LG predicts long wait for affordable Organic LED displays

LG is launching its first consumer Organic LED displays (OLED), this year, but it seems like they are going to be priced in an exclusory bracket for at least a few years, before they reach the level at which they become affordable for most consumers.

The LG 55EM960V is set to be the firm’s flagship OLED display and it made its initial appearance during the Consumer Electronics Show back in January. However, when it hits store shelves, it will be sold for 9,000 Euros, or about £7,200, which is ten times more expensive than most of the typical consumer LED displays currently dominating the market.

There is no doubt that the OLED revolution will be welcomed by fans of audiovisual entertainment, since the displays have response times up to 100 times faster than current generation LED screens. In addition to unbeatable contrast ratios and rich colour pallets, the OLED displays are wafer thin and effortlessly stylish.

LG spokesperson, Steve Gater, said that OLED will not really take off as a technology from a commercial perspective, until the screens are just a little more expensive than current LED alternatives and thus, far more accessible to average consumers.

In reality, it could take a decade for this crunch point to be reached, although other technologies have taken off far more quickly. The arrival of the first high definition displays a few years ago, saw prices quickly tumble to the point that even bargain basement shoppers could get a good quality screen.

Now with the proliferation of LED backlit displays, a similar price drop has occurred, with 3D TVs following closely behind in this trend.