Recently, South Korean media reported that the release of Samsung Electronics vice president Li Zaidong said it is necessary to re-explore the OLED TV business.For a time, Samsung returned to the OLED TV camp has become the focus of the industry debate.It is reported that the Samsung Electronics visual display business President Han Jong-hee responded positively that it is not true that Samsung is investing in OLED TV and the company will continue to promote the development of QLED (quantum dot television) and micro LED TV.
Nevertheless, on Feb. 27, a group of industry insiders told 21st Century Business Herald, Samsung is exploring the technological path of large-size panels, whether OLED, QLED or micro LED. Samsung will consider it and will not easily give up mainstream research direction.
Therefore, the industry predicts that in the future, Samsung may use QD-OLED (quantum dot-OLED) technology to make large-size panels. The technical route is to combine quantum dots materials with OLED panels for the advantages of both. After the LCD, OLED, QLED and other new display technologies battle will continue.
Shuangxiong dispute
As we all know, Samsung small and medium size OLED market, riding a ride, LG is the dominant in large-size OLED In the field of television, Samsung pushing QLED (currently still on the LCD panel upgrade) and LG contend the future, the original focus on different Two companies in the field may be involved in each other's camp.
'Samsung has always been to do OLED on the mobile side, but in the large-size technology section, it is not particularly clear at present and may be walking on multiple legs.' Li Yaqin, deputy general manager of Qunzhi Consulting, analyzed 21st Century Economic Reporter ' For QLED and micro LED industries, Samsung has the foundation for R & D and its advantages. For larger OLEDs, Samsung is likely to be just doing research and development. It may not be able to turn to OLEDs right away, but rather explore its own technology route.
The QD-OLED may be one of the directions, it is understood, QD-OLED is the use of new inkjet technology, the blue OLED as a light source, in the blue OLED panel printing red and green quantum dots, so this class The panel is called 'QD-OLED' (Quantum Dot OLED).
In fact, Samsung had already launched a 55-inch curved OLED TV as early as 2013, wanting to compete with LG, but eventually opting out of the OLED TV market and moving toward QLED.This is closely related to the technological route chosen by Samsung , Specifically, Samsung's OLED panel uses RGB (red, green and blue) -OLED technology; LG chose W (white) -OLED technology in the production of large-size panel, RGB (red, green and blue) -OLED high cost of technology, low yield.
Behind the technology is also a key module - a TFT (thin film transistor) used to control the pixel. On the material of the TFT, Samsung and LG made different choices from the very beginning. The material of the TFT is generally low temperature polycrystalline silicon LTPS) or oxide, Samsung has the advantage of low-temperature polysilicon TFT, and LG selected oxide TFT to overcome large-size OLED.
Compared with the oxide, low temperature polysilicon performance is better, but the production process is very complicated, small panels can flex their muscles, but can not be applied to the large size panel .In terms of cost, efficiency, oxide TFT has become the choice of large-size panel makers.
Therefore, Samsung and LG launched their own future.At present, the production of OLED TV manufacturers have more than a dozen, in addition to LG, there Skyworth, Konka, Changhong, Sony (50.27, -0.65, -1.28%) and other brands Among them, Sony joined the OLED camp, in 2017 the rapid growth of color TV high-end market.
Different ways?
According to IHS statistics, OLED TV sales accounted for only 1.1% of the global TV market in 2015, and its market share in sales rose to 4.5% in 2017, especially in the high-end market.
Li Yaqin said: 'OLED shipments in 2017 is about 1.67 million units, and we expect shipments of about 2.3 million to 2.4 million units by 2018. In contrast, QLED TV sales are still much larger, while quantum film The cost is also going down, QLED television industry chain more diversified.
If Samsung returns OLED TV market, will also contribute to the development of OLED industry chain.People Liu Puchen senior appliance seems, 'Samsung into the OLED TV market is not groundless, but does not mean that Samsung will have to give up quantum dots, fully turned OLED , But extends from the quantum dot to the OLED. In my opinion, even if Samsung does OLED in the future, it will not use the original concept of OLED, such as the name QD-OLED, which is a quantum dot OLED and is a new technology Route.
Liu Buchen said that in the future there may indeed be a combination of quantum dots and OLED technology, 'These two technologies are likely to be the same thing, they are not parallel lines, the future may cross.Quantum dot technology, high brightness, long life, OLED has the characteristics of flexible display, the advantages can be superimposed.
As to when the two can have crossover, Liu Buchen told 21st Century Business Herald reporter: 'It is when printing display technologies come together, because the printing technology can not only be applied to OLED, but also can be used for quantum dot TV, and the cost is greatly reduced. Samsung is still dominated by quantum dots in the next three years, but it does not reject OLEDs in the past, especially since Sony sold very well last year to stimulate Samsung and Samsung needs to review the technology again.
However, in view of Li Yaqin, now QLED and OLED can not see the same thing, but the two technologies are still in accordance with their respective tracks.
For now, there are still high prices OLED TV, high cost, yield and other problems.Although its sales and sales are growing rapidly, but in the global market, the proportion is still low.Liu Buchen said: 'This year OLED TV in the Chinese market will have rapid growth is expected to increase at 60%; the other hand, the price will drop, and now 55-inch OLED TV prices have dropped to less than 10,000 yuan, 65-inch average price last year at 14,000 yuan or more, this year is likely to plunge to $ 10,000.Decreased prices on the one hand the panel prices decline, because the LG panel production growth over last year a lot, in addition, companies will further cut prices to foster the market.