Sony and Panasonic partner up for OLED production
June 26th, 2012
The rival Japanese TV makers have confirmed rumours that they will enter a joint partnership to produce OLED panels together.
Sharing each other’s resources and expertise Sony and Panasonic intend to make OLED panels together, establishing low-cost mass production in 2013, according to a joint press release.
The partnership will attempt to take on their Korean counterparts, Samsung and LG who have already released large OLED TVs to the market.
But with $10,000 price tags the OLED technology remains out of the common man’s reach.
The late entry into the market may not be such a negative thing if the Japanese competitors can reduce the cost of purchasing an OLED TV, making the super skinny, efficient and bright displays more price friendly.
While production may be collaborative, branding and marketing will most likely remain separate.
“Each company plans to utilize its own strengths to develop and commercialize its own competitive, high-performance, next-generation OLED televisions and large-sized displays,” says the press release.
Also worth noting is the mention that Panasonic is looking into flexible OLED panels. Sharp has recently presented a flexible OLED panel as a wrist-sized display prototype while LG also has dabbled in flexible LCD production.
“Panasonic is also pursuing the future possibility of OLED panels, and is carrying out research and development of advancements in flexible OLED panels and aiming to develop large-sized, high quality sheet-type displays.”
