AU Optronics previews new AMOLED foldable screens and ink jet printed OLED 4K @120 Hz laptop displays

AU Optronics remains one of the largest LCD panel manufacturers, but, as OLED displays are now becoming easier to produce in smaller form-factors, the Taiwanese company is looking to expand its portfolio with new organic LED screens aimed at smartphones and premium laptops.

Large TV OLED panels are still LG’s specialty, and it looks like no other panel producer wants to compete in this sector, yet, when it comes to smaller form-factors specific to smartphones, laptops and gaming monitors, competition is starting to heat up. Thanks to active investment in advanced OLED R&D development, AUO is now able to produce viable OLED screens for folding smartphones and high refresh rate laptop displays with 4K resolution that use novel production techniques.

Unlike the OLED displays we have seen integrated in select laptops this year, AUO’s organic LED panels use a new fabrication process involving ink jet printing, which helps keep manufacturing costs as low as possible and increase yields. Lower production costs do not necessarily mean lower quality. In fact, AUO’s 17.3-inch are even better than conventional OLEDs, as they provide 120 Hz refresh rates. Since it supports 4K resolutions, this type of OLEDs feature a high pixel density of 255 ppi, and the motion handling is said to be unparalleled. AUO claims the IJP OLEDs provide rich colors, deep blacks and high brightness, although it does not specify if these displays are HDR-compatible.

As for the foldable AMOLED screens, these come in 5.6-inch sizes and are guaranteed to fold inwards or outwards for at least 200,000 times at 4 mm folding radius. Unfortunately these displays still can’t incorporate protective glass layers, as they only come with plastic substrates. AUO did not provide any details regarding the screen resolution in folded and unfolded states, but the screen appears to be extra-wide in unfolded state, so we can expect FHD+ resolutions.