Samsung reportedly scaling back LCD production, may use OLEDs for future laptops and tablets

Samsung’s laptops and tablets will in the future house OLED displays instead of LCDs, according to a report from Korean site ETnews. This follows a current trend in the consumer tech industry where a number of manufacturers are turning to OLED technology for smartphones, tablets, and laptops.

OLED displays became less costly to produce than LCDs for the first time last year, and coupled with the increased contrast they provide and (marginally) superior efficiency, the demand for them is expected to continue to grow over the next few years. This may be exacerbated by an increasing number of curved display devices which are expected to be released, as curved LCDs are yet to become commercialized in the smartphone world.

Lower manufacturing costs mean Samsung can implement OLEDs in its products for less, and an increased demand for OLEDs in general signals that Samsung will have started turning its attention to their production.

Meanwhile, Apple, one of Samsung Display’s biggest customers, is also said to be considering OLED displays for its future iPads, and reportedly may produce a tenth-anniversary iPhone with a curved OLED display later this year.

Until flexible LCD technology finds a way into the smartphone market, it looks LCDs are going to continue to take a back seat.

To learn more about the differences between OLED and LCD, read our explainer article at the link.