At the technology level, LEDs and OLEDs are similar; except that LEDs are semiconductors, while OLEDs use semiconductor and carbon-based materials. However, while both emit light, their uses differ greatly. For example, the on/off indicators found on billions of products are LEDs (see
LED), while OLEDs are used for display screens.
LED and OLED TVs
LEDs are also used for TV screens; not as the display technology itself but as a light source to replace the fluorescent tube backlights in all LCD panels. LED TVs are all LCD TVs with LED backlights, but LED TV was chosen as the new name in the mid-2000s because marketers felt it embraced the change better.
In contrast, OLED TVs use fluorescent or phosphorescent coatings to actually emit colored light at the semiconductor juncture, somewhat similar to LEDs. See
LED TV and
OLED.