The two South Korean companies, Samsung and LG, have reached a new agreement that could result in your next Samsung OLED TV being manufactured with LG panels; reliable sources have informed Reuters that LG Display will be selling 2 million of its 77-inch and 83-inch WOLED panels to Samsung in 2024 — they are expected to be used in the production of new TVs.
Although Samsung Electronics has not publicly disclosed how these panels will be utilized, it is speculated that they will be used to create new mid-range OLED TVs, which would likely fall between Samsung’s existing Neo QLED range and its QD-OLED range.
This deal between the companies does not mean that Samsung Electronics will cease producing its own QD-OLED models, such as the highly regarded Samsung S95C OLED, nor will it hinder LG Electronics’ continued production of its OLED TV lineup, including models like the LG C3 OLED and LG G3 OLED.
However, this collaboration could result in a situation where there is not a significant performance difference between Samsung’s OLED TVs and LG’s OLED TVs when both use panels from LG Display — consequently, shopping for this kind of product might become slightly more challenging.
The partnership between LG Display and Samsung Electronics is primarily driven by LG Display’s financial struggles over the past year or two.
In need of additional income, LG Display has found an opportunity to supply panels to Samsung Electronics, which requires more panels since its main panel supplier, Samsung Display, has shifted its focus exclusively to producing QD-OLED panels, discontinuing the production of LCD panels.
These WOLED TVs from LG will compete with QD-OLED TVs and, in the near future, PHOLED TVs that employ a phosphorescent blue subpixel developed by Universal Display (UDC). Analysts from UDC anticipate that these panels will be more power-efficient compared to other OLED displays, potentially leading to brighter OLED TVs with reduced concerns about burn-in.
Samsung Display will continue to supply its QD-OLED panels to Sony, enabling the production of TVs like the Sony A95L OLED. Additionally, TCL is working on its own QD-OLED TV, which was initially announced at CES.
In summary, with the influx of new developments in the television industry, it will be beneficial for consumers to familiarize themselves with various TV acronyms as they navigate the market in the coming year.