Samsung
Display has reportedly decided to close its liquid-crystal display business in
June. While that's six months sooner than expected, the company originally
planned the shuttering for the end of 2020, but the pandemic and a surge in
demand for consumer electronics saw it put those plans on hold.
The Korea Times writes that the decision to expedite the business'
closure comes as consumer interest in LCDs falters in favor of display
technologies such as Quantum Dot and OLED. The losses due to falling LCD prices
have also played a major part. US market research firm Display Supply Chain
Consultants (DSCC) reports that the LCD panel price index has crashed since
late 2021 and is down around 60% year-on-year.
Another factor has been Samsung Electronics—the largest buyer of Samsung
Display products—partnering with overseas LCD suppliers from China and Taiwan.
The switching from LCDs to OLEDs for smartphones in recent years has also been
an influence.
It
was Samsung Electronics that requested the display affiliate pause plans for closing the LCD business in 2020 following a
spike in LCD prices as the Covid pandemic peaked.
Employees at the LCD arm are expected to be relocated to Samsung's QD
and OLED divisions following the transition.
We recently heard about Samsung's Quantum Dot technology being combined
with an OLED panel to create the MSI MEG 342C monitor.
The same combo is used in the Alienware AW3423DW, which we love and awarded a score 90 in our review. It's also found in the Samsung Odyssey G8QNB.
