Sardinia, Italy

DisplaySearch has predicted that the mass production of OLED (organic light emitting diode) may still be a way off with claims that one out of 10 screens are usable.

The director of TV research in Europe for DisplaySearch, Paul Gray, told the IFA Press Conference on Friday that manufacturing problems remain in OLED factories.

“The factories are only getting one good panel out of every 10 panels at 55-inches. Production problems are making it very very tough,” he said.

“There was a lot of hype about OLED last year and it will improve over time, but it will be painfully slow.”

Gray claimed that in comparison to OLED, LCD was a fast moving target.

“OLED also has to fight a mature product such as LCD which is going through incremental innovation. We believe OLED will get there eventually, but not yet for a long time for ordinary customers.”

Gray estimates there will be only 50,000 units shipped this year growing to 300,000 units next year worldwide.

“So it is small quantities and with that there is going to be a luxury goods positioning of this product. To use the slang it is the ‘Ferrari of the TV world’ and it will be sold accordingly through very select channels.”

To hear more from Paul Gray, click on the video below…