The next generation of Samsung TVs could be here as soon as 2018, bringing with it significant upgrades in image quality.
A new report claims that Samsung’s next-generation QLED televisions will be here “as early as two years and five years at the latest”. That’s according to Business Korea, which cites unnamed “electronic industry and financial investment industry sources”.
Samsung’s current top-end TVs are based on Quantum Dot technology, but they use standard LED LCD technology. That means they require a backlight to illuminate the pixels.
A QLED TV is also based on Quantum Dot technology but, by contrast, features an OLED display – hence ‘QLED’. The great thing about OLED TVs is that their pixels are self-illuminating – i.e. they emit their own light, and don’t need a backlight.
Related: OLED vs LED LCD
There are several advantages to using OLED screens. The first is that they’re less power-hungry, because not all of the pixels need to be lit up all the time. And because individual pixels can be completely turned off, you can get much deeper ‘true’ blacks.
Quantum dots, meanwhile, have a number of benefits for displays, including offering higher peak brightness, better colour accuracy, higher colour saturation, and lower power consumption. By combining this with OLED technology, you’re getting a seriously impressive TV.
QLED could, in theory, be the best both worlds by combining the rich colours and contrast of OLED TVs and the brightness of LED LCD sets. This could make it massive benefit to Ultra HD Blu-rays and HDR TV content, which require high brightness and good contrast performance to unlock their potential.
Related: Quantum Dots Explained
Fortunately, this newly reported timeline isn’t actually that farfetched. Speaking to Business Korea, Jason Hartlove, CEO of Nanosys – the largest Quantum Dot producer globally – said:
“We are currently developing quantum dot materials to be used in QLED. QLED TVs with quantum dot technology will be released in three to five years.”
We’ve asked Samsung for comment, and will update this article with any response.
Trusted Explains: All you need to know about TVs
Do you own a 4K TV yet? Tell us why (or why not) in the comments below.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
