OLED technology enables thin, efficient and bright displays and lighting panels. OLEDs are currently used in many mobile devices, some TVs and lighting fixtures. OLED displays offer a better image quality compared to LCD or Plasma displays - and can also be made flexible and transparent.
Transparent OLED displays
Several companies develop transparent OLED (also referred to as T-OLED) technologies. While there's no inherent technology barrier towards transparent OLED displays, finding actual applications for such displays is not easy.
As of 2021, LG Display is producing 55-inch transparent OLED panels (used mostly in signage and commercial settings) while other companies produce small (around 1-2 inch in size) transparent PMOLED display. In April 2013 we posted a review of Futaba's 2" 160x128 transparent PMOLED panel - which could be an interesting read even if this specific display is no longer in production.
Transparent OLED Lighting
OLED technology can be used to make lighting panels - these are thin, area-lit and efficient lighting panels, that can be made transparent. Unlike displays, transparent OLED lighting panels have more immediate applications (embedded in windows, for example). In April 2012 we posted our hands-on review with a transparent Tabola OLED lighting panel sample. As the OLED lighting market in general is still at an early stage, we do not see actual adoption and production of transparent OLED lighting.
OLED-Info's Transparent OLEDs Market Report
OLED-Info offers a comprehensive Transparent OLED Market Report which gives all the information you need to understand this market and the future of transparent OLEDs. The report explains:
- Transparent OLED properties and advantages
- What are the main challenges towards transparent OLEDs
- What kind of transparent OLED displays are currently on the market
- The transparent OLED lighting market
The report package also provides a complete list of transparent OLED developers and makers and their current (and future) products, and a lot more. Read more here!
The latest transparent OLED news:
LG deploys a beautiful transparent OLED installation at a Starbucks branch in Seoul
LG Display and Starbucks Korea jointly installed a beautiful "transparent OLED Table" at Starbucks' Yeosu Dolsan DT Branch. The installation includes 12 55-inch transparent OLED TVs panels.
The 8-meters long table is placed at the center of the store, and display the images of rolling waves to create an experience like seating at the beach. The displays include sensors that create wave effects when coffee mugs are placed on the table. The transparent displays are placed above what appears to be actual sand.
TrendForce: the market share of OLED automotive panels to increase to 8.9% by 2026
TrendForce says that the demand for automotive displays is stabilizing, and the company expects modest growth ahead. By 2026, the global automotive display market will surpass 240 million units.
TrendForce further sees an increased adoption of automotive OLED displays, and the market share of OLED panels will reach 8.9% by 2026. Demand for standard OLED displays is on the rise, and OLED makers are developing next-generation high-end automotive displays, including rollable, transparent and ultra-large panels.
LG Display demonstrated its 30" and 77" transparent OLED displays for the first time
LG Display is demonstrating its new 30" and 77" transparent OLED displays for the first time, at the company's booth at K-Display 2023, in Seoul, Korea.
Credit: LG Display
The new 30" transparent OLED offers HD resolution, while the 77" panel offers 4K resolution. All of LG's latest transparent OLED displays offer 45% transparency. LG showed its entire range of T-OLED displays in a coffee shop setting, in partnership with Starbucks.
Veeo launches transparent 30" and 55" OLED monitors with a behind-the-screen camera
US-based Veeo announce a new display called the T30, that is based on a transparent OLED panel with a behind-the-display camera. The T30 is a monitor that enables video communication with an aligned user line of sight.
The T30 is offered in two models, 30" and 50", both based on LG's transparent WOLED panels. Veeo will announce the price of its transparent OLED monitor towards the end of 2023.
Visionox shows its latest OLED prototypes and technologies at Display Week 2023
China-based Visionox demonstrated many OLED displays and new technologies at Display Week 2023.
So first up, we have some rollable and foldable OLEDs. You can see some impressive looking such flexible OLEDs in the video above, and Visionox featured many such displays at their booth.
LG Display shows new OLED display prototypes at Display Week 2023
LG Display demonstrated several exciting OLED display prototypes at Display Week 2023.
First up was the company's 77" 8K Meta (microlens-array) panel - this has been commercialized already, but it is always a wonder to watch this particular display which offers an extraordinary image quality.
Qingyue shows new transparent PMOLED displays and OLED microdisplays at Display Week 2023
China-based PMOLED maker Qingyue (previously part of Visionox) demonstrated its latest OLED and ePaper displays at Display Week 2023.
So first up Qingyue showed a large transparent segmented PMOLED display, this is the largest PMOLED ever demonstrated at 20.6" in size. It did not detail the transparent level, but this looked very good and was quite impressive.
AUO shows foldable, transparent and automotive microLED displays at Display Week 2023
Taiwan-based AU Optronics (AUO) demonstrated several microLED display prototypes at Display Week 2023, showing the company's focus on microLED display technology as its next-gen platform.
Sample displays include a 13.5" Full-HD 5,000-nits 55% transparent display, a 17.3" transparent panel that includes an embedded LC layer so it turn from 55% transparency to an almost completely opaque display, a 14.5" 2560x1440 foldable laptop display that is based on blue microLEDs with QD color conversion, and more.
A new version of OLED-Info's Transparent OLED and MicroLED Market report released
Today we published a new edition of our Transparent OLED and MicroLED Market Report, with all the latest updates from this exciting market and industry.
Reading this report, you'll learn all about:
- Transparent OLED and MicroLED properties and advantages
- The transparent OLED and MicroLED industry
- What kind of transparent OLEDs are currently on the market
- The transparent OLED lighting market
The report package also provides:
- Transparent OLED display product listing
- A guide into buying transparent OLEDs
- The main challenges towards transparent displays
- Free updates for a year
This transparent displays market report provides a great introduction to transparent OLED and MicroLED technologies and covers everything you need to know about the market and industry now and in the future. This is a great guide for anyone who's thinking about adopting transparent displays in their products or that wants to understand this industry and market throughout.
LG installs 32 transparent OLED displays at Korea's Incheon airport to show Korea's vibrant culture
LG Display announced a new transparent OLED campaign at Incheon Airport, to show Korea's vibrant culture to travelers from all over the world, and experience Korea's four seasons and folktales.
The installation includes several different displays. One is large wall made from 18 55" OLED displays, a large video wall that "conveys the delicate patterns and colorful hues of Korean traditional folktales while also creating a comfortable openness thanks to its high transparency". Theere are also a total of 14 transparent displays attached to pillars and walls inside Incheon Airport's Tourist Center, utilized to showcase various information such as local times and global weather conditions as well as welcome messages and enchanting videos showing off the "endless beauty of Korean nature".
