AU Optronics OLED Displays: A New Foldable + A New 17.3-Inch 4K120
by Anton Shilov on August 28, 2019 10:00 AM EST
AU Optronics, which is mostly known for its advanced LCDs for televisions and computer monitors, this week demonstrated its latest OLED-type displays for various applications. The company has developed a 5.6-inch foldable AMOLED display for smartphones and similar applications as well as a 17.3-inch OLED for laptops, displays, and small form-factor TVs.
Going for Foldable
AUO’s 5.6-inch foldable AMOLED display can be folded inwards or outwards for 200,000 times at 4-mm folding radius, which is good metric for smartphones. The screen is made using a process technology designed by AU Optronics, it uses a plastic substrate as well as AUO’s proprietary flexible touch panel.
The manufacturer does not disclose resolution of its flexible AMOLED display, but it is logical to expect it to feature a competitive pixel density.
OLED 4K120
The 17.3-inch screen looks somewhat more impressive. It is AUO's first monitor that relies on ink jet printing OLED technology, it features a 3840×2160 resolution, a 225 PPI pixel density, and has a 120 Hz refresh rate. AUO states that it is an IJP OLED that supports a wide color gamut.
AUO does not indicate when it plans to start commercial shipments of its new OLED-type displays, but the fact that it has a foldable OLED screen indicates that demand for such monitors is going to grow. It is noteworthy that AUO has decided to adopt ink jet printing technology that promises to lower production costs and improve yields of OLED. Large makers of OLED screens yet have to adopt printed OLED technology, but Japan OLED has apparently, and AUO believes that it is mature enough.
Related Reading
- Sharp Demonstrates Foldable OLED Display for Smartphones
- JOLED Starts Construction of New Printed OLED Facility
- Samsung Unveils 15.6-Inch Ultra-HD OLED Display for Laptops
- JOLED Demos 21.6-Inch OLED Monitor for Gamers
- New 8K OLED Displays for Tablets and Laptops: 8.3 and 13.3 Inches
- LG to Start Production of OLEDs in China Next Month, Set to Double OLED Output
Source: AUO
Facebook
Twitter
RSS
8 Comments
View All Comments
imaheadcase - Wednesday, August 28, 2019 - link
I doubt its something they would show off, but it would be cool to see it being done in factory. You just know that the samples they show off in public are just ones they know they comfortable with..but i bet they got some prototype sitting in bosses office that is like a paper thing 80inch OLED printed screen the width of a peice of paper. lolimaheadcase - Wednesday, August 28, 2019 - link
The biggest challenge to me with foldable screens is finding a market for them. I suppose phone screens are big to point folding them be nicer..but do people really invision someone pulling out phone and opening it up to something bigger than what we got now? Unless we evolve to having longer fingers and hawk vision it ain't happening.Death666Angel - Wednesday, August 28, 2019 - link
I see a lot of people with tablets on the trains and on busses here. They don't have overly long fingers or amazing vision (what's that got to do with anything?), but they clearly desire something larger than their phone in certain situations. If the phones (which has basically the same innards as a tablet and always internet connection) can achieve both functionalities, why not? I see that as desireable. Not sure about the longevity of these devices, but that's down to engineering. I remember the first flip phones being prone to breaking at the hinge or the cable being damages but later generations really didn't anymore. Phone screen scratches and cases might be another headache. But there are trade offs for everything.Great_Scott - Wednesday, August 28, 2019 - link
There are use cases for a foldable screen - for example, a phone that can double as a tablet when you're not holding it to make a call.The main issue I see is that this utility is secondary to reliability, which seems quite low ATM.
Aside from that, I'm concerned about scratches - I can't imagine that any of these folding screens use Corningware. A few coins or keys in the same pocket and those screens are toast.
Vitor - Wednesday, August 28, 2019 - link
4k120 with real blacks would make me really, really happy for life. Or at least as long the screen lasts.Alistair - Wednesday, August 28, 2019 - link
Oh man, so close. Lets get that 24" 4k 120hz screen to market. $1000 please ;)Spunjji - Friday, August 30, 2019 - link
That 17.3" 4K 120Hz OLED is exactly what I've been waiting for in a notebook. TBH I'd have been happy with those specs in an LCD, but OLED is just that much more of an improvement that I'd be happy to pay any potential price difference. Fingers crossed it ends up in products in the next year or so...FXi - Sunday, September 1, 2019 - link
I've talked with a lot of folks who agree with you. 17.3" OLED notebooks will sell very, very well.