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Definition: OLED


(Organic LED) A display technology that offers rich colors, high contrast, deep blacks, wide viewing angle, low power and fast response time for action scenes. Instead of silicon or gallium, which LEDs are made of, OLEDs use "organic" carbon emitting layers. OLED screens are found in TVs, smartphones, tablets, watches and VR/AR headsets. Increasingly, laptop displays and monitors are OLED, but screen burn-in is a problem when the same toolbars and logos remain on screen for weeks on end. For more OLED technology details, see OLED layers. See LED, PHOLED and QD-OLED.

TOLEDs and FOLEDs
Transparent OLEDs (TOLEDs) function in heads-up displays and even as window shades. Flexible OLEDs (FOLEDs) can be folded, and OLEDs are also used for general-purpose ceiling and light fixtures (see OLED lighting). OLED's thinness, transparency and flexibility make it a versatile display technology for the 21st century. See TOLED, FOLED and WOLED.






From 11 to 77 Inches
In 2007, Sony's 11" XEL-1 OLED TV (top) was the first commercial OLED TV. To emphasize its thinness, the tuner was separated from the screen. The intense colors captivated audiences but not its $2499 price tag. Seven years later, LG unveiled a 77" 4K OLED (bottom). By 2020, a 65" OLED cost less than the 11" OLED. (Top image courtesy of Sony Corporation.)