Samsung spending billions to keep OLED lead on China

Asia Times ^

[FarCenter]

Samsung Display plans to more than double its OLED flat panel display manufacturing capacity over the next three years to maintain its world’s leading position in the face of intense competition from China.

On April 4, at a ceremony attended by South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol and Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong, the company agreed to build new OLED display production lines in Asan, south of Seoul, at a cost of 4.1 billion won ($3.1 billion). Samsung Display is owned by Samsung Electronics.

Is the announced investment a big deal? Read on for a complex but simplified history showing that

- without a commitment to manufacturing, invention fades into Wikipedia footnotes;

- too many Japanese competitors and too little cash flow could not deal with high-powered competition from South Korea and China; and

- no one should underestimate the will of Samsung and Korea Inc.

[FarCenter]

In display technology, the US is no where in the picture, despite LCD's having been invented at RCA labs in Princeton in 1964.

[Dutch Boy]

OLED was invented by Ching Tang and Steven Van Slyke of Eastman Kodak in 1987.

https://www.thoughtco.com/who-invented-oled-technology-1992208

[Bayard]

Long ago we outshored that kind of industry. Its never returning until either automation is so advanced labor costs are nothing (future pipe dream) or labor and regulations laws are far better for all the necessary underpinnings that industrial plant needs.

I think automation is more likely to happen than we change government policy in the USA to make it happen.

[telescope115]

We have a 6 year old Samsung 55” 4K. I still marvel at the picture on some programs.

[FarCenter]

The actual production processes are highly automated. You can’t achieve the required cleanliness, precision, repeatability, etc. if humans are involved in manufacturing.

What’s not automated is the installation, maintenance, and operation of the automated systems.

However, these jobs require well educated technicians who have a lot of specialist training to perform demanding work with discipline and skill.

[Gay State Conservative]

I recently spent a fair sum on an OLED set. I bought an LG...open box...from Best Buy. It still had that thin plastic film on the screen so my guess was that the original buyer got it home and his wife said "get that thing out of here,we can't afford it".

There were similar sets that were half of what I paid...but they were all Chinese cr@p.

If you want a top quality TV set you buy Sony,Samsung or LG...nothing else.

[Gay State Conservative]

4.1 billion won ($3.1 billion)

I was in Korea last year and there were about 1,200 Won to the US Dollar. Either this is a misprint or they're talking about Hong Kong dollars.

[bert]

Samsung companies have abandoned China leaving tens of thousands unemployed.

When Samsung left the shipyard, a whole city failed because of the truly massive unemployment

[Gay State Conservative]

I was in the ROK last summer (my first visit) and it's a very highly advanced country.My girlfriend's son (who still lives there) was boasting about how wifi speeds in the ROK were much faster than in the US! We even had a robot deliver our food to our table at a restaurant we went to. It was so cool!

[Gay State Conservative]

We have a 6 year old Samsung 55” 4K. I still marvel at the picture on some programs.

I've had 4K for a couple of years.Even if you're not a fan of African wildlife (like I am) I'd encourage you to pick up several of the BBC's nature documentaries in 4K. If you've ever wanted a giraffe to be in your living room that's your opportunity. PM me if you want and I'll give you several titles. You can pick them up cheap on ebay (as I did).

[A Navy Vet]

We have a 55" 4k LG in the Wife's family room and a 65" 4k LG in my man cave. The resolution is amazing to say the least. It's like looking through a window. And yes, they upscale any video you feed to it. Even old black and white movies look great.

We thought we were good with our 1080p hi-def TV until I saw the 4k OLED displays at Best Buy. There is no comparison.

[PUGACHEV]

We recently replaced a Samsung 4K with an LG G3 Oled, and the difference is amazing. That said, we still have a 55 inch Panasonic plasma TV fro 15 years ago which holds it own.

[A Navy Vet]

What is a LG G3?

[mowowie]

I probably have the same Panasonic Viera as you.
Still looks great.
I’m in no rush to buy a new one until the plasma craps out.

[PUGACHEV]

A G3 is their Gallery model, the best LG sells.

[A Navy Vet]

Thank you, but I still don't know what a LG Gallery model has that my 55 and 65 4k don't. I'll look it up. I understand someone is working on or is marketing a 8k. Maybe they have a larger diagonal screen size to compete with projector screen sizes. I still have a 110" screen on the wall behind my 65" LG that I used with various projectors. Keep thinking of donating that system to a local school.

I went through various projectors but could never get true black. They were always dark dark grey and stars didn't stand out like my LG. They probably now have such home projectors with the contrast ratio of a OLED 4k, but probably expensive. My 65" is just the right size for my sitting distance in my man cave. Those who can afford a LG OLED 4k TV should get one. Even with a moderate surround system, there is no longer the need to put up with the hassles and rude people in a theater, unless they need to watch the latest releases.

Okay, they are 30% brighter. Mine is plenty bright. Also read, LG now has a 97" Gallery edition for $25,000. Happy viewing with your LG 4k.