OLED TV glow-up: brighter, more efficient panels are coming – but you’ll have to wait
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New OLED TVs with a significantly brighter look are coming, thanks to a breakthrough in the way the panels are manufactured.
As reported by Flat panelsHD (opens in new tab)Universal Display (UDC – one of the largest makers of OLED material) says it is on track to release phosphorescent blue emitters by the end of 2024 that could appear in top-of-the-line 4K TVs or super-detailed monitors.
To clarify exactly what that means, red, green, and blue emitters are among the most important components of OLED displays, with two types currently used by panel manufacturers: fluorescence and phosphorescence.
Phosphorescent (PHOLED) emitters are capable of 100% internal luminous efficiency, while their much less bright fluorescent counterparts are only capable of about 25% internal efficiency.
Red and green phosphor emitters have been used on OLED panels for some time, but manufacturers have been unable to make stable blue PHOLED emitters until now.
As a supplier to BOE, LG Display and Samsung Display, UDC has been working on the switch to blue PHOLED for several years now, and it now seems that the production phase of this highly anticipated component is finally approaching.
According to Korean newspaper ETNews (opens in new tab)the development was confirmed earlier this week at the Global Material Parts Equipment Tech Fair by UDC’s Vice President of Universal Display Mike Hack.
Despite the announcement, it will be a long wait before consumers see brighter panels using the technology, with no confirmation at this stage of whether blue PHOLED will be available in time for 2024 OLED TV manufacturing.
Analysis: breakthrough shows that OLED technology has a bright future
News of UDC’s imminent switch to blue PHOLED should ensure we see OLED TVs with even more HDR pop in the years to come.
Development is on the heels of LG Display’s recent announcement that it will use microlens technology to increase the brightness of its TVs by 20% to around 1200 nits.
While there are still doubts about the longevity of OLED TVs over time, due to screen burn-in issues, these two new manufacturing developments should ensure that OLED TVs remain the type of choice for videophiles .
If you’re not prepared to wait for those ultra-bright OLEDs to hit the market and want to buy a new TV for the holidays, check out our list of the best 4K TV deals that are currently live wherever you are.