Times are tough in tech at the moment, and with a recession going on it's tough trying to convince people to buy the latest, most expensive gear. Sony and Panasonic think the best way to tackle the problem is to pool their resources to bring down the cost of state of the art OLED TVs, BGR reports.
The two companies will work together to develop technology to help make OLED sets more affordable. The deal isn't official at the time of writing, but we're expecting an announcement next week.
Currently OLED sets cost an absolute fortune. Sony pioneered the tech back in 2007 with an 11-inch model (pictured) that would set you back a ridiculous £3,500 when it went on sale in the UK a couple of years later. Yes, £3,500.
Even now, a 25-inch set will cost you nearly four grand.
Picture quality on an OLED set is much better than standard LCD or plasma, thanks to deeper colour saturation and greater contrast ratios. OLED sets are slimmer, and use far less power too. In fact, the only downside is the price.
But the fact companies are touting much larger sets hints that the tech is becoming more mainstream. Sure, a 55-inch OLED TV might cost you £8,000, but a model of that size was unthinkable a few years ago.
Japanese TV companies have lost ground to Korean rivals LG and Samsung in recent years. Sony is having a tough time of it at the moment, posting dismal financials and cutting thousands of jobs worldwide. It's also said to be investing in Olympus in an attempt to try and dominate the medical world, though we'll have to wait for official confirmation.
Are you excited by OLED? How much would you pay for a 55-inch set? And can Sony and Panasonic claw back valuable market share by giving it a go together? Let me know in the comments, or on our Facebook page.
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Mugen13 24 June, 2012 16:25
My mother in law has one of these 25" and the picture quality is amazing. I have a Samsung LED 120 hertz refresh rate ans it's not even close to matching the vivid appearance colors have and the deep black shadows. I will jump on these in a heart beat once they become affordable so I appreciate what these companies are doing. And better be prepared for and if that apple tv is ever built
susandon 3 July, 2012 07:46
My hubby saw the lg oled tv in action and now he's obsessed with it. We just got a new 3d tv (lg also) which works great for me but he always wants to get the latest technology. Plus he loves lg so I don't think he's going to wait for another oled tv to come out and specially since there is apparently no clear info on the release date or the price decrease.
Anyway he showed me some reviews and articles about oled tv and he convinced me. Being a movie addict myself I don't mind getting the best tv out there and I guess I'm thankful that we can afford it without depriving ourselves from other stuffs like food or clothes lol
anonymous 12 July, 2012 00:07
I love this technology can't wait, always hated lcd. These 2 great companies joining forces is really good news for the consumer.
schilltastic41 25 July, 2012 02:36
After seeing the LG OLED TV, I was very impressed with the OLED technology. I expected much more from Sony and Panasonic with their OLED screens. However, from the high standards I received from the LG OLED, I was disappointed in the design and the bulkiness of Sony's OLED screens.
anonymous 29 October, 2012 12:53
Lol. I guess it's a hint if when you search for a 25 inch monitor, they won't tell you the price. Can only imagine what a 50 inch monitor will cost!
http://www.gearhousebroadcast.com/uk/equipment-sales/product/724e95a6b69ef4f370943339/Sony+PVM-2541+25-inch+Professional+OLED+picture+monitor/description/1//new/