Want affordable OLED TVs? Don't hold your breath, Panasonic says
Speaking to reporters today, Panasonic President Kazuhiro Tsuga says OLEDs won't match LCDs on price anytime soon.
The beauty of slender OLED televisions might be enticing, but their price tags aren't. And according to Panasonic, that will continue to be the case for the time being.
Company President Kazuhiro Tsuga told reporters in Tokyo today, according to Reuters, which was in attendance, that he does not believe OLED pricing will match LCD televisions "for a considerable time." According to Reuters, he didn't provide a road map on when the televisions might come down to a far more affordable level.
OLED televisions have become the most sought-after sets in the marketplace. The devices are ultrathin and deliver a level of image quality not yet seen in the marketplace. The issue is, some of the latest OLEDs are priced at around $10,000. The typical LCD can be purchased for as little as a few hundred dollars and can rise into the thousands, depending on its size and features.
Panasonic, which is in the midst of a reorganization designed to improve its many businesses, including televisions, earlier this week announced a partnership with Sony. The deal will see the companies jointly develop OLED panels with help from their respective technologies. The companies say that the partnership will reduce the total cost of production, potentially making OLED panels more affordable to vendors. That savings could then be passed on to customers.
New television technologies are typically quite costly in the beginning, but quickly come down in price. OLEDs are just the latest to follow that path. When they'll hit more consumer-friendly levels, however, remains to be seen.