Samsung Runs Into Production and Pricing Issues with QD-OLED

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Image: Samsung

The Elec has shared two reports that reveal some of the challenges that Samsung Electronics and Samsung Display are facing in their quest to bring Quantum Dot OLED (QD-OLED) display technology to the consumer market. According to one story, the manufacturing of QD-OLED panels isn’t going all that well, with Samsung running into production issues that have resulted in a pretty poor display yield of 30 percent. Samsung’s sole production line only has a capacity of 30,000 per month, a number that’s significantly shy of what rival LG is capable of producing for its W-OLED products (170,000 substrates per month).

Samsung Display to decide whether it will spend more in QD-OLED in 2nd half (The Elec)

  • The biggest obstacle for the company in deciding whether to spend more on QD-OLED production was also the low production yield rate of the panels, which was around 30% currently, they said.
  • This means Samsung Display’s production capacity for QD-OLED will likely remain 30,000 substrates per month next year, same as in 2022, they said.
  • The South Korean panel maker currently operates one production line called Q1 at its Asan plant. The line uses Gen 8.5 (2200x2500mm) substrates and has a capacity of 30,000 substrates per month.

Samsung Electronics and Samsung Display are also battling each other over how QD-OLED panels should be priced, according to The Elec’s other report. The argument could result in a delay for the company’s first QD-OLED TVs, which are slated for release in mid-2022.

Samsung Electronics and Samsung Display in dispute over QD-OLED panel price (The Elec)

  • […] Samsung Electronics had demanded that Samsung Display offers its QD-OLED panels at a level price to LG Display’s white (W)-OLED panels, sources said. Samsung Display had told Samsung Electronics that the terms are unacceptable, sources said.
  • If the pair fails to resolve the issue, it will likely be Sony that launches the first-ever QD-OLED TV this year. Samsung Display has already clinched a supply order to supply 55-inch QD-OLED panels to the Japanese giant.
  • Samsung Display is likely offering QD-OLED at a price tag around a hundred dollars higher than LG Display’s W-OLED, the sources said.
Tsing Mui
News poster at The FPS Review.

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