Sumitomo set to produce 40-inch OLED panels in 2009

Sumitomo Chemical Co. <4005> said Friday that in 2009, it plans to launch the production and sales of large-screen organic electroluminescence display panels for use in televisions of 40 inches or larger.

President Hiromasa Yonekura said his company is considering forming alliances for the development of such organic panels. EL panels are thinner than liquid display panels and consume less power.

[v1c1ous]

that was one of the touted advantages of OLED...

[MicroDeath SoftStar]

cheap oleds are gonna be here in 2011 or 2012 you can forget getting one of these next year if your on a budget

[rusgreim]

They make the OEM optics for my company's industrial CO2 laser.

If their prices vs other suppliers are any indicator, it won't be cheap.

[Harry190]

quality products?

[rusgreim]

Yes, and no. It depends on how you look at it. Sometimes what you get is great stuff. But recently, they have started the dirty little policy of keeping the best lenses and mirrors for the asian market and shipping the seconds to the US. We still use their ZnSE focusing lenses, but we've been told by our laser tech to avoid their mirrors and other reflectors.

So it depends on what they do. If they sell their best to everyone, then they'll likely be good but expensive, but if they sell the crap, it'll likely be crappy and expensive. Biggest problem being; you'll never know which u r getting.

[Harry190]

the info.It was very nice of you to reply.Bubbles.

[Qbanboi]

Wait, Sorry. I'm new on all this stuff. But didn't Sony was making those. I mean, doesn't Sony has the right? Or something?

[madness]

i think Kodak of all companies has the patent for it

[ArmrdChaos]

Eastman Kodak Company created the technology behind OLED...Sony and the rest are simply using that tech to apply to their TVs/displays.

[Qbanboi]

Thanks. Bubble for you guys.

[DJ]

Some competition for Sony. =D

[Electronic Arts]

Yay! Now I get something to throw $40,000 on for a slightly better picture!

[madness]

yes... because every time new technology comes out, it has to go leaps and bounds...

[BrianC6234]

OLED won't give you a slightly better picture. It's a huge improvement over what's available now. A good LCD TV coming out now might have a 30,000:1 contrast ratio. OLED is around 1,000,000:1. That means a much better picture. It won't be cheap just like plasma wasn't at first. I don't think the average consumer will be buying a 40" OLED TV for a while.