The launch of LG Electronics’ rollable OLED TV could be delayed yet again due to production problems, South Korean media reported.
LG Display, which makes the flexible OLED panels used in the TV, is said to be struggling with low production yields due to its use of glass substrates, The Elec reported.
The company has reportedly opted to use ultra-thin glass substrates measuring less than 0.2 millimetre thick for the rollable OLED panels. But the use of the material has not only led to lower yields, but also a higher potential loss rate due to the fragility of the substrates.
LG Electronics had originally planned to start selling its 65-inch 4K rollable OLED TV at the end of last year, but the launch was delayed until later this year due to the production problems.
LG Display is now said to be looking for alternative materials to use, with one possible option being to use PI substrates instead of glass. That material would allow for more flexibility and is also more lightweight than glass. A second option is to use another layer of transparent PI or Ultra Thing Glass. However, some experts told The Elec that transparent PI is also likely to suffer from the high heat that’s emitted during the panel manufacturing process. As such, LG Display’s most likely solution is to use a PI film.
LG Display first showed off its rollable OLED display at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in 2019, before following up with a ceiling-mounted version that rolls downwards at CES 2020.
