LGD Leading the Trend, Unveils Next-Generation TV Panel 'OLED.EX' Ahead of New Year (Comprehensive)

An LG Display model is introducing the next-generation TV panel 'OLED.EX'. (Photo by LG Display)

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Hyunjin] #The red tulip petals in the field on the TV screen sparkle in the sunlight. Compared to existing OLED TV panels, the area reflecting sunlight is wider and brighter. The green stem below the tulip bud also shows a larger sunlit area and more natural color expression than previous products. It is a scene where you can almost feel the presence of sunlight on site.

On the 29th, LG Display unveiled its next-generation OLED TV panel, ‘OLED.EX’. The screen is 30% brighter than existing OLED TV panels and reproduces the colors of nature more precisely. Having recently achieved cumulative sales of 20 million OLED TV panels, LG Display plans to further solidify its leadership in OLED TV panels next year centered on this new product.

'EX Technology' Applied with Deuterium and Personalized Algorithm

OLED.EX, introduced by LG Display on this day, incorporates ‘EX Technology’ consisting of deuterium technology and a personalized algorithm applied to the core of OLED image quality and the self-emitting organic light-emitting elements. For the first time in TV panels, LG Display succeeded in developing a high-efficiency element that emits brighter light by replacing the hydrogen atoms, a key component of organic light-emitting elements, with deuterium, which is twice as heavy as normal hydrogen. Deuterium naturally exists in extremely small amounts, about one in 6,000 hydrogen atoms, and LG Display extracted deuterium from water and applied it to the organic light-emitting elements to increase brightness while maintaining high efficiency and ensuring stable long-term operation compared to existing elements.

Along with deuterium technology, LG Display used a proprietary machine learning-based personalized algorithm that learns individual users’ viewing patterns and predicts the usage of 33 million organic light-emitting elements (based on 8K resolution) to precisely control energy input, thereby expressing detailed images and colors. When blue, green, and red colors appear simultaneously on one screen, the algorithm optimizes energy and other parameters considering the use of WRGB elements that represent each color. The bezel was reduced from about 6 mm to 4 mm for the 65-inch model.

An LG Display model is introducing the next-generation TV panel 'OLED.EX'. (Photo by LG Display)

LG Display plans to apply OLED.EX to all series of OLED TV panels produced at its Paju plant in Korea and Guangzhou plant in China starting from the second quarter of next year. Some OLED TV panels produced in Guangzhou this year have already applied the technology, and it will be fully expanded next year. LG Display explained that it receives deuterium substitution materials from partner companies and that the cost increase of OLED TV panels due to deuterium substitution is not expected to be significant.

"70% Global Shipment Share Next Year"… LGD Leading OLED Mainstreaming

LG Display plans to strengthen its market dominance based on OLED.EX. The sales volume of LG Display’s OLED TV panels started at 200,000 units in the first year of mass production in 2013, surpassed 10 million units in early last year after seven years of mass production, and recently exceeded 20 million units cumulatively. While the overall TV market is expected to shrink by 12% compared to last year, OLED products have increased by about 70%, indicating promising growth potential for the OLED TV panel market.

Changho Oh, Vice President and Head of LG Display’s Large-sized Business Division, said, "Based on our panel shipments this year, we are close to 8 million units and have expanded further in Guangzhou," adding, "If fully operational, we expect to ship 10 million units annually." Regarding the share of OLED.EX in global OLED shipments next year, Oh forecasted, "Since it will be fully applied from the second quarter, 100% is difficult, but we expect about 30% to be existing OLED TV panels and 70% to be OLED.EX TV panel products."

On the 29th, at the Media Day event held at LG Science Park in Magok, Gangseo-gu, Seoul, Oh Chang-ho, Vice President and Head of LG Display's Large-sized Business Division, is introducing 'OLED.EX'. (Photo by LG Display)

Regarding future investments in large displays, Vice President Oh said, "Nothing has been decided yet. We will disclose specific details once they are finalized soon."

Oh added, "Since the world’s first mass production in 2013, we have aimed to mainstream OLED in the premium TV market for nine years, and this has been recognized not only by customers and consumers but also by market research agencies," emphasizing, "We are continuously preparing for the evolution of OLED. We believe our approach will maintain competitiveness for a considerable period, and we are preparing for ongoing evolution." He continued, "We will provide customer experiences that only OLED can offer and are preparing new business areas to lead changes in the future era."

On Cooperation with Samsung: "Difficult to Comment"

At the briefing, when asked whether LG Display plans to supply OLED panels to Samsung Electronics starting next year, Oh replied, "It is not at a stage where I can comment yet, and I cannot mention anything related to customers." Although Samsung Electronics and China’s TCL remain as TV set manufacturers not using OLED TV panels, he refrained from making specific remarks.

When asked to compare Samsung Electronics’ flagship TV product ‘Neo QLED’ with mini LED technology and OLED technology, Oh acknowledged that mini LED TVs have brighter screens than OLED TVs but said, "Mini LED has no differentiation; it only increases luminance, which is a device harmful to human eye health. We believe our technology is correct."

Regarding Samsung Display’s mass production of Quantum Dot (QD) OLED panels, Oh stated, "We welcome competitors entering the OLED camp. We have been doing OLED alone for over 10 years, and now we have partners," adding, "This is expected to be an opportunity for the OLED market to grow and expand further."

Meanwhile, LG Display also unveiled future displays such as ‘bendable’ screens that curve and straighten and more advanced transparent OLEDs. Oh said, "We have been collaborating with some customers on bendable panels for several years," adding, "Chinese customer Skyworth adopted our 65-inch bendable OLED panel for a 65-inch concept product, and discussions on smaller sizes are ongoing. It may be shown next year." Regarding transparent OLED displays, he said, "They can be seen at places like Musinsa and the National Museum, and we will continue to expand."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.