Sony Responds: Will Sell OLED TVs This Year

While Toshiba and Matsushita announced they would be bringing OLED TVs to market in three years, Sony shoots back saying they will have a OLED based TV this year.

Yesterday’s announcement was big news; OLED TVs would be available by 2010 from both Toshiba and Panasonic parent company Matsushita. Sounds pretty exciting right? Well Sony has upped the game by announcing that they would start selling their OLED (organic light-emitting diode) based TV later this year, becoming the first CE company to do so. Sony plans to manufacturer 1,000 11-inch OLED TVs per month.

There is a catch however – a 9-inch catch to be exact. Toshiba and Matsushita announced a 20.8 inch OLED TV in three years time, while Sony’s OLED TV which is supposed to be available later this year, measures in at a mere 11-inches; better pull out your glasses for this one.

OLED technology is nothing new; in fact we have seen it in a number of products ranging from MP3 players to cell phones. The problem is getting a large, reliable OLED based display for use as a monitor or TV; and while 11 inches does not sound very large, it is a step in the right direction. Something else to consider, if 11 inches today and 20.8 inches in three years is any indication of just how fast the technology is progressing, we are sure in for a long wait.