OLED-TV Display/Monitor Technology News

Toshihiro Sakamoto, president of Panasonic AVC Networks Company, kicked off International CES with an opening keynote speech that outlined the company's strategy for high-definition technologies.

Plasma has been the centerpiece of Panasonic's HD strategy from the beginning. Will the company be comfortable if it is the only widely distributed plasma TV maker in two or three years?

Sakamoto: In the next five to seven years we can compete with plasma TV vs. other HD such as OLED and LCD. It is true that LCD is expanding its screen size. But we feel that plasma enables much larger screen sizes with finer resolution. There are lots of areas of growth where we can improve plasma. Even if LCD continues to increase in market share, plasma can compete.

When will Panasonic begin to reap the benefits from its co-development deal with Hitachi and Canon on OLED and LCD?

Sakamoto: That should start beginning in 2010. As you know we already have LCD. The alliance is building a new factory that will start running in early 2010. LCD panel supply for TV is short, because some manufacturers gear production from TVs to PC displays and others depending upon market conditions. We must have a long-term stable supply source.

For OLED, we believe that it is important to have your own facility to develop product from the beginning. We have not disclosed when we would introduce an OLED, but we don't believe the format will be full-fledged category in bigger screen sizes, such as 32 inches and above, until 2012 to 2014.
Full Interview