Sharp will start delivering IGZO LCD panels to Samsung Electronics and it will head to 11.6” netbooks first. The panel is promised to deliver better power-saving characteristics compared to standard TFT types. This should allow laptops to last more than 8 hours with relatively smaller battery.
This arrangement should address Samsung’s lackluster LCD panel production and allows the company to focus more on OLED panels. So, it is unlikely that IGZO displays will be used on Samsung’s tablets and smartphones. The Samsung Display division also produces LCD panels, but the South Korean company surely realizes that it lags behind other display manufacturers in terms of LCD technology development. Sharp is also planning to deliver IGZO panels for large TVs and it is not known whether Samsung is also interested to use them for its TV models.
Sharp has been financially struggling and the move should help the Japanese company immensely. Last December, Qualcomm, has also injected $120 (Approx. £77) million into Sharp’s financial operation.