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TCL Closes in on Mass Production with Gen 8 Inkjet OLED Technology
TCL CSOT is setting the stage for a new era in advanced display manufacturing, as the company prepares to announce a major investment in its Generation 8 inkjet-printed OLED (IJP OLED) production line. This long-awaited milestone is expected to be formally unveiled between August and September, according to Zhou Mingzhong, TCL CSOT’s Head of Technology Planning, following his remarks at the Seoul Display Business Forum.
Key Technical Advancements in Inkjet OLED Displays
TCL’s latest inkjet OLED technology showcases remarkable improvements in panel performance. The company has surpassed 350 pixels per inch (PPI) in resolution, establishing a new benchmark for high-definition displays. Notably, significant progress has been made in the lifespan of blue OLED devices, with the LT95@100nits metric projected to reach 400 hours by 2026—a tenfold increase over 2020 figures. Importantly, TCL CSOT has succeeded in equalizing the size of the blue sub-pixel with red and green, solving a persistent imbalance seen in traditional Fine Metal Mask (FMM) OLEDs.
Enhanced Display Structure and Efficiency
Employing a true RGB sub-pixel setup with uniform sizes, TCL’s inkjet OLED panels also report a dramatically improved aperture ratio—three times greater than those of conventional FMM OLEDs. This elevated aperture ratio significantly boosts display brightness, enhances energy efficiency, and extends product durability, making these panels attractive for a variety of cutting-edge devices.
Wide Array of Prototypes and Versatile Applications
During recent industry showcases, TCL revealed an impressive lineup of prototype displays, including a 6.5-inch smartphone panel with 325PPI, a 14-inch 2.8K laptop screen at 243PPI, a 27-inch 4K monitor boasting 163PPI, and a massive 65-inch 8K television panel with 136PPI. These prototypes demonstrate TCL’s capacity to adapt inkjet OLED technology across a broad spectrum of consumer electronics—potentially influencing sectors from premium smartphones to medical-grade equipment.
Market Impact and Competitive Edge
Currently, TCL CSOT operates its Gen 5.5 inkjet OLED production line at the T5 facility in Wuhan, with commercial success including a 21.6-inch medical-grade OLED panel released in late 2024. The upcoming Gen 8 project—also referred to as the T8 Project—marks a strategic advancement toward high-volume, cost-effective OLED panel manufacturing. According to industry insiders, the formal investment announcement was initially expected in July, but has been postponed due to ongoing coordination with local authorities.
As TCL moves forward, this substantial leap in inkjet OLED manufacturing could provide a significant edge over South Korean competitors still focused on FMM and open metal mask (OMM) OLED production techniques, potentially redefining industry standards and fueling the next era of display technology.
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