Samsung Display has moved to full-scale mass production of 8.6-generation organic light-emitting diode (OLED) panels. Internally, Samsung Display is said to have shipped paid samples to customers after verifying mass producibility, including Production yield (the ratio of good products among finished goods). OLED panels produced on the new 8.6-generation line are expected to be used in new laptops released this year.
The 8.6-generation OLED is called a "game changer" in the display industry. It uses a glass substrate about 2.25 times larger than the existing 6th generation to improve production efficiency and reduce costs. Aiming for mass production this year, Samsung Display said in Apr. 2023 that it would invest about 4.1 trillion won to build a production line with a capacity of 15,000 sheets per month.
According to the industry on the 15th, Samsung Display will hold a "shipping ceremony and safety wish event" at the Asan plant, where the 8.6-generation production line is located, to wish for successful product shipments and stable operation of the production line. President Lee Cheong of Samsung Display and other key executives will attend the shipping ceremony.
A display industry official said, "Samsung Display is moving quickly to preempt the IT OLED market," and noted, "It began trial runs from mid-2024, the year after the investment decision, and has been fully shipping customer samples since the end of the year."
Samsung Display plans to use this sample mass production to strengthen its position in the IT OLED market. On the 7th (local time), at CES 2026, the world's largest IT and home appliance show, President Lee Cheong of Samsung Display met with reporters and said, "It is important to make the new 8.6-generation line a success, and if it goes well, we expect IT sales to increase by about 20% to 30% this year," signaling determination to make the 8.6-generation OLED business a success.
BOE, China's largest display maker, said in 2023 that it would invest 63 billion yuan (about 11.4 trillion won) to build a line with a capacity of 32,000 sheets per month in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, kicking off full-fledged competition in 8.6-generation investment across the industry. Last year, CSOT held a groundbreaking ceremony for an 8.6-generation OLED line in Guangzhou, joining the race. LG Display has not yet announced an investment plan for an 8.6-generation OLED production line.
There is an outlook that Samsung Display will widen the gap with rivals starting with mass production of 8.6-generation OLED. Growth in the PC, laptop, and tablet markets is slowing, but the shift from conventional liquid crystal display (LCD) to OLED panels is accelerating. Market researcher Omdia projected that shipments of OLED panels for tablets will increase by nearly 40% this year from a year earlier, and OLED panels for laptops will grow by more than 30%.
A display industry official said, "If the 8.6-generation OLED production line operates successfully, Samsung Display will secure an edge in price competitiveness," adding, "This OLED panel appears likely to be installed first in Apple's new MacBook, but once the technology stabilizes and is applied to mobile OLED panels, it will cement its lead."