Sony Corp. will launch an ultra-thin flat TV based on the organic light-emitting diode (OLED) technology on Dec. 1 in Japan, bringing a new contender to a $82 billion market dominated by LCD and plasma TVs.
It will be the world's first OLED TV, the company said on Monday.
Sony, the world's number two liquid crystal display (LCD) TV maker behind Samsung Electronics Co., expects an 11-inch OLED TV with a thickness of 3 mm to sell for 200,000 yen ($1,740).
OLED panels are energy efficient, make thin and light displays, offer crisp pictures and have strength in showing fast-moving images, suitable for watching sports events.
But it is technologically difficult at the moment to make larger panels, limiting the appeal of the otherwise promising next-generation television.
"I don't think OLED TVs will replace LCD TVs overnight. But I do believe this is a type of technology with very high potential, something that will come after LCD TVs," Sony Executive Deputy President Katsumi Ihara told a news conference.
Ihara said he set the 200,000 yen price tag without taking profitability into consideration, suggesting Sony will make a loss for each set it sells at least in the initial stage.
Monthly production will come to 2,000 units. In comparison, Sony plans to sell 10 million units of LCD TVs in the year to next March.