Matsushita Promise 40-Inch OLED HDTVs On-Sale By 2011

Matsushita has stuck its large-size display neck on the line and announced it intends to be selling 40-inch OLED HDTVs by 2011.  As a result it has spent an estimated $930m on an OLED panel mass production plant based in Himeji, Japan; that should begin producing panels in 2010, based on the findings from a different, prototype production line ramping up early next year that will produce 20-inch and larger OLEDs.Last year the company demonstrated a 20.8-inch OLED display running at WXGA 1,280 x 768.  OLED has numerous benefits over LCD screens, including improved brightness and contrast and faster response times.  The panels also require much less energy to run and have wider viewing angles.  As Sony's XEL-1 OLED TV has shown, the technology also allows for thinner screens.

Samsung have a 40-inch prototype OLED display which the have been showing at tradeshows.  However they do not expect the technology to reach production economy of scale until sometime in 2009.

[via Gizmag]