Last year we reported on rumours that the formally anti-OLED Samsung was considering making a government worthy U-turn and purchasing OLED panels from its rival LG, with the intention of launching its own range of standard OLED TVs in 2022 alongside its QD-OLED (also known as OLED) and QNED ranges.
Further details regarding ongoing negotiations between Samsung Electronics and LG Display have now emerged suggesting that Samsung is planning to buy up to two million of LG's cheapest M grade OLED panels capable of a maximum brightness of around 150 nits, according to a report in The Elec.
LG Display, the only manufacturer of OLED panels for TVs, produces three classes of display: R, P and M. R panels are the most expensive tier with a maximum brightness of around 200 nits, while P series panels can reach 180 nits.
According to sources, Samsung Electronics initially asked LG Display if it could supply a cheaper version of its premium R panel, but LG declined citing its existing contracts to supply full price R grade panels to Sony and LG Electronics.
The Elec reports that its sources believe Samsung is seeking to maximise the profitability of its return to OLED technology since panel prices account for a third of the manufacturing cost of a TV.
Whether these traditional OLEDs become a mainstay of Samsung's line-up or are merely part of a transitional phase while it seeks to get its next-gen QD-OLEDs and MicroLEDs off the ground remains to be seen.
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