(Yicai) Dec. 7 -- TCL China Star Optoelectronics Technology will start mass-production of printed organic light-emitting diode panels in the second half of 2024, the Chinese display giant said. If it succeeds, it would be almost two years ahead of its South Korean competitor Samsung Display. 

Once production starts, TCL China Star will apply the printed OLED screens in the information technology and medical sectors, the Beijing-based company said. 

Printed OLED panels have become a key strategic direction for panel makers as they have a longer lifespan, clearer text display and more stable high color gamut in the medium and large display sector, compared with conventional OLED screens, Zhao Jun, chief executive officer of TCL China Star, said at the 2023 TCL CSOT Global Display Tech-Ecosystem Conference. 

Samsung Display is building a production line of 8.7th-generation OLED IT screens, with a monthly capacity of 30,000 units, which is expected to start operations in 2026, the Giheung-gu company said recently. South Korea’s LG Display also plans to produce high-generation OLED panels. 

And Chinese rival BOE Technology Group is constructing a factory for 8.6th-generation OLED IT screens, with a monthly output of 32,000 units, that should come online in 2026 or 2027, the Beijing-based company said last week. 

With so much capacity of eighth or higher generation OLED displays coming onstream, the supply of OLED IT screens in 2028 will be almost 10 times that of 2022, industry insiders said. 

TCL China Star also showcased its latest products, including the 65-inch 8K printed OLED curved display and the 14-inch 2.8K printed hybrid OLED laptop screen, at the conference. 

Unmoved by the news, the share price of TCL China Star’s parent company TCL Technology Group [SHE: 000100] closed down 0.49 percent at CNY4.1 (USD0.57) today. 

Editor: Kim Taylor