Sony in February announced 24.5-inch and 16.5-inch OLED display monitors priced at JPY2.42 million (about US$30,000) and JPY1.31 million, respectively. Their targets are professional users such as TV stations and movie production houses.
So far Sony has unveiled four OLED products. Besides the 11-inch OLED TV, which had already been phased out, the other three are monitors for the professional segment.
The price gap between OLED TV and LCD TV is too wide to generate consumer interest. The smaller screen and shorter product life are also issues that need to be overcome. The professional segment on the other hand is less concerned about size. Its main requirement is video quality and image authenticity. Furthermore, the price gap between professional-level LCD and OLED products are comparatively smaller, and therefore Sony has placed more emphasis on developing the professional segment for OLED.
South Korea's Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics are in less hurry to commercialize large-size OLED solutions. LG introduced a 15-inch OLED TV in 2009, and Samsung's OLED TV is still in test production.
Though Samsung and LG are less aggressive in new product launch, they are very active in research and equipment investments. LG Display recently announced that it will have the capability to mass produce 30-inch OLED TV panels by year's end, and Samsung is scheduled to begin test production of 32-inch OLED TV in the second half of 2012.
In regards to 8G OLED panel facilities, LG Display said that it will have 8G volume production capability in 2011, and Samsung Mobile Display will begin to invest in 8G lines in the third quarter.
