Samsung is reportedly in the process of ordering millions of OLED panels from its consumer electronics rival, LG. The panels will be used in Samsung’s first line of OLED TVs as it continues to move away from LCD.
Three individual reports, collected by The Verge, indicate that Samsung has planned to receive close to 1 million OLED panels in the second half of 2021, with an additional 4 million next year. The move comes as Samsung continues to move away from LCD panels, a plan that was delayed somewhat by the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic last year. These panels are being supplied by LG Display, which also provides panels to LG Electronics, Sony, Vizio, Hisense, and Panasonic for their OLED products.
This signals a significant change in Samsung’s plans to continue refining its LCD-based QLED technology and compete with LG in the consumer TV market space. Samsung is reportedly experimenting with its own Quantum Dot-infused OLED panels, but it might be some time until they reach the market. An in-house test of the panels earlier this year reportedly concluded with the fact that the panels were too dim–a common problem with OLED panels that LG has been improving with each new iteration.
Samsung is also busy developing Micro LED displays, which collect LEDs into clusters to produce better black levels but at higher brightness than OLED competitors. While some premium monitors and TVs feature these panels today, Samsung believes it will be some time before the production costs reach a level suited for more widespread adoption.
Purchasing OLED panels gives Samsung time to research its own version while continuing to explore Micro LED. It could mean that LG will supply most, if not all, consumer-grade OLED panels for TVs in 2022, and that the technology might go unopposed as Samsung sunsets its LCD range. If you’re looking for the best TV you can buy today, however, we have you covered on that front.
