It is now almost certain, the Samsung Oled TV range in 2022 will only consist of the S95B series based on QD Oled technology from Samsung Display. Eager to develop a large 2022 Oled TV range, Samsung planned to source Woled (White Oled) TV panels from LG Display, up to two million units. But that was before…
Samsung less in a hurry to buy White Oled LG Display TV panels
Before the return of the pandemic in Asia and before the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, two major events which irremediably dragged the entire planet into recession. Growth figures have been revised downwards in all countries and sales of certain goods, notably televisions, have been down significantly since the start of the year. The first obvious consequence is that the price of LCD TV panels, which had risen sharply in 2020 and at the start of 2021 due to multiple confinements resulting in the rapid equipping of households with Smart TVs, is down significantly (see our TV Market 2022 news , growth forecasts revised downwards). At the same time, many consumers who have become cautious again are looking twice before investing in an OLED TV, in favor of less expensive television sets. As a result, with the return to profitability on LCD TV panels and a public price differential again largely against OLED, Samsung is much less in a hurry to have many OLED references in its catalog, and therefore to contract with LG Display .
Samsung / LG Display joint development of a new generation of White Oled TV panels, a brake on negotiation
Another obstacle to the finalization of the agreement between the firms Samsung Electronics and LG Display, the desire of the former for the joint development of a new generation of White Oled TV panels. A request that is difficult to accept from LG Display, which would thus see some of the technologies developed subject to restricted rights of use by Samsung. And if we add to these elements the logistics wall of the month of May (see our news Negotiations Oled TV Samsung / LG Display, everything is played in May ...), it is practically certain that the Oled TV Samsung vintage 2022 will be limited to specimens S95B.
Second QD Oled Samsung Display production line in sight?
It now remains to be seen if this is a postponement or if this postponement will give Samsung Display time to improve its production yield of QD OLED panels (see our news QD OLED Samsung Display panels, yield of 75%), to master other QD Oled obedience diagonals (see our news QD Oled Samsung Display 49'' and 77'' TV panels in 2023) and to appreciate the interest of its customers (Sony, Dell in 2022, Panasonic and/or Philips in 2023…) for this technology. If the overall response is positive, Samsung Display may decide to invest in a second QD Oled panel production line.
TV White Oled Samsung in 2023?
However, in view of the delay finally taken by Samsung Display on QNED (Quantum Nano Emitting Diode) technology, i.e. Nano LED diodes (GaN Nanorod for gallium nitride, an extremely efficient semiconductor) on the one hand, and by the Micro LED process signed Samsung Visual Display on the other hand, relegating by several years (3 to 4 years) their prospect of commercial exploitation for the general public, the manufacturer Samsung should be more than tempted to welcome screens White Oled in its range. And thus be widely present in this market segment. In the meantime, this situation does not suit LG Display, which is seeing its objectives for the year 2022 revised downwards even if growth remains at the rendezvous for the moment (see our news Oled TV Market 2022, forecast of growth down from 27% to 17%). At the time of writing these lines, if the negotiations between the two groups are much less intense, they are still relevant with 2023 in sight to reach an agreement.