Samsung and Corning Enter Partnership for Lotus Glass OLED

Corning may be enthusiastic about the Gorilla Glass 2, but it will also have a hand in the new OLED technology that Samsung hopes to eventually use in its products.

Samsung and Corning have just announced a partnership dedicated to the development of a new display technology.

Samsung will combine its OLED display expertise with Corning's Lotus Glass, a new substrate that will go over the OLED panel itself.

The main advantage of Lotus Glass is that it can be bended quite a bit without breaking or otherwise becoming deteriorated.

Thus, consumer electronics devices will better withstand drops and hits, while flexible handsets will arrive all the sooner.

“Corning and Samsung have a long and successful partnership in the display industry, dating back nearly 40 years to the early days of television,” said Wendell P. Weeks, Corning’s chairman, chief executive officer, and president.

“The strength of our business relationship is built on Corning’s ability to develop and make high-technology glass with the key attributes that enable Samsung’s next-generation displays. Together, we have led the evolution of displays – from the high-growth years of CRT, to our current successful business supplying world-leading substrates for today’s high-definition LCD TVs, and now to the launch of this important new venture to advance OLED technology.”

Samsung uses OLED panels in smartphones and other small devices, but has begun seriously integrating them into TVs as well.

A 55-inch TV was actually presented at this year's Consumer Electronics Show (CES 2012). Alas, there is no mention of when Lotus Glass OLED screens will be ready for marketing.

"Samsung Mobile Display has led the global display industry by constantly seeking innovations and challenging current technologies' limits. We are confident that combining our business powers with Corning's technology leadership will deliver greater value to our clients,” said Soo In Cho, Samsung Mobile Display’s president and chief executive officer.