Original URL: http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/12/12/toshiba_delays_oled/
Toshiba has put back its plan to develop ultra-thin OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) displays until 2009 or 2010.
Sony's XEL-1: 3mm thick
The Japanese manufacturer blamed its decision on the high cost of mass production. However, a company spokesman said it will continue to watch the market to see if making OLED TVs becomes “commercially viable” in years to come.
The company isn’t calling a halt to its entire OLED development - it still plans to produce small OLED displays for mobile phones next year. However, its announcement calls a temporary halt to its existing plans to develop a 30in OLED model (http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/10/03/toshiba_30in_oled_tv/) though, which the company said would go on sale in 2009.
Toshiba’s development pause will mean it'll lag behind Sony and Samsung. Sony released a 3mm thick OLED with a 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio (http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/10/01/sony_talks_first_oled_tv/) in November, and Samsung has pledged (http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/10/30/samsung_oled_roadmap/) to release 14in OLED TVs by 2010.
It’s not the first time Toshiba has postponed widespread development of a new display technology. In May this year, it delayed its Q4 2007 debut of SED (http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/05/25/sed_tv_delayed_again/) (Surface-conduction Electron-emitter Display) TVs, without naming another launch date.
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http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2008/02/19/sony_oled_development/
Sony ships 11in OLED TV in the US (7 January 2008)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2008/01/07/ces_sony_ships_oled_tv_stateside/
Toshiba sues DVD duplicator Acme (2 January 2008)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2008/01/02/toshiba_sues_acme/
Fujitsu pulls plug on low-profit plasma (31 December 2007)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/12/31/plug_pulled_on_low_profit_plasma/
Sony renounces rear-projection TVs (31 December 2007)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/12/31/sony_renounces_rpt/
Sharp, Toshiba to share LCD TV toys (21 December 2007)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/12/21/tosh_sharp_partner_on_lcd/
Philips sells set-top box biz to Pace (19 December 2007)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/12/19/pace_buys_philips_stbs/
Toshiba tech paves way for 100Gb Flash chips (13 December 2007)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/12/13/tosh_sonos_flash/
Samsung roadmaps 42in OLED TVs for 2010 (30 October 2007)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/10/30/samsung_oled_roadmap/
Samsung to mass-produce 14in OLED TVs in 2010 (26 October 2007)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/10/26/samsung_14in_oled_pledge/
Toshiba pledges 30in OLED TV will ship in 2009 (3 October 2007)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/10/03/toshiba_30in_oled_tv/
Sony talks up 'world's first' OLED TV (1 October 2007)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/10/01/sony_talks_first_oled_tv/
Sony develops little'n'large OLED TV panels (11 January 2007)
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2007/01/11/sony_develops_oled_tvs/