Panasonic 40in OLED by 2011

OLED size war hotting up

Matsushita - best known as the owner of Panasonic – has already promised to punch out 37in OLED TVs by 2011. But the firm’s now promised to make 40in OLED screens available within three years too.

According to a report by Japanese news source Nikki and seen by the Associated Press, Matsushita is expected to begin mass production of 40in OLED panels by 2011.

The Osaka-based manufacturer is investing ¥300bn (£1.4bn/$2.8bn) in a plant where OLED screens will be produced, but it’s not yet known how much a 40in OLED from the manufacturer will cost.

Sony has already developed an 11in OLED screen, the XEL-1, which currently costs around $2500 (£1250/€1600) and which will be commercially available in the UK by 2009.

Howard Stringer, CEO of Sony, recently said though that it “will come out with a 27in” OLED by May next year.