SK Telecom concluded a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Samsung SDI on June 12 for the joint technology cooperation project for active-matrix OLED (AMOLED) display.
Under the MOU, the AMOLED of Samsung SDI will be applied to liquid crystal screen of cell phone of SK Telecom to offer high-definition satellite DMB and video contents.
Accordingly, customers enjoying video or DMB with mobile phone will be able to see vivid screen like high-definition TV in the near future.
Along with this, the two companies have agreed to jointly develop high-definition transmission methods of satellite DMB and video contents and a graphical user interface (GUI).
GUI is a type of user interface, which allows people to interact with a computer and computer-controlled devices, which employ graphical icons, visual indicators or special graphical elements called widgets, along with text labels or text navigation to represent the information and actions available to a user.
The actions are usually performed through direct manipulation of the graphical elements. Use of this acronym led to creation of the neologism guituitive, which means an interface which is intuitive.
Meanwhile, AMOLED display consists of OLED pixels that have been deposited or integrated onto a thin film transistor (TFT) array to form a matrix of pixels that illuminate light upon electrical activation. In contrast to a PMOLED display, where electricity is distributed row by row, the active-matrix TFT back plane acts as an array of switches that control the amount of current flowing through each OLED pixel.
The TFT array continuously controls the current that flows to the pixels, signaling to each pixel how brightly to shine. Typically, this continuous current flow is controlled by at least two TFTs at each pixel, one to start and stop the charging of a storage capacitor and the second to provide a voltage source at the level needed to create a constant current to the pixel. As a result, the AMOLED operates at all times, avoiding the need for the very high currents required for passive matrix operation.
The MOU signing ceremony was held between Kim Shin-bae, CEO of SK Telecom, and Kim Soon-taek of Samsung SDI.
Samsung SDI built a mass production line for AMOLED, the next-generation display, for the first time in the world, a company spokesman said.
Through the strategic tie-up, the two companies have decided to closely cooperate to develop optimized technology of satellite DMB and video contents and GUI, the spokesman said.
Lim Jong-tae, executive director of SK Telecom Access Technology Research Institute, said, "Through the bilateral technology cooperation between SK Telecom and Samsung SDI, we will be able to provide SK Telecom customers with high-quality video service that employed the dream display AMELED technology. In terms of offering WCDMA service, we will also be able to keep differential competitiveness and provide customers with mobile phone equipped with premium service."
Meanwhile, a senior official of Samsung SDI said: "Samsung already leads the Passive Matrix OLED (PMOLED) field that is widely used for mobile phone and MP3 player window. In the future, we will also secure a top position in the AMOLED market. In line with this, Samsung has been staging active marketing activities since last year by introducing mini Web site using clear screen of AMOLED."
He said that Samsung SDI invested a total of 465.5 billion won (US$503.3 million) to build a production line exclusively for AMOLED for the first time in the world.
Iriver, a manufacturer of MP3 player, introduced Clix that adopted AMOLED of Samsung SDI last February and the new product gained high popularity among customers with the sales figure exceeding 100,000 units so far.
