LG Display announced that it has begun mass producing what it claims is the world’s first circular Plastic OLED (P-OLED) display, an innovation that will first be seen on the company’s G Watch R smartwatch, which will be shown off at IFA 2014 in Berlin. Going forward, circular P-OLED could be a game changer in the field of wearables.
People who still wear watches are, for the most part, used to circular faces. However, a number of smartwatch designs have introduced rectangular form factors. Thanks to LG’s innovation, the G Watch R will sport a “perfectly round” face that measures 1.3 inches in diameter with a 320×320 resolution. Having a circular design doesn’t come at the expense of screen real-estate, either — LG says the screen area is actually 57 percent larger than that of a square display of the same size.
In terms of picture quality, LG’s P-OLED display realizes 100 percent color gamut, 300 nits peak luminance, and an unlimited contrast ratio, LG says.
“This first circular P-OLED display is yet another breakthrough that proves LG Display is ahead in OLED and the next-generation display technologies,” said Sang-Deog Yeo, Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer at LG Display. “We will respond to the fast-growing wearable devices market by continuously developing innovative technologies to meet the needs and demands of various customers, thereby leading the market.”
In order to mass produce these displays, LG created a circular mask that allows for the simultaneous deposit of organic materials. It’s a new production process that’s supposed to be more efficient, which is further aided by laser cutting.
