LG Electronics released’QNED TV’ as its own mini LED TV. (Source = LG Electronics)
LG Electronics announced the launch of a mini LED TV through a technology briefing. From this fact alone, it may seem like a new product is released, but in detail, there is a content that keeps its rival Samsung Electronics in check. Since the competition for technology and brands between the two companies is not a day or two, this technology briefing session and product launch have many points to keep in mind.
LG Electronics held a’LG Electronics TV Technology Presentation’ at 10 am on the 29th and introduced the 2021 LG Mini LED TV, aka’LG QNED TV,’ to be released next year.
LG QNED TV is an upgraded version of the existing LCD-based’nanocell TV’. Basically, it is an LCD TV that uses backlight, but it is LG Electronics’ self-reputation that it has evolved at the same time in both the backlight and the panel, and has reached the “top of LCD TV”.
In terms of backlight, LG QNED TV planted 30,000 backlight units (BLU) and clustered them into 2500 units (dimming blocks). Based on an 86-inch TV, it is about 3cm in the forward direction per dimming block. The dimming block refers to the area in the screen that emits light, and the greater the number, the easier it is to control the light.
Sun-pil Paik, in charge of LG Electronics’ TV product planning, said, “In the days of full-array, around 2000 leds were used, so 30,000 were 10-15 times more.” “Existing dimming blocks are 400-500 It also increased more than 5 times. It is more than 10 times more expressive than before.”
It can be interpreted that LG Electronics’ QLED TV has advanced in technology compared to the existing LCD product line. (Source = LG Electronics)
There was also technological progress in the panel. LG Electronics explained that it has completed’Quantum Nano Cell Color Technology,’ which combines quantum dot devices with nanocell filters that evolved from RGB color filters.
Sunpil Paik said, “The improved brightness and contrast ratio of the mini LED meets the quantum nanocell color technology to provide the best picture quality that can be produced by LCD.” He said, “I dare say that it has reached the peak of LCD evolution.”
“A TV with backlight will be an upgraded LG QNED from nano cell, that is, a mini LED TV,” said Baek. “In the position, OLED TV will be the top line, and positioning will be in the order of QNED and nano cell TV.”
LG Electronics plans to deploy this product in mid- to large-sized sizes ranging from 55 to 86 inches. The price will increase compared to the low-end LCD TV, but the price will be half of the same size compared to the OLED, which is its premium lineup.
There are two main areas that stand out from LG Electronics’ technology briefing. The first is the name’QNED’, and the second is’Quantum Dot’. Unfortunately, all are related to Samsung Electronics.
① Samsung steals the name of the next-generation display’QNED’
QNED TV is actually the brand name of LG Electronics’ new product, but it is not unfamiliar to anyone with knowledge of TVs and displays. This is because Samsung Electronics is preparing QNED with QD Display as a next-generation technology.
QNED, which Samsung is developing, is a term after the abbreviation of’Quantum nano emitting diode’. It is a method of using a fine blue light-emitting diode (LED) called a nanorod as a light-emitting device. According to UBI Research, the display market expert, Samsung issued 125 QNED-related patents until last October.
QNED structure. (Data = UBI Research)
The full name of the QNED TV released by LG Electronics this time in English is’Quantum nanocell emitting diode’. LG Electronics applied for trademark rights such as QNED, QNLED, and NQED to the Korean Intellectual Property Office in September, and then registered these three trademarks in foreign countries such as the United States, the European Union (EU), and Australia.
Lee Jeong-seok, in charge of HE Marketing Communication at LG Electronics, said, “The name of the QNED was not an idea that came out in a short period of time, but was on the existing roadmap. There is no”, he denied the interrelationship.
However, since Samsung Electronics’ QNED, which means using a nano-rod device, emerged only a year ago, there seems to be little suggestion that LG Electronics’ TV brand name is QNED. In particular, when Samsung Electronics released QLED TVs, the criticism that “Why did you name LCD TVs LED” was criticized, so this brand name can be seen as an extension of the naming war between the two companies.
② Breaking down the formula of’Samsung = QLED’
Another thing to note is that the panel was made by combining the quantum dot material with its own nano cell. Regarding this, Baek explained, “We have prepared’Quantum Nano Cell Color Technology’ by combining nanocells and quantum dots. We have developed our own material with Nanocell Plus and completed the first step in combining existing quantum dot technology.” did.
However, the first and most frequently mentioned place in the industry about combining a material called quantum dot into a TV is Samsung Electronics. It is a semiconductor crystal in which a quantum (quantum) that emits light when receiving an electric current is injected, and by coating a quantum dot material on a film, the color reproduction rate (saturation) of the LCD can be significantly improved. Samsung Electronics first commercialized quantum dot TVs as’SUHD TVs’ in 2015, and launched QLED TVs in earnest in 2017.
Samsung Electronics has been offering QLED TVs since 2017. The photo shows CES in 2020. (Photo = Blotter DB)
LG Electronics responded with a nano cell TV covered with a nano cell color filter. However, it was true that nanocells received relatively less attention than Samsung, which enjoys a lot of fun with QLED TVs. This time, it introduced’Quantum Nano Cell Color Technology’ by airborne even quantum dot material. Apart from technological achievements, it is an attempt to change the general formula of’Samsung = quantum dot’ and’LG = nanocell’.
Sunpil Paik said, “The QD and Nanocell are both high-color support technologies, and you can combine red, green, and blue. These two are not separate, but made into one.” “I applied QD and nanocell at the same time.”
LG Electronics also made a clear strategy to highlight OLED at this technology briefing. QNED TV is the pinnacle of LCD technology, but it does not reach OLEDs that emit light and form an infinite dimming zone based on hundreds of millions of pixels.
LG Electronics also made a clear strategy to highlight its OLED TV through this technology briefing. (Photo = LG Electronics)
Baek said, “Mini LED is perfect for expressing the size of the moon, but the control range is so large that light bleeding around stars and stars may be invisible.” “OLED can express details and is 100% self-luminous. “Perfect black, unmatched infinite contrast ratio, color fidelity, flicker-free, and easy-to-see display.”
LG Electronics’ technology briefing has a clear character in terms of controlling Samsung Electronics”two weapons’, namely, QNED and quantum dot. The’TV War’ of the two companies, which will take place next year centered on mini LED TVs, and’OLED’ and’Micro LED’, which are strengthening their position as post LCDs, and the long-term war that will take place over Samsung’s QNED are also of interest.