read the full story Posted: Jan 05,2022

Sony launches its 2022 OLED TV range, including the world's first QD-OLED TV, the A95K

Sony announced its 2022 TV lineup, which includes three new OLED TV series, including the A95K, which is the world's first QD-OLED TV ever announced.

Sony A95K photo

The Sony A95K Master XR TV will feature 55" or 65" 4K 120Hz QD-OLED panels (produced by SDC), Sony's XR cognitive processor, Acoustic Surface Audio, XR Triluminos Max and Google TV OS. It features HDR10, HLG and Dolby Vision.

Read the full story Posted: Jan 05,2022

Report: Apple to release its first AR headset next year, based on 4K Sony OLED microdisplays

Apple analyst Ming-chi Kuo says that Apple plans to launch its first AR headset in Q4 2022, powered by dual 4K OLED microdisplays, produced by Sony. The headset will feature Mac-level computer power and will not require a tethered smartphone to operate.

Sony ECX339A OLED Microdisplay photo

Apple has been working on AR technologies for many years. Last year it was indeed reported in Japan that Apple is working with Sony on its microdisplays. Earlier this year it was reported that Apple has teamed up with TSMC for microdisplay production - but it could be that TSMC will be the manufacturing partner, while Sony will provide the OLED technology and knowhow.

Read the full story Posted: Nov 26,2021

Sony says its next-generation VR headset will adopt OLED displays

In 2016 Sony launched its successful Sony Playstation VR Headset, with its 5.7" FHD (1920x1080) AMOLED display. The company is getting ready to release an updated version, and during its latest developer summit, it revealed some initial details.

The new VR headset will feature OLED displays, with higher resolutions - there will be dual 2000x2040 displays. The field of view is also improved to 110-degress (up from 100 degrees in the original PSVR).

Read the full story Posted: Aug 06,2021