Samsung could launch an 83-inch OLED TV in September 2023. According to a report from Business Korea, it will reportedly use a WRGB OLED panel from LG Display.
Samsung Electronics recently completed compatibility registration for its upcoming TV (KQ83SC90A) at the National Radio Research Institute. Compatibility registration is required to manufacture, sell, and import broadcasting and communication equipment such as TV. Typically, a product makes its debut three months after this process is completed.
Why is Samsung buying OLED panels from LG Display?
At CES 2022, Samsung Electronics launched the S95B, the company’s first OLED TV, after ten years. This TV uses a QD-OLED panel made by Samsung Display. However, Samsung Display can produce only 1.5 million QD-OLED panels every year, which is not sufficient for Samsung Electronics to fulfill the demand for its OLED TVs. Moreover, it currently only makes 55-inch, 65-inch, and 77-inch QD-OLED panels.
LG Display, on the other hand, can manufacture around 10 million (WRGB) OLED panels every year, which is more than what LG requires to fulfill the demand for its own OLED TVs. So, the company is left with additional stock that it can't use. It makes up to 83-inch OLED panels.
Since 2021, the two South Korean tech giants have been trying to strike a deal where LG Display will supply WRGB OLED panels to Samsung Electronics. That would solve the problems the two companies are facing. Samsung will get the additional OLED panels that it requires, while LG can utilize the full production capacity of the OLED plants and boost the company’s income.
While the deal went on the back burner after a few months into the talks, the two companies finally managed to strike a deal in May 2023. Samsung’s upcoming 83-inch OLED TV is a direct result of that deal. A win-win situation for both companies.
Currently, there are no details about the specification of this TV. However, expect it to feature a WRGB OLED panel with 4K resolution, as that’s the kind of panel LG Display might be supplying to Samsung Electronics. Currently, only LG Display manufactures 83-inch OLED panels, and you’ll find them in LG’s and Sony’s TVs. Samsung will be the third brand to offer 83-inch OLED TVs in the market.
Samsung's future plans with OLED TVs
Reportedly, LG Display will supply 500,000 units of WRGB OLED panels to Samsung Electronics every year. Samsung’s upcoming 83-inch OLED TV will most likely be very expensive, and therefore, it might sell in low numbers. That means the panels used for it will make up only a small number of those half a million OLED panels.
The remaining panels Samsung Electronics will buy from LG Display could be smaller in size, and we could soon see 43-inch, 48-inch, 55-inch, 65-inch, and 75-inch WRGB OLED TVs from Samsung.
